2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2021 Ford Escape

The 2021 Ford Escape, a fourth-generation model, balanced the line between SUV and hatchback. Its curved snout and sleek roofline made it resemble an enlarged Focus, yet it maintained the tall ride height of a proper SUV. This design gave the Escape a less truck-like appearance compared to the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, or Toyota RAV4, but it also resulted in a more generic look than the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. For 2021, the Escape introduced new appearance packages for three of its four trim levels, including the SE Sport Appearance Package, SEL Stealth AWD Package, and Titanium Elite Package, which added features like 19-inch alloy wheels, ActiveX upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheels.

Inside, the Escape's design choices were less cohesive. The angular instrument cluster clashed with the exterior's smooth lines, and the interior materials felt low-rent. Even the top-tier Titanium model lacked standard leather upholstery, although it did offer ambient lighting. Dual-zone automatic climate control was only available starting from the SEL trim level.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, despite being a glorified minivan with conventional rear doors, stood ready to serve those needing an SUV without the bulk and expense of larger models. Prices started at $33,700 for the base LS with front-wheel drive, while the High Country trim reached $53,400. All-wheel drive was optional across the lineup, though its 7.5-inch ground clearance was more suited for snow and mild off-road conditions. For 2022, the Traverse received a light restyle with new headlights, taillights, front bumper, grille designs, and updated color choices. Appearance packages like the Redline Edition, Midnight Edition, and Sport Edition added blacked-out trim.

Our RS test vehicle, positioned above the LS and LT but below the Premier and High Country trims, featured blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels. The Traverse's styling, with its crisply tailored lines and tasteful details, made it one of the most appealing vehicles in its segment. The RS trim, equipped with AWD and a Dual SkyScape Sunroof, had an MSRP of $48,895. Inside, the Traverse RS boasted black leather upholstery with red and light gray contrast stitching, black carpets, a black headliner, and gloss black trim. While hard plastic surfaces were prevalent, the overall design was simple and logically laid out, with user-friendly switchgear and stereo controls.

The 2021 Ford Escape offered two gasoline powertrains, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The base powertrain was a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and available in front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). An upgrade to the 2.0-liter turbo-four engine increased output to 250 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, available only with AWD. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid models used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric assist, delivering a total system output of 200 hp. The plug-in hybrid's larger battery allowed for significant electric-only driving distances. The hybrid was available in FWD or AWD, while the plug-in hybrid was FWD only. The Escape's chassis tuning left much to be desired, with sloppy suspension and steering making it less enjoyable to drive. The 2.0-liter, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid models could be equipped with a Class 2 Trailer Tow Package, offering a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds with the 2.0-liter engine.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a single engine option: a 3.6-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse had a tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, with Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road driving modes available. The V6 engine provided adequate power for the Traverse's size, and the official EPA fuel economy rating for the AWD model was 20 mpg in combined driving. Our test vehicle returned 20.9 mpg on the evaluation loop. The Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride, absorbing smaller road imperfections well. However, it required careful speed management over larger road anomalies to avoid scraping the front air dam. On the highway, the Traverse excelled, though road and wind noise were more pronounced. In mountainous terrain, the Traverse felt more athletic than some rivals, with good performance from the V6 drivetrain, Active Return Assist steering, and extended-life Duralife brakes. The suspension limited body roll, resulting in a flat cornering attitude, though the RS trim's all-season tires were less impressive.

The 2021 Ford Escape, despite its car-like styling, offered competitive interior space compared to more traditionally-styled compact SUVs. First-row and second-row headroom and legroom were near the top of the segment, with a standard sliding rear seat that could be adjusted to expand legroom or cargo space. Sliding the bench seat all the way back provided 40.7 inches of rear legroom in non-hybrid models, second only to the 2022 Hyundai Tucson. However, the battery pack placement in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models reduced some legroom. The gasoline Escape had 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat up and in its default position, while hybrid and plug-in hybrid models had 30.7 cubic feet. Sliding the rear seat forward increased cargo space to 37.5 cubic feet for gasoline models and 34.4 cubic feet for hybrid/plug-in hybrid models. Folding the rear seat yielded 65.4 cubic feet of cargo space in gasoline models and 60.8 cubic feet in hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Most competitors offered more cargo space, with the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester exceeding 70 cubic feet with their rear seats folded.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, in RS, Premier, or High Country trims, did not offer a second-row bench seat, reducing capacity to seven passengers with captain’s chairs. Our Traverse RS had power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row featured a Smart Slide function, making third-row access easier. The all-black cabin and lack of ventilated front seats were not issues in moderate Southern California temperatures. The eight-way power driver’s seat was comfortable, and second-row passengers enjoyed generous legroom, headroom, and foot room, though the captain’s chairs lacked leg support and were too reclined in the default position. The wide pass-through between the captain’s chairs facilitated third-row access, and the Smart Slide seats allowed for easy entry and exit even with a child safety seat installed. The third-row seat was adequate for adults if the second-row passengers cooperated by sliding forward. Storage space was abundant, with a hidden compartment behind the infotainment screen and another under the cargo floor. Cargo space behind the third-row seats measured 23 cubic feet, expanding to 57.8 cubic feet with the seats folded flat. The maximum cargo volume was 98.2 cubic feet, making the Traverse one of the roomiest SUVs in its segment for carrying people and cargo.

The 2021 Ford Escape used Ford’s older Sync 3 infotainment system, with base Escape S models featuring a 4.2-inch touchscreen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Upgrading to the Escape SE added an 8-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Escape Titanium trim level included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. While Sync 3 was user-friendly, the Escape lacked some standard tech features compared to competitors and missed out on the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available with the newer Sync 4 system.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse equipped the LS and LT Cloth models with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while other trims received an 8-inch high-definition display. The Premier and High Country trims added an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. Both infotainment systems offered Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones simultaneously, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and access to connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. Teen Driver technology was standard, allowing parents to program a keyfob for a child and receive a driving report card. The 8-inch touchscreen system was available with integrated navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and expanded connected services with more in-vehicle apps, including Alexa Built-in. A Bose premium sound system with seven speakers was standard starting with RS trim. The voice recognition system was responsive and accurate, reducing confusion and frustration. Visibility was generally good, though the rear liftgate blocked the rearview mirror in its normal view. The digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera were appreciated features in the RS trim.

The 2021 Ford Escape received a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The Escape also earned high marks for front-crash prevention technology but received “Acceptable” and “Marginal” ratings for headlights, depending on the trim level. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the Escape a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. The optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, and Evasive Steering Assist.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came standard with Chevy Safety Assist on all trim levels, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The optional Safety Package for the Traverse LS added rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert, which were standard on higher trims. The RS, Premier, and High Country trims included adaptive cruise control, an automatic emergency braking system for higher speeds, and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Premier and High Country trims also featured Chevy’s vibrating Safety Alert Seat. The Traverse’s driving aids operated with accuracy and refinement, and most could be deactivated through the infotainment system. The IIHS had not assessed the new Traverse’s headlight or driving-assistance systems at the time of writing, but it received top “Good” ratings in collision-related tests, except for an “Acceptable” rating in a new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not published any 2022 Traverse crash-test ratings at the time of writing.