2021 Honda HR-V 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 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 compared to its premium siblings.

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 decent but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP. This was a common issue among midsize three-row crossovers, which tend to get expensive with options. The Traverse's interior was functional, but not luxurious, aligning with its overall blue-collar appeal.

The 2021 Honda HR-V had a softer, friendlier appearance compared to Honda's larger SUVs like the CR-V, Passport, and Pilot. Its distinctive styling included upper and lower window lines that converged near the taillights, housing the rear door handles. Most trims featured 17-inch alloy wheels, with the HR-V EX and EX-L getting a machined finish, while the Sport model had matte-black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim. Fog lights were standard on all but the base LX trim.

Inside, the HR-V's styling was plain but functional, with good material quality and fit and finish. The EX and EX-L models offered push-button start, automatic climate control, a moonroof, and heated front seats, with the EX-L adding leather upholstery. While the HR-V would never be mistaken for a luxury car, it still felt solid and well-built.

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. Although the V6 didn't feel particularly strong off the line, it provided ample power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic generally performed well, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin, bump-absorbing suspension, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twisty 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 Honda HR-V featured a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque, mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifters on higher trims. While AWD was available on all trims, FWD was standard. The HR-V's powertrain remained unchanged from previous models, resulting in underwhelming highway performance and an ineffective CVT. Competitors like the Kia Seltos and Subaru Crosstrek offered more powerful engine options. Despite its engine shortcomings, the HR-V's chassis provided a rewarding driving experience on twisty roads, living up to Honda's reputation for fun cars. However, its AWD system was only suitable for slippery roads, and it lacked ground clearance and towing capability.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, depending on the choice of a second-row bench seat or captain's chairs. Headroom and legroom in all three rows were 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 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 the Premier and High Country models featuring a gesture-activated liftgate. Despite its size, the Traverse had limited interior storage options, a common issue among midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2021 Honda HR-V boasted impressive cargo space for its size, thanks to the "Magic Seat" 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat. With the seat folded down, it offered 58.8 cubic feet of cargo space (57.6 for AWD models), and 24.3 cubic feet (23.2 cubic feet with AWD) with the seat up. These figures surpassed competitors like the Chevrolet Trax, Hyundai Kona, and Subaru Crosstrek. The HR-V also excelled in rear-seat legroom, leading the segment, while front-seat legroom and headroom were average. The HR-V's interior featured sensibly-designed controls, including large knobs for climate control and an audio volume knob. The narrow center console was dominated by a large shift lever, which was simple and easy to use. A standard tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel made finding the perfect driving position easier.

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. While competitors like Ford and Toyota offered larger screens, the Traverse's 8-inch screen was user-friendly with large smartphone-like icons. The Traverse retained analog controls for audio volume and climate control, which were appreciated for their simplicity. The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror, which eliminated blind spots and improved rear visibility. An optional HD surround-view camera system made parking easier. The Traverse provided two USB ports for each row as standard, with wireless phone charging available on the Premier and High Country trims.

The 2021 Honda HR-V's base LX trim included Bluetooth, a 5-inch display screen, and a four-speaker audio system. The Sport trim and higher offered a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the EX and EX-L models added SiriusXM satellite radio. The HR-V's infotainment system was plain but functional, with two USB ports located in a convenient cubbyhole ahead of the shifter. However, the 7-inch touchscreen was relatively small, and many competitors offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard across all trims. Honda's decision to reserve these features for higher trims was a drawback.

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. The NHTSA awarded 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.

The 2021 Honda HR-V received top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for its optional front-crash prevention tech. However, it got "Marginal" and "Poor" headlight ratings and an "Acceptable" rating for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the HR-V a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in side crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover crash testing. The HR-V included Honda Sensing safety features on the EX and EX-L trims, which comprised forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, Road Departure Mitigation, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and Honda's LaneWatch. The rearview camera was upgraded with dynamic gridlines on higher trims.