2020 Audi Q7 vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 Audi Q7 offered multiple variations, including the 45 TFSI with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and the 55 TFSI with a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. A performance-tuned Audi SQ7 with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 was also new for 2020. The Q7 55 TFSI, starting at $60,800, was available in Premium, Premium Plus, and Prestige trims. The test vehicle, a Prestige model, featured Navarra Blue metallic paint, a Cold Weather Package, and a Towing Package, totaling $74,290. Design updates included new front and rear styling, wheels, and lighting elements, enhancing the Q7’s appearance. The interior adopted the high-tech dashboard and instrumentation from the Q8, replacing most physical controls with three digital displays. The cabin, with Okapi Brown leather and Gray/Brown Fine Grain Ash wood inlays, was upscale and high-tech, with multi-color ambient lighting adding a soothing vibe at night.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse relied on styling details to differentiate its trim levels, reminiscent of how Chevy once used different wheels or extra chrome to distinguish models. The exterior was a generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, appealing to most buyers. The RS model featured blacked-out trim, while the High Country model had chrome accents. The Traverse shared a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6 but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. The interior had restrained styling, with an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof as a standout feature. Materials in the RS model were fairly good but not quite worthy of the $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse offered a comfortable highway ride with a quiet cabin and bump-absorbing suspension but lacked agility on twistier roads.

The 2020 Audi Q7 55 TFSI featured a new 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine producing 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It included a 48-volt mild-hybrid electrical system to conserve fuel, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel-drive. Audi Drive Select offered several driving modes, including Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual, and Allroad. The Q7 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, had a maximum tow rating of 7,700 pounds, and an EPA rating of 18 mpg combined. During testing, it averaged 21 mpg on a road trip and 18.1 mpg on a local loop. The Prestige trim included an adaptive air suspension with adjustable firmness and height settings. The Q7 excelled in off-road conditions and provided speedy acceleration on pavement, with the mild-hybrid technology operating transparently. The cabin was remarkably quiet, even at high speeds, making the Q7 a well-rounded luxury SUV with responsive acceleration, significant towing capacity, and good fuel economy.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6 powertrain didn’t feel particularly strong off the line but provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well overall but had occasional rough shifts. The Traverse impressed with its highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin and comfortable ride. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and didn’t effectively utilize torque vectoring. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, average for the segment.

The 2020 Audi Q7, with three rows of seats and seven-passenger capacity, was best used as a five-passenger vehicle. The third-row seat was suitable only for young children, with a flat, featureless cushion. When the third-row seat was in use, cargo space was limited to 14.2 cubic feet. Folding the third row expanded cargo capacity to 35.7 cubic feet, and folding both rows provided 69.6 cubic feet. The Q7 was comfortable for a family of four, with agreeable front seats and plenty of legroom and thigh support in the second row. The test vehicle’s four-zone climate control, heated rear cushions, and rear side window shades ensured comfort in varying temperatures. The panoramic sunroof was perfect for sightseeing and stargazing. However, the Q7 lacked practical interior storage, with limited space under the center armrest and narrow cupholders. Second-row occupants had netted storage on the front seatbacks and door-panel bins, with cupholders deploying from the center armrest.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, depending on the second-row configuration. Headroom and legroom in all three rows were above average. Heated front seats were standard on the RS model, with ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, offering 23.0 cubic feet with all three rows in place, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row stowed, and 98.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. A power liftgate was optional on the LT Cloth trim and standard on higher trims, with a gesture-activated liftgate on Premier and High Country models. A power 60/40 split-folding third row was standard on RS and higher trims. Despite its size, the Traverse was stingy on interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers. A minivan would be a better choice for carrying lots of people or cargo, with a low floor and sliding doors allowing for more storage space.

The 2020 Audi Q7 introduced the Multi-Media Interface (MMI) Touch Response technology, combining a 10.1-inch touchscreen with an 8.6-inch touchscreen. The system included natural voice recognition, handwriting recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation with Google Earth imagery, and Audi Connect subscription services with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. While the MMI Touch Response was an improvement over the previous setup, dry fingertips often made the virtual buttons unresponsive. The user interface was intuitive, and once set up, required minimal interaction. A volume and tuning knob on the center console and excellent voice-recognition technology made it easy to use. The Prestige trim included a full-color head-up display, but it was invisible with polarized sunglasses. The test vehicle had a Bose premium sound system, which Audi replaced with a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen system for 2021.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse’s standard infotainment system included a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. The 8-inch screen in the Traverse RS test car was easy to use, with large smartphone-like icons. Chevy retained analog controls for audio volume and climate control, which was appreciated. The Traverse’s analog instruments, supplemented by a small LCD screen, were functional but might seem dated to tech-savvy buyers. The rearview camera mirror, available on the Traverse, eliminated blind spots and improved rear visibility. An optional HD surround-view camera system made parking easier. Chevy provided two USB ports for each row as standard, with wireless phone charging standard on Premier and High Country models.

The 2020 Audi Q7 featured HD Matrix LED headlights, which performed exceptionally well during night driving, despite the IIHS rating them as "poor" due to excessive glare. The Q7 included numerous advanced driving-assistance systems (ADAS), with upgrades available in the Executive Package with Premium Plus trim or the Prestige trim. Highlights included Emergency Assist, Turn Assist, and Adaptive Cruise Assist with adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assistance, and lane-centering assistance. The adaptive cruise control worked well, but the traffic-sign-recognition technology caused issues by misreading signs. The Active Lane Assist technology was also problematic, often feeling like it had a mind of its own. The IIHS gave the Audi Q7 the highest ratings for collision protection, with only the "poor" headlight assessment preventing it from earning a "Top Safety Pick+" nod.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech. However, it received “Acceptable” and “Poor” headlight ratings and an “Acceptable” rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests and five stars in side-impact crash tests. Chevy offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with adaptive cruise control only available on the top High Country trim. Automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were optional extras, while many rivals offered these features as standard.