2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2021 Volvo XC40 presented a traditional SUV aesthetic, characterized by its tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, aligning with Volvo's signature design elements like the "Thor’s Hammer" LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The gasoline models offered a retro touch with an optional white contrasting roof. The XC40 Recharge differentiated itself with a blanked-off grille, unique badging, and model-specific alloy wheels, alongside a gloss black roof and mirror caps. Its interior was minimalist yet premium, featuring real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery, creating a cohesive and upscale cabin environment.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite a facelift in 2018, retained a dated design from its 2007 introduction. The subtle updates, such as the lines connecting the grille to the headlights, were overshadowed by its large silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's massive, multi-tiered center dash design felt reminiscent of the mid-2000s, with a standard 7-inch touchscreen appearing small against the expansive dash. However, the Sequoia offered a spacious cabin, with comfortable and supportive seats, particularly in the second row, and a variety of trims, including the new Nightshade Special Edition, which added unique styling elements and features.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a versatile powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge model at the top. The gasoline variants featured a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 produced 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 delivered 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge model, sharing its powertrain with the Polestar 2, boasted dual electric motors for AWD, generating a combined 402 hp and 486 lb-ft, powered by a 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack. The Recharge accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the T5 and T4 achieved the same in 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph, emphasizing safety over speed.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided strong acceleration, even for an SUV weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The Sequoia's driving dynamics resembled those of a truck, with a soft suspension and powerful brakes, appealing to those who appreciated a traditional SUV feel. Despite some body roll, the Sequoia's wide stance helped it settle in corners. It offered a towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds, though it lagged behind competitors like the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Tahoe in this regard.

The 2021 Volvo XC40, while lacking in overall space compared to rivals like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, compensated with clever storage solutions. The interior featured a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and large door bins thanks to the relocation of the Harman Kardon system's speakers to the dashboard. However, the Recharge model's frunk was small, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. Despite these limitations, the XC40 maintained a competitive edge in interior space against other luxury crossovers like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia excelled in interior space, offering nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and over 66 cubic feet with it folded. With all rear seats down, it provided an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space, rivaling the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a standout feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area without fully opening the hatch. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered deep in-door pockets, a massive center console, and multiple storage compartments, though newer SUVs had surpassed it in maximizing space efficiency.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, integrating Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps, while gasoline models retained the previous system. The setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, with top-notch graphics and menu layouts. The Recharge model also introduced OTA update capability, allowing for software updates without dealership visits. Notably, the Recharge lacked a start button, relying on the presence of a key fob to activate the vehicle.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model featured a larger 9-inch screen, though it still felt small on the expansive dash. The older infotainment system was user-friendly, with simple menu navigation and large hard buttons. The digital trip computer was small but functional, providing essential information without the complexity of modern digital instrument panels.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 earned the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. It came equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition and Volvo's Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model featured Volvo's latest sensor suite, capable of future updates for advanced driver aids.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its age, offered the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. It also came standard with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. However, it lacked more advanced features like lane-keeping assist. The Sequoia's older platform resulted in a four-star rating in the NHTSA's rollover test, with no further crash test ratings available.