2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L 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 base Traverse L came with 18-inch wheels, while higher trims offered 20-inch wheels. Sharing a platform with the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Cadillac XT6, the Traverse aimed for a more blue-collar feel and featured car-like unibody construction, unlike the body-on-frame Chevy Tahoe.

Inside, the Traverse continued its restrained styling, with the standout feature being an optional Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof. The materials in the higher-level RS model were decent but not quite up to the $50,000 MSRP. This was a common issue among midsize three-row crossovers, which tend to get expensive quickly with options.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L was 11.4 inches longer than the standard two-row Grand Cherokee, accommodating a third row of seats. The wheelbase was also stretched by five inches for more second-row legroom and wider rear doors. The extra length blended seamlessly into the body, making the standard Grand Cherokee look truncated. The Grand Cherokee L was elegant and unmistakably a Jeep, with its seven-slot rectangular grille, U-shaped wheel arches, and blunt front end. The lighting was modernized, and the paint finish and panel fit were improved. All trim levels, from the base Laredo to the loaded Summit Reserve, looked impressive, with the high-end trims featuring black roofs, larger wheels, and more chrome. For 2022, Jeep added new exterior paint colors: Ember, Hydro Blue, and Midnight Sky.

The interior of the Grand Cherokee L was luxurious, with dual high-resolution screens, real wood, aluminum, quilted Nappa leather, and a faux-suede roof. The layout felt premium, reminiscent of a Mercedes, but without shared parts. Even in all-black, the interior had enough detail and contrast to keep passengers comfortable. The lighter tan leather option required extra care to keep clean. The Grand Cherokee L was a proper luxury vehicle.

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. Although the V6 didn't feel particularly strong off the line, 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, good body control, and precise steering. However, it lacked agility on twistier roads, partly due to its AWD system, which required manual activation and could send torque to individual wheels but didn't noticeably improve handling.

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 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered two familiar engines: a 3.6-liter V6 and a 5.7-liter V8, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in either rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). A 48-volt hybrid system was unavailable, but the 4xe plug-in hybrid paired a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack and two electric motors, producing 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.

The V6 engine, with 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, felt underpowered for the Grand Cherokee L's weight. The engine noise was intrusive, and the transmission's early upshifts didn't help. The V8, with 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, was a better option, available only on higher trims with 4WD. Fuel economy for the V6 was decent at 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, while the V8 was less efficient at 14/22/17. Estimates for the 4xe plug-in hybrid were not yet available.

The Grand Cherokee L's chassis was stellar, with excellent ride composure and steering feel. The optional air suspension offered five ride height settings, enhancing comfort and off-road capability. The Grand Cherokee L could handle rough roads, but it was optimized for on-road comfort. The maximum towing capacity was 6,200 pounds for RWD models and 7,200 pounds with 4WD.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven or eight, with headroom and legroom above average 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 available on the Premier and High Country models. The Traverse had limited interior storage options, typical of midsize three-row crossovers.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with straightforward graphics and physical switches for climate and stereo controls. The Laredo and Altitude trims came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel, while higher trims had a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Grand Cherokee L offered ample space in all rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. A panoramic roof, large windows, and USB ports enhanced comfort, but the air vents were insufficient, requiring the fan to be kept on high.

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. 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, with wireless phone charging standard on the Premier and High Country models.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L's upper trims offered premium features like massage modes for the front seats, a head-up display, night vision, a 360-degree camera system, and Active Driving Assist. The navigation system integrated with the instrument panel, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto were wireless. New for 2022 were optional touchscreens for the front passenger and rear-seat passengers. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. Higher trims added features like automatic parking, front cross-traffic alert, and a rear-facing camera.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse received top "Good" scores in all crash tests from the IIHS, with a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. 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 features like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking available only on higher trims.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L had not yet been tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included driver and passenger knee airbags, a rear seat alert, trailer sway control, and various driver aids.