Compare the2022 Volvo XC90VS 2021 Lexus LX 570

Both the XC90 and LX 570 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC90 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The LX 570’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC90 offers an optional built in child booster seat. It’s more crash worthy than an added child seat because of its direct attachment to the seat. Lexus doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the LX 570. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC90 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC90 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC90’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The LX 570’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC90 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 LX 570 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.

The XC90’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 LX 570 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the XC90 uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The LX 570 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the XC90 and the LX 570 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC90 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 68 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The LX 570 has not been tested, yet.

The XC90’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the LX 570’s (12 vs. 6 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC90 for 2 years and 26000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the LX 570 (3/36,000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 15 percent more Volvo dealers than there are Lexus dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the XC90’s warranty.

The battery on the XC90 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the XC90’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The LX 570’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The XC90 Recharge’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 17 more horsepower (400 vs. 383) and 69 lbs.-ft. more torque (472 vs. 403) than the LX 570’s 5.7 DOHC V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC90 T6 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder is faster than the Lexus LX 570:

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 Recharge Electric Motor AWD running on electricity gets better mileage than the LX 570 (58 city/53 hwy MPGe vs. 12 city/16 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the XC90 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the LX 570:

The XC90 Recharge can drive on battery power alone for up to 18 miles. The LX 570 must run its internal combustion engine to move.

Regenerative brakes improve the XC90 T8’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The LX 570 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the XC90’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip with its optional disable switch. The LX 570 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The XC90 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The LX 570 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the XC90 Recharge’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the LX 570:

The XC90 stops much shorter than the LX 570:

The XC90’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the LX 570’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC90 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The LX 570’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

For superior ride and handling, the Volvo XC90 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Lexus LX 570 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC90’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the LX 570 (117.5 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the XC90 is .9 inches wider in the front and 1 inch wider in the rear than the average track on the LX 570.

The XC90 T6 AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the LX 570 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The XC90 T6 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the LX 570 (26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the XC90 w/Air Suspension has a greater minimum ground clearance than the LX 570 (9.9 vs. 8.9 inches), allowing the XC90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Volvo XC90 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1450 pounds less than the Lexus LX 570.

The XC90 is 5 inches shorter than the LX 570, making the XC90 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the XC90’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The LX 570 uses body-on-frame design instead.

The design of the Volvo XC90 amounts to more than styling. The XC90 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the LX 570 (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the XC90 get better fuel mileage.

The front step up height for the XC90 is 3 inches lower than the LX 570 (15.8” vs. 18.8”). The XC90’s rear step up height is 8 inches lower than the LX 570’s (16” vs. 24”).

The XC90’s cargo area is larger than the LX 570’s in almost every dimension:

The XC90 has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The LX 570 doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The XC90’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The LX 570’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the XC90’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The LX 570 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its tailgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The power windows standard on both the XC90 and the LX 570 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the XC90 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The LX 570 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC90 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The LX 570 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the XC90 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The LX 570 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The XC90 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the XC90 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The LX 570 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The XC90’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The LX 570’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

The XC90 Inscription offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the LX 570.

The XC90 R-Design/Inscription’s optional Park Assist Pilot can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The LX 570 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The XC90 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The LX 570 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Volvo XC90, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.

Motor Trend selected the XC90 as their 2016 Sport Utility of the Year. The LX 570 has never been chosen.

The XC90 was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” in 2016. The LX 570 hasn’t been picked since 1999.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC90 as the 2016 North American Truck of the Year. The LX 570 has never been chosen.