2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2021 Chevrolet Suburban

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban had a front-end design that many found polarizing, with small headlights and large, busy grilles that borrowed heavily from the Camaro's design language. This design choice was not universally appreciated, and some speculated that it might require an early refresh, similar to a previous Camaro redesign. However, the interior of the Suburban was more favorably received, maintaining a familiar layout with controls in intuitive locations. The infotainment system, climate controls, and other essential functions were easily accessible, although the chrome strip framing the touchscreen could reflect sunlight into the driver's eyes.

The Suburban offered various trim levels, including the LS, LT, Z71, RST, Premier, and the top-tier High Country. Each trim added progressively more features, from basic amenities like a WiFi hotspot and power-adjustable seats in the LS to luxury touches like an adaptive suspension and a panoramic sunroof in the High Country. Despite its high price, the High Country trim lacked some of the soft-touch materials found in true luxury SUVs, making it feel more like an upscale pickup truck.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, while often considered a glorified minivan, provided a practical and cost-effective alternative to larger, more expensive SUVs. Starting at $33,700, the Traverse offered a range of trims, with the High Country model topping out at $53,400. All-wheel drive was available across the lineup, although its 7.5-inch ground clearance limited its off-road capabilities. For 2022, the Traverse received a light restyle, including new headlights, taillights, and grille designs, along with updated color choices and appearance packages like the Redline Edition.

Our test vehicle, the RS trim, featured blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels, making it one of the more visually appealing options in its segment. Inside, the Traverse RS came with black leather upholstery, red and light gray contrast stitching, and gloss black trim. While the materials were a mixed bag, with hard plastics in some areas, the overall design was logical and user-friendly. The Traverse's interior was spacious, with comfortable seating for up to seven passengers and ample cargo space, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came with a standard 5.3-liter V8 engine producing 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. An optional 6.2-liter V8 offered 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The 5.3-liter V8, when equipped with the Max Trailering package, could tow up to 8,300 pounds. Our test vehicle featured the newly available Duramax turbodiesel engine, a 3.0-liter inline-six generating 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive available.

The diesel engine provided excellent pickup and V8-level torque, making it suitable for both city driving and highway speeds. The Suburban's truck-based underpinnings were evident in its handling, offering a compliant ride thanks to its independent rear suspension. However, it still exhibited some truck-like tendencies, such as body roll and susceptibility to crosswinds. The brakes were notably effective, providing confidence-inspiring stopping power.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a single engine option: a 3.6-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. When properly equipped, the Traverse could tow up to 5,000 pounds. The V6 engine, while slightly noisy under acceleration, provided adequate power for the vehicle's size. The official EPA fuel economy rating for the AWD model was 20 mpg in combined driving, and our test vehicle returned 20.9 mpg.

In town, the Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride, absorbing smaller road imperfections well. However, it required careful speed management over larger bumps to avoid scraping the front air dam. On the highway, the Traverse excelled, though it had more road and wind noise than ideal. In mountainous terrain, the Traverse felt more athletic than some competitors, with good steering and braking performance. However, the RS trim's all-season tires and the vehicle's tendency to feel disconnected from the road at higher speeds were drawbacks.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban boasted massive cargo space, with 144.7 cubic feet available with the rear seats folded. Even with the second-row seats in use, it offered 93.8 cubic feet, and 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row. Passengers enjoyed a commanding view of the road and ample head- and legroom, especially in the second-row captain's chairs. The control layout was similar to GM's pickup trucks, but the button shifter design was less intuitive. The power-sliding center console was another complex feature that added little value.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, in RS, Premier, and High Country trims, featured second-row captain's chairs, reducing seating capacity to seven. Our RS test vehicle included power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row Smart Slide function and long rear doors made accessing the third row easier. While the second-row seats were comfortable, they lacked leg support and were too reclined for some adults. The third-row seat was adequate for adults if the second-row seats were slid forward.

Cargo space in the Traverse was generous, with 23 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 98.2 cubic feet. The Traverse also featured hidden storage compartments behind the infotainment screen and under the cargo floor. However, the third-row seats required the second-row seats to be slid forward to fold flat, which was inconvenient.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came standard with a 10.2-inch touchscreen running GM's intuitive infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system had crisp graphics and a sensible layout, with a helpful home button. Optional features included a navigation system, a rear entertainment system with large touchscreens, and a head-up display.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in LS and LT Cloth models, while other trims received an 8-inch high-definition display. Higher trims also featured an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. Both systems supported Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. The 8-inch system was available with integrated navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and more in-vehicle apps, including Alexa Built-in. A Bose premium sound system was standard starting with RS trim.

The Traverse's infotainment system was user-friendly, with excellent voice recognition technology. Visibility was generally good, but the rear liftgate blocked the rearview mirror in its normal view. The digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera were helpful features in the RS trim.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came with standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. The Teen Driver system allowed parents to set speed and volume limitations for younger drivers. Optional safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, front parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. Unique options included the rear-view camera mirror and the Safety Alert Seat.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured standard Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The optional Safety Package for the LS trim added rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Safety Alert Seat was exclusive to Premier and High Country trims.

The Traverse's driving aids were generally accurate and refined, with the option to deactivate some features through the infotainment system. The IIHS had not fully assessed the 2022 Traverse at the time of writing, but it received top "Good" ratings in most collision-related tests. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 model.