2021 Dodge Durango 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 generic 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 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 and featured car-like unibody construction, unlike the body-on-frame Chevy Tahoe.

Inside, the Traverse continued its restrained styling, with the standout feature being an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. The materials in the higher-level RS model were fairly good but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP. This was a common issue among midsize three-row crossovers. The Traverse's interior was functional, but not luxurious, and it quickly became expensive with options.

The 2021 Dodge Durango maintained its muscular stance and athletic styling, fitting in with Dodge's Charger and Challenger. The 2021 model year saw revisions, especially in the new SRT Hellcat model, which featured a cold-air scoop, twin-pipe exhaust, LED headlamps, rear spoiler, and a different front end. The Durango offered six different 20-inch wheel varieties and one 18-inch version, with 11 exterior colors and six interior color schemes. The cabin featured a new instrument panel and either an 8.4-inch or 10.1-inch touchscreen running FCA’s Uconnect 5 infotainment system. Moving up the trims, the Durango became more premium and sophisticated, with options for leather, suede, Nappa leather, and Laguna leather upholstery, along with contrast stitching and Demonic Red-colored seat belts.

The updates to the Durango’s dashboard gave it a modern appearance, aligning it with the Charger and Challenger muscle cars. The Durango offered a variety of grades, each with unique packaging and track-ready equipment, making it a versatile choice in the SUV market.

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. While the V6 didn't feel particularly strong off the line, it provided sufficient power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well overall, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin, bump-absorbing suspension, good body control, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels but didn't noticeably improve handling. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, which was average for the segment.

The 2021 Dodge Durango offered four engine options: a 3.6-liter V6, a 5.7-liter HEMI V8, a 392 HEMI V8, and a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8, all paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions. The V6 produced 293-295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, while the 5.7-liter V8 delivered 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. The 392 HEMI V8 offered 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, and the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8 in the SRT Hellcat produced 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. The Durango's engines provided smooth acceleration and confident steering, though the chassis showed its age, with a reactionary suspension that passed bumps to the cabin. The Durango SRT models featured SRT Performance Pages for track days, and the R/T model with the Tow N Go Package had a towing capacity of 8,700 pounds.

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 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. However, interior storage options were limited, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2021 Dodge Durango was a versatile family hauler with seating for five to seven across three rows. The front and second-row seats were spacious, with enough room for taller passengers, and the third row was more spacious than many competitors. The Durango offered 21 seat options, providing plenty of choices for buyers. Cargo space was average for its class, functioning as advertised. Dodge's recent improvements in fit and finish were evident, making the Durango a comfortable and practical choice for families.

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 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. Each row had 2 USB ports as standard, with wireless phone charging available on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2021 Dodge Durango featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen on the SXT and GT models, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The larger screen ran the new Uconnect 5 system, which was five times faster than the previous version and offered greater personalization, connected services, Amazon Alexa connectivity, TomTom navigation, SiriusXM with 360L, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air updates. The system was easy to navigate, with clear graphics and responsive touch. The Durango also offered a family entertainment system with a Blu-ray and DVD player and two 9-inch screens. The gauge cluster had a unique look, though the analog speedometer was difficult to read. The TomTom navigation system was user-friendly, though a head-up display would have enhanced its usability.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the IIHS, along with 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. 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. Chevy offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist only available as optional extras.

The 2021 Dodge Durango fell short in safety compared to its rivals, with a rearview camera as its only standard active safety feature. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, automatic high beams, rear-cross traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, and forward-collision warning. The NHTSA gave the Durango a five-star side crash-test rating and a four-star rollover rating, but front crash testing ratings were not yet available.