2020 INFINITI QX80 vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 INFINITI QX80, as the flagship SUV in Infiniti’s lineup, was significantly larger than its siblings, the two-row QX50 and three-row QX60. For 2020, it was available in two trim levels: Luxe and Limited. The QX80's exterior, refreshed in 2018, boasted a commanding presence with modern features such as welcome lights, power-folding, auto-dimming, heated outside mirrors with integrated LED turn signals, and adaptive front lighting. The SUV also featured automatic on/off LED headlights with high beam assist, LED fog lights, and taillights. Comfort and convenience were enhanced with body-color running boards, a power-sliding tinted moonroof, and rear privacy glass. The QX80 offered nine paint options and three interior color schemes, with the Limited-grade models featuring matte silver and open-pore Ash wood trim. Despite improvements in cabin materials, some trim pieces lagged behind competitors. The infotainment system was updated to a sleeker design, but the center stack's piano-black plastic was prone to fingerprints.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, in contrast, relied on styling details to differentiate its trim levels, reminiscent of past Chevy models. Its exterior was a generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, appealing to buyers seeking a clean, handsome look. The Traverse's restrained styling highlighted cosmetic elements unique to each trim, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome accents on the High Country model. The base Traverse L came with 18-inch wheels, while higher trims offered 20-inch wheels. Sharing a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6, the Traverse aimed for a more blue-collar feel compared to its premium siblings. Inside, the Traverse featured a restrained design with an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. Materials in the RS trim were fairly good but not quite justifying the $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse's interior was practical but lacked the agility and premium feel of some competitors.

The 2020 INFINITI QX80 was powered by a 5.6-liter V8 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The QX80's powertrain handled its heavy load well, though the transmission was clunky when downshifting. Fuel efficiency was a weak point, with the RWD model achieving 14 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 16 mpg combined, while the 4WD model dropped to 13 mpg city, 19 mpg highway, and 15 mpg combined. The QX80 offered Normal, Snow, and Mud drive modes, and its steering systems varied by trim, with the Limited model featuring vehicle-speed-sensitive power-assist steering. The SUV's Hydraulic Body Motion Control system and rear auto-leveling suspension provided a smooth ride and maintained stability when towing up to 8,500 pounds.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, mated to 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 transmission performed well overall, with occasional rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin and comfortable ride. However, it lacked agility on twisty roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and didn't fully utilize its torque vectoring capabilities. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, average for its segment.

The 2020 INFINITI QX80 offered plush, spacious seating in the first two rows, but the third row was tight on legroom, best suited for small children or pets. Standard seating for seven included captain’s chairs in the second row, with an optional 60/40 split-folding bench. The leather-appointed seats were available in perforated semi-aniline leather or Alcantara with quilting and contrast stitching. The driver’s seat was 10-way power-adjustable, and the passenger’s seat was eight-way power-adjustable, both with lumbar support. Heated and climate-controlled front seats were standard, with heated second-row seats available. The QX80 provided 16.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 49.6 cubic feet behind the second row, and 95.1 cubic feet with both rows folded. A power liftgate was standard.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, depending on the second-row configuration. Headroom and legroom were above average in all three rows. Heated front seats were standard on the RS trim, with ventilated front seats and heated rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled 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. Despite its size, the Traverse was limited in interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2020 INFINITI QX80 featured an 8-inch upper infotainment touchscreen and a 7.0-inch lower touchscreen, allowing for simultaneous navigation and audio system display. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, satellite radio, Bluetooth, keyless entry, remote start, tri-zone climate control, a moonroof, a CD player, a 12-volt outlet, and four USB ports. Upgrades included two 8.0-inch rear-seat displays, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a WiFi hotspot. The standard 13-speaker Bose stereo could be upgraded to a 17-speaker system. SiriusXM services with a four-year trial period provided real-time traffic, weather, and fuel price information. The infotainment system was functional but not particularly modern.

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, a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Bose 10-speaker audio system. The 8-inch screen in the Traverse RS was user-friendly, with large icons and retained 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 standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2020 INFINITI QX80, being an older model, lacked some modern driver-assist features but still offered a good range of standard and available safety technologies. Standard features included automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and automatic collision notification. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, distance-control assist, and lane-keep assist. The IIHS gave the QX80 "good" scores in moderate overlap front and side crash tests, while the NHTSA rated it better in side crashes than front, with a moderate rollover risk.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all 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 awarded the Traverse a five-star overall safety rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests, and five stars in side-impact tests. Chevy offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert available as options.