2021 Nissan Armada 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 competitors like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. 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 price tag.

The 2021 Nissan Armada underwent a significant facelift, aligning it with Nissan's new signature exterior design. Available in S, SV, SL, and Platinum grades, the Armada's redesigned exterior featured a new grille, front fenders, bumpers, and LED lights, giving it a modern look while retaining its traditional beefy styling. The interior, however, felt dated despite tech upgrades. The upper half of the center stack was modern, but other design choices made the SUV appear past its prime. The seating was comfortable, especially in the first and second rows, but the third row was less accommodating for adults.

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 specs, the Traverse didn't feel particularly powerful off the line but had enough grunt for highway merging and overtaking. The nine-speed automatic performed well, though it occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin and comfortable ride, but it lacked agility on twistier roads. The AWD system required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels, but its impact on handling was minimal. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, which was average for the segment.

The 2021 Nissan Armada came with a robust 5.6-liter V8 engine delivering 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque when using premium fuel, paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. The Armada was available with rear-wheel drive and optional four-wheel drive. Despite its hefty weight, the Armada was a capable off-roader with a skid plate, double-wishbone suspension, and decent ground clearance. Fuel economy was a weak point, with RWD models getting 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, and 4WD models getting 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway. The Armada had a best-in-class 8,500-pound towing capacity, making it a strong choice for those needing to tow heavy loads.

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 lower trims and standard on higher ones. However, interior storage options were limited, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2021 Nissan Armada, as a full-size SUV, required a bit of a hop to get in and out, but standard running boards and in-cabin handles made it easier. The interior was spacious, especially in the first and second rows, with power-adjustable front seats and optional captain's chairs in the second row. The third row was less comfortable for adults. Cargo space was 16.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 49.9 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 95.4 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The high load floor made loading and unloading a bit challenging, especially for petite individuals. Small-item storage was limited, but the center console storage bin was a notable exception.

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 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 Nissan Armada featured a class-leading 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, navigation, a six-speaker stereo, satellite radio, Bluetooth, USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay as standard. Optional features included a wireless charging pad, a 13-speaker Bose audio system, a rearview camera mirror, and a second-row entertainment system. The Armada Platinum trim included all these features as standard. The analog tachometer and speedometer were functional but not particularly attractive, and the steering wheel allowed limited control of the driver information screen and infotainment system.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the 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 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 many features being optional extras.

The 2021 Nissan Armada had not been fully rated by the IIHS and NHTSA, but it received a three-star rollover rating from the NHTSA. Every Armada came with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking. Additional standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear door alert. Optional features included a rear camera mirror and a surround-view camera system. The Armada did not offer advanced driving assist technologies like Nissan ProPilot Assist.