2021 Kia Sorento 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 simplicity, 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 Kia Sorento marked a significant improvement over its predecessor, shedding its bubbly design for a more athletic and muscular silhouette. The SX Prestige trim with the X-Line package featured roof rails, a shark fin antenna, and a rear roof spoiler. The front showcased Kia’s expansive tiger-nose grille and distinctive headlights, while a silver accent along the side added visual interest. The rear design included beautiful vertical taillights that looked cohesive and modern. Inside, the Sorento was packed with high-value features, including heated outside mirrors, second-row air vents, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and keyless entry. The upper trims offered more luxurious touches like 10-way driver’s seat adjustment and real perforated leather upholstery.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with 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. 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, but it lacked agility on twisty roads. The AWD system, which required manual activation, could send up to 50% of torque to the front wheels or 85% to the rear wheels, but its impact on handling was minimal. The Traverse had off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

The 2021 Kia Sorento offered a range of powertrains, with the most common being a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. However, our test car featured the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 281 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission to AWD. This setup provided ample power for merging, cruising, and passing. The Sorento also had a hybrid version with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and electric motor, and a plug-in hybrid was on the way. The AWD system included torque vectoring and a center-locking differential, while the X-Line package added ride height, 20-inch wheels, and a roof rack. The suspension provided a smooth ride, and the various drive modes significantly impacted performance, with Sport mode offering the best throttle response.

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 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 a gesture-activated liftgate on the Premier and High Country models. However, interior storage options were limited, making it less practical than a minivan for carrying lots of people or cargo.

The 2021 Kia Sorento, while practical, was best considered a four-seater in its top trims due to the tight third row. The LX and S trims had a second-row bench seat, but upper trims featured captain's chairs, and the third row was too cramped for adults. Cargo space behind the third row was limited to 12.6 cubic feet, making it more practical to fold those seats. The second-row captain's chairs were comfortable, and the front and rear seats offered ample legroom. The Sorento provided good storage for small items, with spots for phones, cupholders, and a decent-sized center console. Total cargo volume was 75.5 cubic feet, more in line with a compact crossover than a midsize one.

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 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 Kia Sorento featured an 8-inch touchscreen on the LX, S, and EX trims, with hard buttons, knobs, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. The SX and SX Prestige trims had a 10.25-inch screen with haptic touch buttons and knobs, but it required a wired connection for smartphone projection. The Sorento had plenty of USB ports but no USB-C ports. The optional Bose stereo was decent but not exceptional. The navigation system needed improvement, particularly in voice search and Point-of-Interest functions, but most drivers would likely use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for navigation.

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 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. 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 options.

The 2021 Kia Sorento came with a comprehensive array of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, driver-attention warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, and auto high beams. Our test car also had a surround-view camera and adaptive cruise control, which worked smoothly. The lane-keeping assist system occasionally made excessive corrections, but overall, the safety systems were effective. The NHTSA awarded the Sorento four out of five stars overall and in frontal-impact and rollover tests, with five stars in side-impact tests. The IIHS awarded the Sorento a Top Safety Pick designation, with the SX trims receiving top ratings for their LED headlights.