2021 Volvo XC40 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, reminiscent of how it once differentiated models like the Impala and Caprice. 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 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 the blacked-out trim on the RS model and the chrome accents on the High Country model. The base Traverse L came with 18-inch wheels, while higher trims offered 20-inch wheels.

Inside, the Traverse continued its restrained styling, with the standout feature being the optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. The materials in the higher-level RS model were fairly good but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP. The Traverse shared its platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6, but aimed for a more blue-collar feel. It also featured car-like unibody construction, unlike the body-on-frame Chevy Tahoe. The interior space was generous, with above-average headroom and legroom in all three rows, and a significant advantage in cargo space.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 had a more traditional SUV styling with a tall, flat roof and upright rear hatch, fitting nicely with the rest of the Volvo lineup. It featured familial styling cues like “Thor’s Hammer” LED headlights and a simple oval grille. The XC40 Recharge was distinguished by a blanked-off grille, subtle “Recharge” badging, and model-specific alloy wheels. It also had a gloss black roof and mirror caps, a different rear bumper, and a model-exclusive color—Sage Green Metallic. The charging port was located where the fuel filler would normally be.

Under the sheet metal, the XC40 used Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, designed to accommodate both gasoline and electric powertrains. The interior was minimalist and premium, with real metal trim on the dashboard and a combination of Nappa leather and Nubuck textile upholstery. The design was coherent, with elements like the portrait-oriented touchscreen and air vents melding together seamlessly. Unlike many competitors, Volvo did not dumb down the interior design to meet a specific price point, maintaining a high level of quality and sophistication.

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 performed well overall, with occasional rough shifts. The Traverse excelled in 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 had 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.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 offered a three-tiered powertrain lineup, with the electric Recharge at the top. The gasoline options included a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base FWD T4 had 187 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, while the AWD T5 had 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Recharge shared its powertrain with the Polestar 2, featuring one electric motor for each axle, providing AWD and a combined 402 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. The 78-kilowatt-hour battery pack offered 75 kWh of usable capacity.

Volvo quoted zero to 60 mph times of 4.7 seconds for the Recharge, 6.1 seconds for the T5, and 8.1 seconds for the T4. All versions were electronically limited to 112 mph. The Recharge was quicker than some competitors but not aimed at performance-focused models. It emphasized quiet and comfort, with excellent ride quality even on rough roads. The Recharge also offered one-pedal driving and a towing capacity of 2,000 pounds.

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 three rows 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. The RS and higher trims also featured a power 60/40 split-folding third row.

Despite its size, the Traverse was limited in interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers. Minivans offered better practicality with more storage space and easier loading and unloading.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge had no difference in passenger or cargo space compared to gasoline models. However, it had less legroom and headroom than competitors like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E, and a smaller cargo area. The frunk was also small, with much of the space occupied by powertrain hardware. The gasoline XC40 was more competitive on interior space compared to rivals like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

Volvo compensated for the lack of space with clever storage solutions, such as a removable trash bin in the center console, a bag hook in the glovebox door, and extra-large door bins. The storage cubby ahead of the shifter was well-shaped to hold a phone, with a wireless charging pad optional and a single USB-C port standard. However, second-row occupants didn’t have phone-charging options.

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 offered larger screens, the 8-inch screen in the Traverse RS was easy to use with large smartphone-like icons. Chevy retained analog controls for audio volume and climate control, which were appreciated.

The Traverse also featured a rearview camera mirror, eliminating blind spots and improving rear visibility. An optional HD surround-view camera system made maneuvering out of parking spaces easier. Chevy provided two USB ports for each row as standard, with wireless phone charging standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge featured the Android Automotive OS infotainment system, with Google apps like Google Assistant and Google Maps built-in. The system included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth, with a 9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Graphics and menu layouts were top-notch, but drivers who didn’t like Google’s interface might be displeased.

The Recharge was the first XC40 variant to get OTA update capability, allowing for updates to any vehicle function controlled by software. Recharge models also lacked a start button, with the car starting automatically when the driver shifted out of park. The related Polestar 2 would soon get a Digital Key feature, but Volvo hadn’t confirmed it for the XC40.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top “Good” scores in all crash tests from the IIHS, with 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 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 gasoline 2021 Volvo XC40 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA. These ratings didn’t apply to the electric XC40 Recharge, but Volvo expected it to perform well in crash tests due to a safety cage around the battery and a redesigned front crash structure.

The XC40 came with a long list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, hill-start assist, and hill-descent control. Optional features included traffic-sign recognition, reverse automatic emergency braking, a driver-alertness monitor, run-off road mitigation, oncoming lane mitigation, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system. The Recharge model also featured Volvo’s latest sensor suite, scalable for future advanced driver aids.