2021 Volvo XC40 vs 2020 Ford Edge

The Ford Edge isn’t exactly memorable, which isn’t a bad thing. It isn’t a good thing either. Cars can be remembered for attractive design, fun driving dynamics, or being a solid value. They can also be remembered in a negative light for a polarizing design, poor build quality, or being unsafe to the point of scandal. But the 2020 Ford Edge is just... there. It is a midsize two-row SUV that doesn’t offend, but also doesn’t “wow.” But just as critically, the Edge is getting long in the tooth. In the SUV segment, constant iteration is necessary for survival, and the Edge is in need of a redesign.

But in lieu of new blood, Ford has done well to keep the Edge fitted with the latest infotainment and safety technology. It also offers a performance variant, called the Edge ST. This is something that you won’t find in the Edge’s competitors, the Nissan Murano and Honda Passport. But is it enough to keep the Edge relevant against its more contemporary rivals? Read on to find out.

Introduced for the 2019 model year, the Volvo XC40 enters 2021 with one major change—the addition of an all-electric powertrain option. The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge is the Scandinavian automaker’s first mass-market pure electric vehicle, in fact.

The Recharge will be sold alongside gasoline versions of the XC40, which carry over largely unchanged, and compete against small luxury crossovers like the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, and Lexus UX. With its electric powertrain, the Recharge is a de facto Tesla Model Y competitor. It’s also priced similar to high-end versions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, although the two electric crossovers have somewhat different philosophies.

In addition to that zero-emission powertrain, the Recharge gets an Android-based operating system, over-the-air (OTA) software update capability for all vehicle systems, and some updates to driver-assist tech. These changes don’t apply to gasoline 2021 XC40 models, but Volvo does plan to add the Android operating system to more vehicles in the future.

Since the Recharge is the main new thing for the 2021 XC40, that’s what we focused on for this review. While the gasoline XC40 is available in three trim levels—Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription—with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) in Canada, the Recharge is only offered in a single trim level.