Volvo XC40 VS Honda ZR-V

Like the Polestar 2 there’s no ignition button on the XC40. You shift into drive to ‘turn on’ and after you park, you simply get out to turn it off. It takes a little while to get used to but it’s a cool feature. 

The twin motors deliver a hefty kick and you never worry about not having ‘enough power’. In the city it’s zippy but on the open-road you also feel comfortable getting up to speed or overtaking because the power distribution is so well-balanced because it’s an AWD.

I customised my steering wheel ‘feel’ to firm and it makes the handling crisp and direct. You feel like you’re in total control whenever you have to tackle be it tight streets or small car parks.

The blind-spot visibility is compromised by how wide the B and C-pillars are and I find that I'm relying a lot more on the blind-spot monitoring system to compensate.

The XC40 loses a few points for me in terms of ride comfort. As mentioned, the seats aren't terribly comfortable but the suspension is hard enough that you notice every bump, as well.

Road noise is also quite pronounced and it doesn’t sound refined when you drive at higher speeds, which is a shame. The flip-side, though, is that you don’t notice those things as much on short, urban trips.

The standard regen braking isn’t customisable and you don’t notice it until you switch over to a 'one-pedal' function. I found this function uncomfortable to use as it’s very aggressive and creates a jerky driving experience. 

Because of its 4440mm length and tiny 11m turning circle, you won’t struggle in a car park! The 360-degree view camera system and front and rear parking sensors make it easy to navigate a tight spot.

This is a joy to park. It’s so easy.

If you were taking either of these mid-sized hybrid SUVs on a short test-drive around urban streets, you might be forgiven for thinking the way they go and feel is almost indistinguishable.

Light, ultra-smooth and responsive all the way.

At lower speeds, both are easy to park, with sufficiently tight turning circles and aided by the surround-view cameras that shouldn’t be an issue for anybody to accurately place. Plus, there’s a decent degree of ride comfort to enjoy as well.

Understandably, for most folk behind the wheel, they’d struggle to them apart, truthfully.

Thankfully, we pride ourselves for going beyond the test drive, and after hundreds of kilometres testing both vigorously, interchanging between the two regularly, their distinct personalities and traits become crystal clear.

Nissan first.

The X-Trail e-Power e-4orce is a formidable machine. It’s also truly an EV in the way it delivers its electric power from the motor only to the wheels. When that small battery is all juiced up, you’d never know this was anything else but.

Off-the-line acceleration is instantaneous, and grin-inducingly strong if you’re not expecting the immediate surge forward that follows, accompanied by that electric whirr as the Nissan punches through the air.

That big motor generates a formidable amount of torque that’s always on tap for effortless momentum and oomph as required. It feels like a much-more expensive machine, and is just as refined to boot.

So, it comes as a surprise at first when that 1.5-litre turbo triple does chime in, breaking the relative mechanical silence with a constant drone. Briefly if not so quietly working in the background at first, it keeps the battery charged up from a certain point, and then just as quickly extinguishes, a bit like the refrigerator in your kitchen does.

And, so, the cycle continues of EV whoosh then white good hum. When you need more muscle – say, when overtaking – the engine kicks in again, but this time at a higher-set rev as it charges the battery with more urge, because it never drives the wheels, remember.

You don’t really feel the 2.0-tonne weight of the Ti e-Power in normal turning or cornering situations, because the steering is eager yet beautifully weighted, making this a sharp handler.

Likewise, with two electric motors shuffling torque to whichever axle needs it, there’s an exceptional level of road holding control, even across the often waterlogged roads that the late-spring weather showered upon. The Nissan is a perfectly safe and controllable long-distance grand tourer.

Muted tyre and road noise (wearing Dunlop Grand Trek 235/55R19 rubber), an effective ‘e-Pedal’ regenerative braking system that helps recharge the battery whilst bringing the car to a near stop, as well as nuanced traction and stability control intervention, are further bonuses that add to the enjoyment of riding and travelling in the Nissan.

However, while the around-town suspension comfort is impressive, larger bumps make themselves felt, as if the X-Trail’s springs have reached the limit of their absorption. Is that all that extra weight talking?

More annoyingly, when cruising along at speed in crosswinds, the steering can become a bit too sensitive, as the driver needs to make constant corrections to remain on the straight and narrow.

As a result, the car feels a little unsettled and nervous due to the slight but noticeable left-right pitching that ensues. One passenger described it as fidgety.

And, like many hybrid vehicles, including most of Toyota’s, the very effective brakes suffer from a wooden and artificial feel, meaning they can be a bit hard to moderate smoothly when applying.

Otherwise, the X-Trail is a pleasant and accomplished vehicle dynamically, and so a good all-around drive.

The ZR-V, however, is in another league.

The driver’s notes tell the story succinctly: “Lovely, smooth, linear and involving steering.” The Honda glides through corners with precision and ease, even at much higher speeds than most would attempt, backed up by plenty of grip and control.

And while there isn’t the AWD surety when conditions are wet, it still always felt planted and secure over our largely-wet test route.

Such dynamic athleticism suggests that ride comfort would be compromised, but on the smaller Bridgestone Alenza Enliten 225/55R18 tyres, the initial suspension firmness is tempered by an underlying suppleness and comfort that highlights a high degree of sophisticated suspension tuning.

The Honda truly is the driver’s hybrid SUV. More so than any other anywhere near its price point that springs to mind.

Because it’s largely a petrol-driven hybrid, rather than an EV with petrol-engine assistance like the Nissan, the ZR-V does not quite have that effortless all-electric torque to rely on, instead feeling more conventional in the way it delivers drive to the front wheels.

The 2.0L four's engagement after a brief all-EV driving period is seamless, by the way, and also typically-Honda in the way that it revs freely, sounding urgent as it delivers its torque consistently, even at low speeds.

Put your foot down more, and the electric assistance comes into play again, providing a decent whack of speed – more so than you might initially expect. And all of this is provided with a refinement and civility you’d expect in a much more premium machine.

Other plus points include yet another subtle traction/ESC tune over gravel tracks, but one with a degree of looseness for a bit of fun if the driver is up for it, paddles that provide some EV regen-braking e-Pedal-style to slow you down, and a nifty drive-mode toggle that can be easily prodded by the driver without distraction. A sign of the enthusiasts who engineered this sporty SUV.

The only fly in the Honda’s driving ointment is noise. Too much road roar over coarse chip surfaces, and excessive wind rush from the large exterior mirrors.

Otherwise, the ZR-V is exceptionally accomplished dynamically for any modern family vehicle, and not just a medium-sized hybrid SUV. Not perfect, but massively impressive and delightful.