2021 Volvo XC90 vs 2022 Toyota 4Runner

Volvo may be known for sensible station wagons, but the XC90 SUV is the Swedish automaker’s de facto flagship. The current generation debuted design features, technology, and powertrains that have since found their way into most other Volvo models. Several years into the current-generation model’s lifecycle, the XC90 is no longer a trendsetter, but remains Volvo’s contender in the competitive midsize luxury SUV segment, with the automaker’s typical emphasis on safety features.

The current-generation XC90 launched for the 2016 model year, so most competitors—including the Audi Q7, Acura MDX, BMW X5, and Mercedes-Benz GLE—have been updated or redesigned since then. The Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Aviator didn’t even exist when this generation of XC90 launched.

A redesigned version is expected to arrive soon, so changes to the 2021 XC90 are minimal. All 2021 Volvo models are now limited to 180 kilometres per hour for safety reasons. The XC90 also gets a handful of newly standard tech features, and some small cosmetic changes.

Volvo offers the XC90 in three trim levels—Momentum, R-Design, and Inscription—with three powertrain options: T5 and T6 gasoline engines, and the T8 plug-in hybrid. Our test car was a range-topping T8 Recharge Inscription, combining the top Inscription trim level with the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which has the highest output of the three.

Family-hauling, kid-toting three-row SUVs have become the de facto vehicle in most suburban towns. Just look in any mall parking lot, and you’re bound to see countless Honda Pilots and Toyota Highlanders. So ubiquitous are these vehicles, you might forget that the definition of “Sport Utility Vehicle” is actually quite vast, and there are still new examples that have some connection to the segment’s rugged origins.

The model year 2022 Toyota 4Runner is one such example. It may not be optimized for soccer practice or pizza-party duties, but it can certainly handle them. Just as crucially, it can also venture out where these mall-dwelling SUVs dare not go. If two years of a pandemic have taught us anything about ourselves, it's that the ability to get out on an adventure is more relevant than ever, and the 4Runner is one vehicle so-equipped to do it.