2021 Nissan Rogue vs 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse was a throwback to a time when styling details differentiated trim levels. Its exterior was a generic SUV design with a tall roof, chunky wheel arches, and a big grille, which appealed to many buyers. The Traverse's restrained styling emphasized cosmetic elements unique to each trim level, such as blacked-out trim on the RS model and chrome on the High Country. The interior mirrored this restrained approach, 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.

In contrast, the 2021 Nissan Rogue sported handsome new styling with a more technical appearance, featuring dark gray plastic cladding, bold simulated skid plates, and clean LED lighting elements. The Rogue's modern aesthetic was enhanced by a prominent V-Motion grille and aluminum wheels up to 19 inches in diameter. The interior of the Rogue SL test vehicle was light and bright, thanks to an Almond color leather interior and a standard panoramic glass sunroof. The cabin featured abundant soft-touch surfaces, appealing simulated wood trim, and fabric-wrapped windshield pillars, lending a sense of quality. The Rogue's controls were arranged in a clean and logical fashion, and the Platinum trim offered quilted semi-aniline leather, contrast stitching, and ambient lighting for a luxurious feel.

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 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 transmission performed well overall but occasionally had rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in highway road manners, offering a quiet cabin and a comfortable ride, though 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 not noticeable. The Traverse had a 5,000-pound maximum towing capacity with the tow/haul mode engaged.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue, on the other hand, was equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Rogue's power was adequate for daily driving, and the CVT performed well, mimicking a traditional automatic transmission. The Rogue offered available AWD, up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance, and new Snow and Off-Road driving modes, making it more capable off-road. The Rogue's ride and handling were impressive, thanks to a new architecture with 35% high-strength steel, a strut front, multi-link rear suspension, and advanced systems like Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control. The new steering system provided improved feel and responsiveness.

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 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 compared to minivans.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue featured Zero Gravity seat designs for enhanced comfort, with improved seats in the new model. The Rogue offered cloth seats with manual adjustment in the S trim, eight-way power adjustment and leatherette upholstery in the SV trim, standard leather in the SL trim, and premium leather in the Platinum trim. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats were available on higher trims. The Rogue's rear-seat headroom and legroom were generous, and the rear doors opened to a nearly 90-degree angle for easy access. The Rogue could accommodate up to three child safety seats and featured a rear-seat reminder system. The Rogue's cargo capacity was 31.6 cubic feet in the S and SV trims, and 36.5 cubic feet in the SL and Platinum trims, with a maximum volume of 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

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 test car was user-friendly, 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, but wireless phone charging was only available on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue offered a competitive infotainment package with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto in the S trim. Higher trims added NissanConnect Services, a WiFi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant integration. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim included a 9-inch touchscreen, door-to-door navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, an upgraded voice recognition system, and a Bose premium audio system. The Platinum trim also featured wireless smartphone charging, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.8-inch head-up display.

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 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. The Traverse offered less standard driver-assist tech than competitors, with features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist available only on higher trims.

The 2021 Nissan Rogue came equipped with a comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) under the Nissan Safety Shield 360 umbrella, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. The Rogue also featured ten airbags, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. The Platinum trim added an airbag between the driver and front passenger. Adaptive cruise control was standard starting with the SV trim, part of the improved ProPilot Assist driving aid. The SL Premium Package and Platinum trim offered an upgraded ProPilot Assist with Navi-link technology. Crash-test results were unavailable at the time of review, but the Rogue's new architecture and engineering aimed to enhance crash protection.