2021 Buick Envision vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was a nod to the past, with Chevy using styling details to give each trim level its own identity. The exterior was a typical SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, which appealed to many buyers. However, it lacked the personality of the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride, and the streamlined appearance of the Mazda CX-9. The Traverse's restrained styling highlighted the cosmetic elements of different trims, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome on the High Country. The interior mirrored the exterior's restrained styling, with an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof as a standout feature. Materials in the higher-level RS model were decent but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP.

The 2021 Buick Envision underwent a redesign, making it lower and wider than its predecessor, with a more sculpted look. It had three trim levels—Preferred, Essence, and Avenir—with the Avenir trim offering premium features like a Black Ice Chrome mesh grille and 20-inch pearl nickel wheels. The interior of the Avenir model featured leather-appointed seating with diamond perforated inserts and a head-up display. The Envision's cabin had a driver-centric design, with the infotainment screen and climate controls angled toward the driver. However, the use of piano black plastic on the dashboard and center console attracted dust, detracting from the overall premium feel.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Despite the impressive specs, the Traverse didn't feel as powerful as expected, though it provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well but 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 effectively utilize torque vectoring. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, average for the segment.

The 2021 Buick Envision featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This was a downgrade from the previous model's 252 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite shedding 200 to 300 pounds, the Envision's performance didn't make up for the power loss. The turbo-four engine was competent for daily driving, and the weight reduction improved fuel efficiency. The FWD model achieved 24 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined, while the AWD model got 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. The Envision's drivability was comfortable but not particularly engaging, with noticeable engine and road noise.

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 model, with ventilated front seats and heated rear seats available on higher trims. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, offering 23.0 cubic feet with all seats 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. However, interior storage options were limited compared to minivans.

The 2021 Buick Envision's redesign resulted in less headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the front row, and rear-seat passengers lost two inches of legroom and nearly six inches of hip room. Despite these reductions, Buick claimed the passenger volume remained nearly identical to the previous model. The Envision's cargo capacity was also reduced, with 25.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 53.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The rear cargo space was adequate for daily use, with grocery bag holders and carve-outs for additional space. The driver-centric cockpit limited the front passenger's access to controls, and forward visibility was poor for shorter drivers.

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 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. Each row had two USB ports, but wireless phone charging was only standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2021 Buick Envision's standout tech feature was its standard 10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, which was responsive and displayed necessary functions clearly. The driver could use the available 8.0-inch driver information display for quicker access to information. Standard features included USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, rearview camera, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. Available features included navigation, driver massage, HD Radio, surround-view camera, HUD, rearview camera mirror, and wireless device charging.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the IIHS 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. Standard driver-assist features were limited, with many only available as options.

The 2021 Buick Envision had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included a following distance indicator, forward-collision alert, front and rear park assist, lane change alert with blind-spot alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, rear-seat alert, automatic emergency braking, and teen-driver monitoring. Adaptive cruise control and enhanced automatic park assist were available on the Avenir model. The Envision also featured the Buckle to Drive system, ensuring the driver was buckled before shifting from park to drive.