2021 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE presented a smoother and less sculpted design compared to its predecessors, with softened lines and removed edges, contributing to a reduced drag coefficient from .32 to .29. The front end showcased the most significant visual transformation, making the vehicle appear handsome yet unoffensive. Inside, the GLE offered extra headroom and legroom due to a 3.1-inch extended wheelbase, and for the first time, an optional third row was available, although it was not included in the test model. However, the special $720 Emerald Green Metallic paint showed a surprising amount of orange-peel effect, which was disappointing for a premium vehicle.

The GLE 350 started at $53,700, featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Adding the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system cost an additional $2,500. The test model included various options like black leather upholstery, a cabin air purifier, and fragrance system, multi-contour front seats with a massage feature, and a Burmester stereo, bringing the total price to $78,370. Despite the extensive list of options, some features like heated and ventilated seats, power and memory for the passenger seat, and soft-close doors required additional costs, which seemed excessive for a luxury vehicle.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse relied on styling details to differentiate its trim levels, offering a generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille. While it provided a cleaner and more handsome design than some competitors, it lacked the personality of the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. The Traverse's restrained styling emphasized the cosmetic elements of different trims, with the RS model featuring blacked-out trim and the High Country model showcasing chrome accents. The base Traverse L came with 18-inch wheels, while higher trims offered 20-inch wheels.

Underneath, the Traverse shared a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6 but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. It featured car-like unibody construction and slotted below the Chevy Tahoe in size. The interior had a restrained design, with the standout feature being an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. Materials in the higher-level RS tester were fairly good but not quite worthy of the $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with headroom and legroom above average but not segment-leading. Cargo space was a significant advantage, 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.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. While the engine provided sufficient power at speed, it felt sluggish from a stop due to turbo lag and the vehicle's nearly 5,000-pound weight. The 9-speed automatic transmission was decent but not as smooth as the 8-speed in the BMW X5. The GLE 350 4Matic's starting price of $56,200 was competitive, but the BMW X5's standard turbocharged inline-6 offered more power and better performance. The GLE 350's fuel economy was impressive, with 19 mpg city, 26 highway, and 22 combined.

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. While the V6 powertrain didn't feel particularly strong off the line, it provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well overall, with occasional rough shifts. The Traverse impressed with its highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin, bump-absorbing suspension, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and didn't provide noticeable torque vectoring. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity, average for the segment.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE's extended wheelbase provided significant interior space, especially in the second row. Depending on the options, it offered between 33.3 and 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, with a total of 79.4 cubic feet with the seats lowered. The interior featured dual 12.3-inch screens, setting a new standard for dash design and customizability. The seats were comfortable, with a "Seat Kinetics" system to prevent cramping, although the lumbar support was challenging to adjust. The steering wheel felt great but often blocked part of the screen. The upgraded Burmester stereo provided excellent sound, but the bass caused substantial vibration through the brake pedal.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with headroom and legroom above average but not segment-leading. Heated front seats were standard on the RS tester, with ventilated front seats and heated outboard 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 available on the Premier and High Country models. However, interior storage options were limited, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE featured the new MBUX infotainment system, which was deep and daunting at first but became second nature with use. The driver-assistance tech was better than BMW's, with gesture control that worked well. The dual 12.3-inch screens and HUD were significant interior changes, offering options like augmented reality for directions and traffic signals. However, the new voice control system didn't work as well as in the A-Class, possibly due to the pre-production vehicle.

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, 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 and analog controls for audio volume and climate control. The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror and an optional HD surround-view camera system. Chevy provided 2 USB ports for each row as standard, with wireless phone charging available on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE had no current testing data from NHTSA or IIHS, but it offered an impressive suite of autonomous safety systems. Attention Assist monitored eye contact and head position to anticipate drowsiness, while Seat Kinetics adjusted seating positions to prevent cramping. However, the full suite of safety features, including adaptive cruise, auto braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assist, had issues at high speeds, causing the car to bounce around the lane and get fooled by shadows or unexpected lines.

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. 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. Other features like 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.