2020 Subaru Ascent vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2020 Subaru Ascent had a practical and utilitarian appeal, reminiscent of a puffed-up Subaru Forester. It featured gray plastic cladding for 360-degree protection, an oversize grille, and exaggerated fender flares that added visual strength. Robust roof rails and 20-inch aluminum wheels on three of the four trim levels enhanced its design. The base Ascent, starting at $31,995, came with 18-inch wheels and lacked dark-tinted privacy glass. Upgrading to the Premium trim at $34,395 offered better detailing and a superior infotainment system. The Limited trim at $39,345 added leather seats, while the top-tier Touring trim at $45,045 included premium leather, a panoramic sunroof, and special wood trim. The test vehicle, a Touring trim, was priced at $46,285 and featured a stunning Abyss Blue Pearl paint and Java Brown leather interior. The Ascent's interior was stylish, with quality materials and thoughtful details, making it feel worth the investment. CarGurus recommended the Ascent Premium with Convenience and Sporty option packages for a similar look to the Touring trim but at a lower price.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse had a more generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille. Chevy used styling details to differentiate trim levels, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome on the High Country model. The base Traverse L had 18-inch wheels, with 20-inch wheels available on higher trims. The Traverse shared a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6 but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. The interior featured restrained styling, with an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof as a standout feature. The RS model's materials were good but not quite worthy of its $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse's interior was functional but lacked the agility and premium feel of some competitors.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent was powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. It featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive (AWD). The Ascent provided good acceleration but was thirsty, averaging 18.9 mpg during testing, below the EPA estimate of 22 mpg. The CVT had eight programmed ratios but produced uneven power delivery and unpredictable performance. The Ascent's handling was not sporty, with slow and numb steering and a suspension that struggled on undulating roads. However, it excelled on freeways and off-road, thanks to its Active Torque Split AWD system, X-Mode off-road traction system, Hill Descent Control, and 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine with 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The V6 provided adequate power for highway merging and overtaking but felt less powerful off the line. The Traverse impressed with its 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. 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 Subaru Ascent offered comfort, especially in the Touring trim, with soft leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. The driver’s seat was 10-way power-adjustable, and the armrests were densely padded. The Ascent had significant track travel for the front seats, making it appealing to tall people. The dashboard featured a useful shelf and upscale ambient lighting, though the controls appeared dated. The Ascent could be configured with a second-row bench seat or captain’s chairs, with the latter providing comfort and convenience. The third-row seat was accessible and offered acceptable space for adults on shorter trips. The Ascent provided 17.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 47 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 86 cubic feet with the second row folded.

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 trim, 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 the Premier and High Country models. The Traverse had limited interior storage options compared to minivans.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent featured a Starlink infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, and a CD player. The Premium trim added an 8-inch touchscreen, text-messaging capability, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Starlink Safety and Security connected services. The Touring trim improved with a high-resolution screen and navigation. The Ascent's voice-control system was outdated and struggled with natural commands. The navigation system had issues with accuracy during testing. However, the Harman Kardon speakers provided rich sound quality, and USB ports were available in all three rows. The Ascent Touring offered a 180-degree front camera view and a 180-degree rear camera view but lacked a 360-degree view camera and front parking sensors. The PIN Code Vehicle Access system was a standout feature for active lifestyle types.

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 Traverse RS was easy to use, with large smartphone-like icons and analog controls for audio volume and climate control. The Traverse had analog instruments supplemented by a small LCD screen. The rearview camera mirror and optional HD surround-view camera system improved visibility and maneuverability. The Traverse provided USB ports for each row, with wireless phone charging standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2020 Subaru Ascent received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. It featured Subaru’s EyeSight system, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Premium trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while Limited included LED steering-responsive headlights and reverse automatic braking. The EyeSight Assist Monitor projected helpful indicators onto the windshield. The Ascent also had a rear-seat reminder system and Starlink Safety Plus connected services, with a Security Plus upgrade plan offering additional features.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention. However, it had “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. The Traverse 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.