2020 Ford Expedition vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 Ford Expedition, last redesigned in 2018, was a full-size SUV with a clean, albeit somewhat boring, design. This simplicity in styling was expected to age well, making it a practical choice for long-term ownership. The King Ranch variant stood out with its 22-inch aluminum wheels, mesh grille insert, LED headlights, and exclusive gray-painted lower exterior trim. The Star White metallic paint on the test model looked impressive, though the taillight shape and body-colored C-pillar were points of contention. Inside, the King Ranch featured special Del Rio leather in Mesa over Ebony, with numerous King Ranch logos. Despite the luxurious touches, the presence of hard plastic, especially in lower trims, was disappointing for a vehicle in this price range.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse had a more generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille. However, Chevy used styling details to differentiate trim levels, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome on the High Country. The Traverse shared its platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6 but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. The interior mirrored the exterior's restrained styling, with an optional Dual SkyScape sunroof as a standout feature. Materials in the higher-level RS trim were decent but not quite up to the $50,000 price tag. The Traverse's design emphasized practicality over premium feel, making it a solid but unremarkable choice in its segment.

The 2020 Ford Expedition was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, producing 375 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 2,250 rpm. This engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, delivered power to the rear wheels or an optional 4WD system. The Expedition had a towing capacity of up to 9,300 pounds with rear-drive and 9,200 pounds with 4WD. The driving experience was mostly pleasing, with the engine providing ample power and the 10-speed automatic ensuring smooth gear changes. The adaptive damping suspension on the King Ranch trim helped manage ride motions, though the oversized wheels sometimes made the ride busy. The independent rear suspension improved ride and handling, as well as interior space. Fuel economy averaged 17.7 mpg, slightly below the EPA rating of 19 mpg.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, generating 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While the V6 didn't feel particularly strong off the line, it provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in 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 fully utilize its torque vectoring capabilities. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, average for the segment but lower than some competitors.

The 2020 Ford Expedition excelled in towing, cargo carrying, and passenger hauling. The King Ranch's power running boards made entry easy, and the heated and ventilated front seats, along with a heated steering wheel, added comfort. The second-row captain’s chairs provided first-class accommodations, and the third-row seat was genuinely comfortable for adults, thanks to the independent rear suspension. Cargo space in the standard-length Expedition was 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 104.6 cubic feet with the second row folded. The long-wheelbase Expedition MAX offered more cargo space, with 34.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 73.3 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 121.5 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with above-average headroom and legroom in all three rows. Heated front seats were standard on the RS trim, with ventilated front seats and heated outboard rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse had a significant advantage in cargo space, with 23.0 cubic feet behind the third row, 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 the Premier and High Country models. However, interior storage options were limited compared to minivans, which offered more practicality in a similar footprint.

The 2020 Ford Expedition featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Sync 3, which was easy to use but sometimes slow to respond. It included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, FordPass Connect with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, a navigation system, and an available Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. A rear-seat entertainment system and Pro Trailer Backup Assist were also available, the latter providing a knob to control the trailer's direction while the SUV's steering autonomously adjusted.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. The 8-inch screen in the RS trim was user-friendly, with large icons and analog controls for audio and climate. The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror and an optional HD surround-view camera system. Standard USB ports were provided for each row, with wireless phone charging available on the Premier and High Country trims.

The 2020 Ford Expedition came with Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. The ADAS worked well, providing smooth and accurate assistance. The Expedition earned 5-star ratings in NHTSA crash tests, with a 4-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS had not tested the Expedition at the time of the review.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. 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 features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist available only on higher trims.