2021 Volvo XC90 vs 2022 Ford Explorer

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy, blending traditional elements with modern touches. Known for its conservative styling, Volvo managed to add character to the XC90 while retaining its recognizable boxy profile and blunt front end. The details made the difference, with softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights featuring "Thor’s Hammer" daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, was the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more basic looks, respectively. The XC90's interior embraced "Swedish minimalism," featuring high-quality materials and thoughtful arrangements, including matte-finish wood trim and unique wool upholstery options.

In contrast, the 2022 Ford Explorer offered a wide range of models, from the rugged Timberline to the luxurious King Ranch. Our test vehicle, the King Ranch, featured 4WD, Rapid Red paint, a Premium Technology package, and a twin-panel sunroof, bringing its MSRP to $59,880. Visually, the King Ranch was distinguished by its emblems, shiny 20-inch wheels, and quad exhaust outlets. The Explorer's rear-drive platform allowed for a long, tall hood and a rakish roofline, giving it a taut, athletic appearance. Inside, the King Ranch boasted exclusive Del Rio leather seating with lasso-perforated inserts and King Ranch branding. However, the cabin exhibited a mix of quality and questionable materials, with some elements reminding us of the Explorer's base trim.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 engine was turbocharged, producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 engine added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft. The T5 came with front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive optional, while the T6 and T8 had standard AWD. Despite the impressive power figures, the XC90's small engine struggled with flexibility, and the plug-in hybrid's electric mode was limited to low speeds. The XC90 excelled in ride quality and old-school luxury, with an optional air-suspension system and a quiet cabin. It also had a respectable towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds.

The 2022 Ford Explorer offered three powertrains. The base, XLT, ST-Line, Limited, and Timberline trims came with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive, with 4WD available. This engine had a maximum towing capacity of 5,300 pounds and up to 24 mpg in combined driving. The Explorer Limited offered an efficient hybrid drivetrain based on a 3.3-liter V6, making 318 hp and 322 lb-ft, with a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and up to 27 mpg combined. The top trims, including the King Ranch, featured a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine generating 400 hp and 415 lb-ft, with a towing capacity of 5,600 pounds and up to 21 mpg combined. The King Ranch 4WD test vehicle averaged 20.6 mpg. The Explorer's ride quality was robust, handling bumps and off-road terrain well, and it felt athletic in daily driving.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 was available in six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. Headroom and legroom were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The seats in the second and third rows felt hard and lacked support. The optional power moonroof and upright roof profile gave the interior a spacious feel. The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but the steering wheel was not power-adjustable. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console storage bin. Cargo space was 11.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 34.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 64.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. A hands-free power tailgate was available.

The 2022 Ford Explorer offered plenty of comfort for families of four, with the option to carry five people with a second-row bench seat. The third-row seat was suitable only for children due to the rear-drive platform, low roofline, and tapered tail. The King Ranch trim featured triple-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain’s chairs. The front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with 14-way power adjustment for the driver and eight-way for the front passenger. The second-row seats were nearly as accommodating, but the third-row seat was difficult for adults to access and lacked legroom. Practical storage space was limited, with missed opportunities for additional storage in the front door armrests and dashboard. The King Ranch had a hands-free power liftgate, with 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 47.9 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 87.8 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which emphasized simplicity and functionality. It came standard with a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Two front USB-A ports and two rear USB-C ports were standard, with a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and head-up display available. The portrait-oriented touchscreen was easy to use, but the amount of text and typeface made reading some menus difficult while driving. The wireless charging pad added for 2021 was too small for most phones, and the lack of front USB-C ports was a drawback.

The 2022 Ford Explorer offered two versions of its Sync 3 infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen or a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The smaller screen was well integrated, while the larger screen looked like an afterthought. Our test vehicle had the full menu of Sync 3 technology, including FordPass Connect services, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, Ford+Alexa functionality, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and a navigation system. The King Ranch trim included wireless smartphone charging, a surround-view camera system, and a 14-speaker Bang and Olufsen premium sound system. The Sync 3 system had limitations, particularly with voice recognition and operating features using spoken commands. The King Ranch also featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and Active Park Assist 2.0, with an available rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for non-hybrid models, with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave all 2021 XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating. The XC90 offered a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver aid.

The 2022 Ford Explorer earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS for all versions. The NHTSA had not published complete crash-test ratings for the 2022 Explorer at the time of this review, but the 2021 model received five-star ratings except for rollover resistance. The Explorer came standard with Ford Co-Pilot360, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Co-Pilot360 Assist+ added adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and evasive steering assist. The Explorer also featured a post-collision braking system and MyKey programmable vehicle functions.