2021 Volvo XC90 vs 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design language, moving away from its traditionally conservative styling. The XC90 retained Volvo's recognizable boxy profile and blunt front end with a rectangular grille, but introduced softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights with "Thor’s Hammer" daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome trim and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, was the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more understated looks, respectively. The XC90's interior embraced "Swedish minimalism," featuring matte-finish wood trim and an optional wool upholstery, creating a refined yet restrained cabin atmosphere.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, built on a new platform, showcased Hyundai's latest design language with a parametric grille that integrated LED daytime running lights, Bi-LED headlights, and LED front turn signals. The Tucson's side profile borrowed design cues from the Hyundai Elantra, featuring a silver D-pillar that created a floating roof effect. The rear of the Tucson sported toothy taillights illuminated by LEDs, giving it a distinctive look. Depending on the trim level, the Tucson rode on either 17- or 19-inch wheels, with higher trims featuring premium fascias, front and rear skid plates, gloss black pillars, and a panoramic sunroof. The interior of the Tucson was well-appointed, with standard stain- and odor-resistant cloth seats, and available sport combination and leather-trimmed seats on higher trims.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrain options, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 model added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as the Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. The T5 came standard with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive was optional on the T5 and standard on the T6 and T8. Despite its power, the XC90 struggled with acceleration from stops on electric power alone, and the gasoline engine often had to assist. The XC90 excelled in ride quality and old-school luxury, with an optional air-suspension system and a quiet cabin. Most XC90 models had a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity, except for the base FWD T5, which was rated at 4,000 pounds.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson offered two powertrain variants: a 2.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. The ICE engine produced 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid delivered a combined 226 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid powertrain made the Tucson more powerful than competitors like the Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. The Tucson's ICE engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the hybrid used a six-speed automatic. All-wheel drive was standard on the Tucson Hybrid and optional on ICE models. The Tucson Hybrid achieved impressive fuel economy, with an EPA-estimated 37 mpg combined, while the ICE models achieved 29 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. The forthcoming Tucson plug-in hybrid was expected to deliver 261 horsepower and 224 pound-feet of torque, with an estimated 25 miles of all-electric range.

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 in all three rows were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The XC90's interior featured a power moonroof, four-zone climate control, and an optional filtration system. The Inscription trim offered 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but lacked a power-adjustable steering wheel. Cargo space was limited, with 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. The XC90 also had a hands-free power tailgate.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson offered a spacious and well-appointed interior, with a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat standard and an eight-way version available on higher trims. The Tucson featured three-stage heated front seats, ventilated front seats, memory for the driver’s seat, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat. The new platform allowed for more passenger and cargo space, with the Tucson offering more rear legroom than the Toyota RAV4. The cabin had ample space for a family of four, with a 74.8 cubic-foot cargo area. The rear seats featured a 60-40 split-folding bench seat and a dual-level cargo floor on ICE models. A hands-free liftgate was available on mid-grade models and up.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which included a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with a portrait-oriented touchscreen that allowed for easy navigation through menus. However, the amount of text and typeface used made reading some menus difficult while driving. The XC90 also had a wireless charging pad, but it was too small for most phones, and the second-row USB-C ports limited charging options for newer phones.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and two USB ports. Higher trims offered a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, but required plugging in devices for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen was embedded within a black plastic head unit that included climate control and radio/media functionality, making it difficult to find the right button while driving. The Tucson also featured a fully digital instrument cluster on higher trims, and a range of standard and available tech features, including satellite radio, Blue Link mobile app compatibility, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS for non-hybrid models, with top "Good" scores in all crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The 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, a 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 Hyundai Tucson had not been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of writing. However, it came with the Hyundai SmartSense Safety Feature suite, which included forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, rear occupant alert, speed limit assist, and leading vehicle departure alert. Additional available features included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and remote parking assist. Hyundai also offered a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and 3 years/36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.