2023 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 Toyota Sienna

The 2022 Toyota Sienna continued Toyota's long-standing tradition of embracing the minivan market, despite the growing popularity of SUVs. Toyota's commitment to the minivan segment was evident in the Sienna's design, which aimed to blend SUV-like aesthetics with the practicality of a minivan. The Sienna featured a bold front end and cleverly re-engineered sliding doors that concealed the slider channel, giving it a more streamlined look. The interior was designed with families in mind, offering ample storage, comfortable seating, and a spacious third-row bench that could be easily stowed away.

In contrast, the 2023 Volvo XC40 maintained its distinctive, flat-roofed SUV profile, characterized by a clean exterior design with minimal detailing. For 2023, Volvo introduced subtle updates, including pixelated "Thor’s Hammer" headlights and a more angular front bumper. The XC40's interior continued to reflect Volvo's minimalist design philosophy, featuring a central touchscreen framed by thin air vents and scalloped door elements. The XC40 Ultimate model boasted luxurious options like a panoramic moonroof and an Orrefors crystal shift knob, although the all-black interior felt somewhat utilitarian.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna carried over its hybrid powertrain from the previous year, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors to produce 243 horsepower. This setup was available in both FWD and AWD configurations, with the AWD system adding a separate electric motor for the rear wheels. The Sienna utilized an electronically controlled CVT, offering four selectable drive modes: Normal, EV, Eco, and Sport. The Sienna's handling was surprisingly agile for a minivan, thanks to its TNGA platform, and it delivered impressive fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 36 mpg combined and AWD models 35 mpg combined.

The 2023 Volvo XC40 introduced mild-hybrid powertrains, featuring a 48-volt electrical system and a 13-horsepower integrated starter generator. The base B4 powertrain combined this system with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, producing 197 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, while the B5 variant offered 247 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains came with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the B4 being FWD-only and the B5 AWD-only. The XC40 B5 could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, and the XC40 Recharge, with its 402 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque, could achieve the same in 4.7 seconds. The Recharge also boasted a 223-mile range and a towing capacity of 4,409 pounds.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna was designed to be a versatile family workhorse, capable of accommodating a full 4x8 sheet of plywood with the tailgate closed. The sliding second row added flexibility for loading cargo, with measurements of 33.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 75.2 cubic feet behind the second row, and 101 cubic feet behind the first row. The Sienna also offered a 3,500-pound towing capacity. The power-operated sliding doors and rear tailgate, with foot-motion triggers, provided added convenience for busy families.

The 2023 Volvo XC40, while smaller than its larger XC60 and XC90 siblings, offered reasonable interior space for its class. It provided ample rear-seat headroom and shoulder room, making the second-row middle seat more usable. Cargo space measured 20 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 46.9 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was less than some competitors. However, the XC40 featured innovative interior storage solutions, such as scalloped door panels and a spacious center console storage bin.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna came equipped with a 9-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. However, it lacked wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Sienna offered a range of telematics services, Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, and optional Qi wireless phone charging. Higher trim levels featured a 12-speaker JBL audio system and an available rear-seat entertainment system with an 11.6-inch display. The Sienna also included a color multi-information display and an optional 10-inch head-up display on Platinum models.

The 2023 Volvo XC40 adopted an Android-based infotainment system, featuring Google Maps, Google Assistant, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The 9-inch touchscreen in portrait orientation was standard, and the B5 Ultimate model included a 13-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. While the graphics were pleasing, the lack of analog controls meant that most functions had to be accessed through the touchscreen, which could be less intuitive for some users.

The 2022 Toyota Sienna received top safety ratings, including a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. It came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and traffic sign recognition. The Sienna also featured 10 airbags, multiple LATCH child-seat connectors, a rear-seat reminder system, and tire-pressure monitoring.

The 2023 Volvo XC40 continued Volvo's tradition of prioritizing safety, with standard features such as lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, traffic sign recognition, rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert. Higher trim levels added front and side parking sensors, a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control, and Pilot Assist. The XC40 received top ratings from the IIHS in most crash tests, although it dropped to an "Acceptable" rating in the updated side-impact test. The NHTSA awarded the gasoline XC40 a five-star overall safety rating.