2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling compared to other small luxury crossovers, featuring a tall, flat roof and an upright rear hatch. It seamlessly fit into the Volvo lineup with signature elements like “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. Gasoline models offered a white contrasting roof for a retro touch. The XC40 Recharge stood out with a blanked-off grille, “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also featured a gloss black roof, mirror caps, and a unique rear bumper. The interior was minimalist yet premium, with real metal trim and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The grille was more upright, flanked by large fake air intakes, giving it a chunkier look. The Equinox maintained a car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of some competitors. The dashboard design was creative, with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center. Materials and fit and finish were decent, with cloth seats standard and perforated leather available. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, though the interior felt too subdued.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered three powertrain options. The base FWD T4 had a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. The AWD T5 increased output to 248 hp and 258 lb-ft. The electric Recharge model shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring dual electric motors for 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 took 6.1 and 8.1 seconds, respectively. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality and one-pedal driving capability. It also had a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox had a single powertrain option: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. It performed well in stop-and-go driving, with peak torque available between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. However, at higher speeds, the engine felt coarse and unresponsive, and the transmission’s shifts were rough. The Equinox wasn’t designed for sporty handling and lacked the refinement of some competitors, though it was decently comfortable on rough roads.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had no difference in passenger or cargo space between the Recharge and gasoline models. However, it was less spacious than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. Volvo compensated for the lack of space with clever storage solutions, including a removable trash bin, a bag hook in the glovebox, and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped for a phone, with an optional wireless charging pad and a single USB-C port. However, second-row occupants lacked phone-charging options.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good, but some competitors offered more front seat legroom. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though the rear pillars created a slight blind spot, and the small rear window hampered rear visibility. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed below the touchscreen, avoiding the need to dig into menus. The Equinox had 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the seats folded, near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but it lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or cargo-area storage bins.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth connectivity. The standard hardware setup included a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Recharge also had OTA update capability for the infotainment system and other vehicle functions. It lacked a start button, allowing the driver to simply shift out of park with the key fob present.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels featured an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage. The Equinox also offered multiple USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for a phone was too small.

The gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver-alertness monitor, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model had Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top “Good” scores in most IIHS crash tests but a “Marginal” rating in the updated side crash test. It received a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and an “Advanced” rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The NHTSA gave it a five-star overall safety rating. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy’s Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.