Compare the2022 Volvo XC40 RechargeVS 2021 BMW i3

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 Recharge have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW i3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The XC40 Recharge’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The i3 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 Recharge are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW i3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The i3 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The XC40 Recharge has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The i3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the City Safety in the XC40 Recharge as “Superior.” The i3 scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The XC40 Recharge has standard Automatic Braking After Collision, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The i3 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XC40 Recharge offers an optional CTA Auto Brake that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The i3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The XC40 Recharge has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The i3 doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The XC40 Recharge’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The i3 doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The XC40 Recharge offers an optional 360-Degree Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The i3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the XC40 Recharge’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The i3 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The XC40 Recharge’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The i3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the XC40 Recharge and the i3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Volvo XC40 Recharge weighs 1432 to 1769 pounds more than the BMW i3. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the general design of front seat head restraints for their ability to protect front seat occupants from whiplash injuries. The IIHS also performs a dynamic test on those seats with “good” or “acceptable” geometry. In these ratings, the XC40 Recharge is safer than the i3:

	XC40 Recharge	i3
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Restraint Design	GOOD	GOOD
Distance from Back of Head	6 mm	15 mm
Dynamic Test Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Seat Design	Pass	Fail
Torso Acceleration	11 g’s	13.3 g’s
Neck Force Rating	Low	Low
Max Neck Tension	236	561

(Lower numerical results are better in all tests.)

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC40 Recharge its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 77 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The i3 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XC40 Recharge third among small premium suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The i3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

Engine

The XC40 Recharge’s electric motors produce 234 more horsepower (402 vs. 168) and 302 lbs.-ft. more torque (486 vs. 184) than the i3 REx’s standard 0.6 2-cylinder hybrid. The XC40 Recharge’s electric motors produce 221 more horsepower (402 vs. 181) and 287 lbs.-ft. more torque (486 vs. 199) than the i3s’ standard electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

The XC40 Recharge’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 223 miles on a full charge, 46% further than the i3’s 153-mile range on a full charge.

The XC40 Recharge’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 223 miles on a full charge, 13% further than the i3 REx’s 197-mile combined range on a full charge and a tank of gasoline. The i3 REx can only travel about 126 miles before it has to start its internal combustion engine.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volvo XC40 Recharge higher (10 out of 10) than the BMW i3 (7 to 10). This means the XC40 Recharge produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the i3 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the XC40 Recharge’s brake rotors are larger than those on the i3:

	XC40 Recharge	i3
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	13.4 inches	11 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC40 Recharge has larger standard tires than the i3 (235/50R19 vs. 155/70R19). The XC40 Recharge’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the i3 (245/45R20 vs. 175/55R20).

The XC40 Recharge’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the i3’s standard 70 series front and 60 series rear tires. The XC40 Recharge’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the i3s’ 55 series front and 50 series rear tires.

The XC40 Recharge has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the i3; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The XC40 Recharge has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the XC40 Recharge flat and controlled during cornering. The i3’s suspension doesn’t offer stabilizer bars.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC40 Recharge’s wheelbase is 5.2 inches longer than on the i3 (106.4 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC40 Recharge is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the i3.

The XC40 Recharge handles at .84 G’s, while the i3 pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The XC40 Recharge has standard seating for 5 passengers; the i3 can only carry 4.

The XC40 Recharge has 14.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the i3 (98 vs. 83.6).

The XC40 Recharge has .4 inches more front legroom, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 4.2 inches more rear legroom and 7.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the i3.

Cargo Capacity

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the XC40 Recharge’s optional rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The i3 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the XC40 Recharge. The i3 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC40 Recharge’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The i3 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Towing

The XC40 Recharge has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The i3 has no towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC40 Recharge uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The i3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The XC40 Recharge’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. BMW does not offer a locking feature on the i3’s standard power windows.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC40 Recharge to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The i3 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC40 Recharge has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the i3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The XC40 Recharge’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the i3’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC40 Recharge offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The i3 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the XC40 Recharge detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The i3 doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

Both the XC40 Recharge and the i3 offer available heated front seats. The XC40 Recharge also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the i3.

On extremely cold winter days, the XC40 Recharge’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The i3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The XC40 Recharge has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The i3 doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The XC40 Recharge’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The i3 doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC40 Recharge offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The i3 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the XC40 Recharge owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the XC40 Recharge will cost $1545 to $2615 less than the i3 over a five-year period.

The XC40 Recharge will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the XC40 Recharge will retain 40.59% of its original price after five years, while the i3 only retains 23.25% to 28.45%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Volvo XC40 Recharge will be $1891 to $7073 less than for the BMW i3.

Recommendations

The Volvo XC40 outsold the BMW i3 by almost 16 to one during the 2021 model year.

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