2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2022 Volvo XC60

Volvo made subtle styling changes to the 2022 XC60, including a new front fascia with "air blades" for a sportier look, a hidden rear bumper tailpipe, and new wheel designs. The front grille was reworked to house sensors behind the heated Volvo logo, ensuring functionality in cold weather. The XC60 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models like the XC90, S90, and V90 Cross Country. The interior remained largely unchanged, featuring a clean design with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and minimal clutter. The B6 R-Design model added flair with aluminum mesh speaker grilles and textured seats, while the Inscription trim offered Nappa leather upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe stood out with its unique sound and look. Aside from a "4xe" badge and blue accents, it resembled a regular Wrangler, with the power port at the left base of the windshield being the main difference. When running on battery power alone, the Wrangler 4xe was silent except for its pedestrian notification system, which turned heads as it moved through Yosemite National Park. Our Firecracker Red Rubicon test vehicle, priced at $66,690, included over $13,000 in options. Inside, it retained the classic Wrangler look with blue seat stitching, charging indicator lights, and special PHEV gauges. The interior featured more soft-touch materials than expected, with leather seats and padded door panels, while controls were laid out in a functional format.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 introduced new B5 and B6 mild-hybrid powertrains, replacing the previous T5 and T6 engines. Both powertrains combined a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 48-volt electrical system and an integrated starter generator, adding 13 horsepower in short bursts. The B6 also included an electric supercharger. The B5 produced 258 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, while the B6 offered 295 hp and 310 lb-ft. Both used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with the B5 available in FWD or AWD and the B6 in AWD only. The B5 accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds (6.6 seconds with FWD), and the B6 in 5.9 seconds. The XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid delivered 400 hp and 472 lb-ft, reaching 60 mph in 5 seconds, while the Polestar Engineered version offered 415 hp and 494 lb-ft, with a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, two electric motors, and a 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. The battery provided an estimated 21 miles of electric driving with a 49 MPGe combined efficiency rating. As a hybrid, it achieved 20 mpg combined, with a total driving range of 370 miles. The Wrangler 4xe offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save. In Hybrid mode, it delivered 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, reaching 60 mph in 6 seconds. Electric mode allowed for pure electric driving, while e-Save preserved battery power for specific situations. During a road trip to Yosemite, the Wrangler 4xe averaged 19.1 mpg over 757 miles, with 120.9 miles on electricity.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 maintained its competitive passenger space, with above-average front-seat headroom but limited rear-seat headroom. Legroom was average for the segment. Mild-hybrid models offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 49.8 cubic feet with them down, while plug-in hybrid models had slightly less capacity at 21.1 and 49.3 cubic feet, respectively. The XC60 provided a commanding driving position with good visibility, despite the somewhat pinched roofline.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe required some effort to climb into due to high door sills and the lack of side steps on the Rubicon trim. Once inside, passengers found it comfortable, with a classic Wrangler driving position offering a clear view over the hood. The center console had limited storage due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever. Rear-seat space was adequate for upright seating, with air conditioning vents, USB ports, and a 115-volt power outlet. Cargo volume measured 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, expanding to 72.4 cubic feet with the seat folded down. However, accessing cargo could be challenging due to the swing-out tailgate and flip-up rear window.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 received a tech overhaul with a 9-inch touchscreen running the Android Automotive operating system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Optional features included a head-up display and upgraded audio systems from Harman Kardon or Bowers & Wilkins. The new system integrated Google Assistant for voice control, Google Maps for navigation, and access to third-party apps via the Google Play Store. The digital instrument cluster could display a map or a "Calm" setting to minimize distractions.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. A WiFi connection was available, and the Alpine sound system provided adequate audio quality despite wind noise. The Uconnect system was intuitive but showed signs of aging in terms of load time, responsiveness, and graphics. The Trip Summary data panel offered charging time estimates, and the five blue charging indicator lights on the dashboard provided a quick view of charging status.

The 2022 Volvo XC60 had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA for the 2022 model year, but the 2021 model received the IIHS "Top Safety Pick+" rating and a five-star overall rating from NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic post-collision braking, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. New features for 2022 included Ready to Drive Notification and Emergency Stop Assist. The optional Pilot Assist system combined adaptive cruise control and automated lane centering.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered advanced driving assistance systems in the Safety Group (blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear parking sensors) and the Advanced Safety Group (adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights). The IIHS rated the Wrangler's LED headlights as Marginal and the standard headlights as Poor. The Wrangler received a Marginal rating for small-overlap frontal-impact protection for the driver, with the vehicle tipping over in two tests. NHTSA gave the Wrangler Unlimited a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover rating.