Compare the2023 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2023 Volvo XC40

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the CR-V Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The XC40 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The XC40 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The XC40’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the XC40 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the CR-V Hybrid 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 73 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Honda higher than Volvo.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 26 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 13 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 10 more horsepower (204 vs. 194) and 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 221) than the XC40 B4’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the XC40:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XC40 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Volvo XC40 (5). This means the CR-V Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC40 every 15,000 miles.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The XC40 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CR-V Hybrid stops shorter than the XC40:

For greater off-road capability the CR-V Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the XC40 (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the CR-V Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the CR-V Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The XC40 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The XC40 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V Hybrid has 5.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC40 (103.5 vs. 98).

The CR-V Hybrid has .4 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room and 4.3 inches more rear legroom than the XC40.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The XC40’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 20.4 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 57.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V Hybrid easier. The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the XC40’s liftover is 29.6 inches.

The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the XC40’s in every dimension:

The CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The XC40 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CR-V Hybrid has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 21 years. The XC40 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The XC40 has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Volvo XC40 by over 15 to one during the 2022 model year.