2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2021 Volvo XC60

The 2021 Volvo XC60, though no longer purely Swedish, benefited greatly from its acquisition by Geely Holding Group. This transition allowed Volvo to shed its Ford-era constraints and emerge as a near-luxury brand with a focus on safety and innovation. The XC60, positioned between the XC40 and XC90, featured a sleek, athletic design with short overhangs and crisp details. The front grille proudly displayed Volvo’s iron mark logo, and the Thor’s hammer LED daytime running lights added a distinct Swedish touch. Inside, the XC60’s cabin exuded Scandinavian elegance with clean lines, authentic materials, and a serene atmosphere, highlighted by a 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander showcased a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design with flared fender arches and a distinctive third-row window. Despite its spacious interior, the Highlander appeared smaller from the outside. The XSE trim, in particular, stood out with its bold red leather interior, unique exterior styling, ambient lighting, and sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander’s trim levels ranged from the base L to the luxurious Platinum, each offering a variety of features such as power-adjustable seats, climate control, and advanced infotainment systems. The interior was designed with practicality in mind, featuring clever storage solutions and ample space for passengers and cargo.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 offered a range of powertrains, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T5 models, available in FWD or AWD, produced 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 models, with AWD, delivered 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque thanks to a turbocharger and supercharger. The T8 models, plug-in hybrids, combined a gasoline engine with an 87-hp electric motor, resulting in 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Polestar Engineered variant pushed these figures to 415 hp and 472 lb-ft. The XC60’s AWD system and torque vectoring provided excellent handling, while the cabin remained quiet and comfortable. Fuel economy ranged from 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the T5 FWD to 27 mpg combined for the T8 PHEV, with 57 MPGe in electric-only mode.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Available in FWD or AWD, the Highlander offered a tap-shift function and drive modes including Sport, Normal, and Eco. The AWD system also had Mud/Sand and Rock modes. The V6 engine provided good pickup at cruising speeds and a throaty exhaust note. The Highlander’s handling was commendable, especially in the XSE trim with its sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was designed for comfort and style, with highly adjustable front seats and an effective heating system for cold weather. The cabin featured smart storage solutions and intuitive controls, making it a pleasant place to spend time. The XC60 offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 63.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It could tow up to 3,500 pounds.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander provided up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded, 48.4 cubic feet with the second row in use, and 16 cubic feet with all seats deployed. The seats were easy to fold and lift, and higher trims featured a power liftgate. The interior was practical, with deep cargo pockets, multiple storage trays, and cupholders. The XSE trim’s second-row captain’s chairs added convenience, though the third row was best suited for short trips.

The 2021 Volvo XC60’s Sensus infotainment system featured a tablet-style touchpad interface with swipe, pinch, and pull gestures. The system divided the screen into function quadrants, making it intuitive for some users but requiring a learning curve. Standard features included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot. The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system was exceptional.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons for ease of use. Higher trims offered a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a digital instrument panel, and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS and received five-star ratings from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision avoidance, and more. Volvo’s Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system was available, and the XC60’s top speed was limited to 112 mph for safety.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with Toyota Safety Sense, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, a surround-view monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes overly so.