2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Volvo XC40

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential Honda, embodying the brand's familiar design language. Its exterior, reminiscent of a scaled-down Honda Pilot or an enhanced CR-V, struck a balance between ruggedness and athleticism. The Passport's higher ground clearance compared to the Pilot, along with its scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and black-rimmed LED headlights, contributed to its off-road-ready appearance. Inside, the Passport's cabin was a blend of hard-wearing and soft-touch materials, offering a sophisticated yet practical environment. The Elite trim featured luxurious touches like perforated, heated, and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, and a moonroof, making it a well-appointed choice for buyers.

The 2021 Volvo XC40, on the other hand, showcased a more traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch. It shared familial design cues with other Volvo models, such as the "Thor’s Hammer" LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The XC40 Recharge variant stood out with its blanked-off grille, subtle "Recharge" badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. The interior of the XC40 was minimalist yet premium, featuring real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent and pleasing, with a portrait-oriented touchscreen and well-integrated air vents, offering a luxurious feel that set it apart from many competitors in its segment.

The 2020 Honda Passport was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided sufficient power for various driving situations, although its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined, and AWD models slightly lower. The Passport excelled in real-world performance, handling the elevation changes of Yosemite National Park and the mudded ruts outside Houston, Texas, with ease. Its torque-vectoring AWD system, available on the Elite trim, enhanced its stability and off-road capability. The Passport could tow up to 5,000 pounds, outperforming rivals like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge model at the top. The base FWD T4 featured a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The Recharge model, sharing its powertrain with the Polestar 2, boasted 402 hp and 486 lb-ft from its dual electric motors, achieving a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. The XC40 emphasized comfort and quietness over performance, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. The Recharge model also offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds, making it a versatile choice for electric vehicle enthusiasts.

The 2020 Honda Passport was all about practicality. Its right-sized dimensions provided good visibility and spacious seating for four adults, with ample knee- and legroom. The Passport excelled in cargo space, offering 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. The interior featured thoughtful storage solutions, including a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The available tri-zone automatic climate control and second-row sunshades added to passenger comfort, while the power liftgate and easy-to-clean surfaces enhanced its usability.

The 2021 Volvo XC40, while not as spacious as some competitors, made up for it with clever storage solutions. The center console included a removable trash bin, and the glovebox door featured a bag hook. The Harman Kardon audio system's speakers were moved to the dashboard, allowing for larger door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped to hold a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad. However, the XC40's cargo space and frunk were smaller compared to rivals like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, limiting its utility for larger loads.

The 2020 Honda Passport featured a 5.0-inch display on the base Sport model, while higher trims received an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was practical and easy to navigate, with a manual power button and volume knob. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system, with higher trims offering a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, additional USB ports, a wireless phone charger, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The dashboard design, borrowed from the Pilot, was functional but slightly outdated.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge introduced the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, featuring Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. The system included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, with top-notch graphics and menu layouts. The Recharge model also offered OTA update capability, allowing for software updates without visiting a dealership. The lack of a start button and the potential for a Digital Key feature in the future added to its modern appeal. Gasoline models continued with the previous infotainment system, which still provided a high level of functionality and connectivity.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like dynamic gridlines for the rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA for gasoline models. The XC40 Recharge, with its safety cage around the battery and redesigned front crash structure, was expected to perform well in crash tests. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, and Volvo's Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model also featured Volvo's latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.