The 2021 Porsche Cayenne and 2021 Volvo XC90 are two midsize luxury SUVs that each have a lot going for them. Porsche is known for flashy luxury vehicles, while Volvo has long had a reputation for safety. When it comes to the Cayenne and XC90, which SUV performs better?

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne and 2021 Volvo XC90 have similar road test scores

Both the 2021 Porsche Cayenne and 2021 Volvo XC90 have similar road test scores, though the Cayenne’s is slightly better.

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Porsche Cayenne scores above average for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds. Its transmission has a similar score. Routine handling receives a high score, while emergency handling only gets an average one. The Porsche Cayenne’s max avoidance speed is 50 mph.

Braking is pretty good in the Cayenne. It gets a near-perfect score and can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 131 feet. On wet pavement that becomes 140 feet. The Cayenne’s headlights have an average score.

On the other hand, Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Volvo XC90 a very good score for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 7.7 seconds. Its transmission scores high. Routine and emergency handling both receive a decent rating. The Volvo XC90’s max avoidance speed is 53 mph.

The Volvo XC90 gets a perfect score for its braking. It can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 126 feet and 137 feet on wet pavement. The XC90’s headlights only score average.

The Porsche Cayenne is quieter

As far as comfort, the 2021 Porsche Cayenne gets a reasonable score for its ride. It’s quiet: it scores a perfect for its noise. Both front and rear seat comfort, as well as interior fit and finish, get perfect scores. The trunk and cargo space have an average rating, with just 32 cubic feet of storage space.

As far as comfort, the 2021 Volvo XC90 also gets a mediocre score for its ride. However, it’s fairly quiet: it gets a near-perfect for its noise. Front and rear seat comfort score a perfect, while the third-row comfort gets a poor score. It’s not the ideal 3-row SUV for large families. Interior fit and finish get a perfect rating. The trunk and cargo space has an average score, with just 35 cubic feet of storage space.

The Cayenne is slightly more reliable

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Porsche Cayenne an average for its predicted reliability. Although there are no reliability ratings for 2020, 2019 shows an average reliability rating. Problem spots in the 2019 include the engine minor, brakes, and power equipment.

Despite this mediocre reliability rating, Porsche Cayenne owners seem to love their SUVs. The owner satisfaction score is near-perfect. Most notably, the driving experience and comfort are high; styling is similar. Value, however, is low. 72% of Cayenne owners would buy their Cayenne again.

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Volvo XC90 a low score for its predicted reliability. Volvo XC90 owners rated the owner satisfaction average. It scores above average for predicted driving experience, near-average for value and high for both comfort and styling. 66% of XC90 owners would buy their XC90 again.