2021 Lexus GX 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, competitors like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride had more personality, while the Mazda CX-9 offered a more streamlined appearance. 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, with 20-inch wheels available on higher trims. 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. 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, which tend to get expensive with options. The Traverse's interior was practical, with seating for seven or eight, depending on the configuration, and above-average headroom and legroom in all three rows. Cargo space was a significant advantage, with 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.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460's styling reflected its long tenure on the market, retaining the same basic body shell from a decade ago with updates like the spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights. The 2021 model didn't see any styling changes, but silver 18-inch wheels became standard on the Premium trim. Despite its age, the GX's styling remained coherent, with a tough, aggressive look that appealed to SUV shoppers. However, the interior didn't meet modern luxury SUV standards, with wood trim that felt like plastic and an abundance of actual plastic. Standard leather upholstery was a plus, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim.

The GX's interior ergonomics showed its age, with an upright dashboard and high center console that limited legroom. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position made it feel like driving a bus. Visibility was excellent due to the dashboard shape and boxy profile, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. Storage options were limited, with small center-console storage, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows and seating for seven, but the third row was best reserved for children. Cargo space was limited, with only 64.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, significantly less than competitors.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse featured 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 ample power for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well overall, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse impressed with its highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin, bump-absorbing suspension, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and didn't fully utilize its torque vectoring capabilities.

The Traverse offered off-road and tow/haul drive modes, with a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. This was average for the segment, with competitors like the Nissan Pathfinder and Ford Explorer offering higher towing capacities. Overall, the Traverse provided a solid and comfortable driving experience, though it fell short in handling compared to some rivals.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 kept things simple with a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The V8 provided plenty of grunt when moving away from a stop, but the GX's 5,130-pound weight made its presence felt at higher speeds. Merging and overtaking required careful planning, and bringing the SUV to a stop also needed advanced planning. The GX's ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, with low grip and body roll in corners. The Premium test car lacked the adaptive suspension of the Luxury trim, making it hard to civilize the ride.

Despite its traditional SUV driving experience, the GX excelled in off-road capability. It featured a Torsen center differential, standard 4WD with a low range, and several driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, multi-view camera system, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select. The GX had 8.1 inches of ground clearance and respectable approach, departure, and break-over angles. It also had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds, with stability control including a trailer-sway control function.

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, with 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 available on the Premier and High Country models. However, interior storage options were limited, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460's interior ergonomics showed its age, with an upright dashboard and high center console limiting legroom. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position made it feel like driving a bus. Visibility was excellent due to the dashboard shape and boxy profile, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. Storage options were limited, with small center-console storage, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows and seating for seven, but the third row was best reserved for children. Cargo space was limited, with only 64.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, significantly less than competitors.

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. While competitors offered larger screens, the Traverse's 8-inch screen was easy to use with large smartphone-like icons. Analog controls for audio volume and climate control were appreciated. The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror and an optional HD surround-view camera system. Two USB ports for each row were standard, with wireless phone charging available on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 was light on tech features, with standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not available. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functions, with a seven-segment display for time and temperature. However, analog controls for most functions were a refreshing change from screen-centric interfaces. The GX also offered a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system and two USB ports for each of the first two rows, but none for the third row.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (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 available as optional extras.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX missed out on some safety features available in other Lexus and non-luxury Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.