2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2021 Volkswagen Atlas

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas underwent a notable styling refresh that transformed its overall appearance. Volkswagen updated the front and rear bumpers, and introduced new standard LED headlights and taillights, alongside a fresh grille design shared with the Atlas Cross Sport model. These changes extended the vehicle's length by 2.4 inches. The Atlas featured a more assertive look compared to the 2020 model, though the fake chrome exhaust tips seemed a bit gaudy. With the sportier R-Line trim, buyers saw enhanced front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and visually appealing 21-inch wheels. The Atlas maintained its MQB platform, known for its adaptability in various Volkswagen models.

The interior of the Atlas was given a minimalistic yet functional design approach. It boasted a standard seven-seat configuration spread across three rows, offering a practical layout for families. Base trim levels featured cloth seats, while higher trims enjoyed simulated leather. The top SEL Premium trim included genuine leather upholstery. Despite the thoughtful layout, material quality on mid-level trims like the SE with Technology felt lacking, with cheap plastics and unconvincing simulated wood and metal trims.

Meanwhile, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse experienced a lighter restyle, receiving new headlights, taillights, redesigned bumpers, and refreshed aluminum wheels. Appearance packages like the Redline, Midnight, and Sport Editions offered additional blacked-out trims, adding a layer of sophistication. The Traverse RS trim, which sat between the LS/LT models and the upscale Premier/High Country trims, featured attractive dark gray 20-inch wheels and blacked-out accents, presenting an elegant, tailored design that stood out in its segment.

Inside, the Traverse RS was equipped with black leather upholstery, complemented by red and light gray contrast stitching, black carpets, and a black headliner. Gloss black trim and polished metallic accents enhanced the cabin's aesthetic, although the extensive use of hard plastics might have been a letdown for some. Chevrolet’s approach to the Traverse’s interior focused on simplicity and logical layout, with easily navigable switchgear and user-friendly controls for the infotainment and climate systems.

In terms of performance, the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas offered two engine choices. The base engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, produced 235 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel. The alternative was a 3.6-liter VR6 engine generating 276 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, available on SE with Technology trims and above. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, while drivetrain options included standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system primarily operated in FWD mode to conserve fuel, switching to all-wheel mode when necessary.

Driving the four-cylinder AWD model provided adequate acceleration, although shifts from the automatic transmission were somewhat rough during acceleration from a stop. The Atlas, with its truck-like handling, offered poor ride quality, making its occupants feel every road imperfection. The AWD models included various drive modes such as Onroad, Snow, Offroad, and Custom Offroad, but none enhanced on-road handling.

On the other hand, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a single engine option: a robust 3.6-liter V6 delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, coupled with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse could tow up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, with tow-specific driving modes available. Fuel economy for the AWD Traverse was rated at 20 mpg combined, with our test vehicle achieving 20.9 mpg.

In city driving, the Traverse felt firm yet compliant, managing smaller road imperfections well. On the highway, it excelled with smooth cruising, though there was noticeable road and wind noise. Traverse’s mountain performance revealed its athletic side, handling corners with minimal body roll. However, the RS trim’s performance was slightly hindered by its all-season tires and a soft suspension feel at higher speeds.

Both the Volkswagen Atlas and Chevrolet Traverse served well as family haulers, but they each had their compromises.

The Atlas offered a respectable 96.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, and 20.6 cubic feet with all seats up. It featured ample third-row legroom, often at the expense of second-row comfort. Folding and raising the seats was user-friendly, and the second-row bench could slide to facilitate access to the third row. Driver-focused controls and a sensible layout made the Atlas a practical choice, despite forward visibility issues.

Conversely, the Traverse RS did not offer a second-row bench seat, making it limited to seven passengers with captain’s chairs. However, these captain’s chairs made third-row access easier and provided decent comfort, although some adults found them lacking in leg support. The Traverse excelled in cargo space, offering 23 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 98.2 cubic feet. Unique storage solutions, such as hidden compartments behind the infotainment screen and under the cargo floor, added practical storage options.

Volkswagen equipped all 2021 Atlas models with Bluetooth and smartphone compatibility, with lower trims getting a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen and upper trims a larger 8-inch screen. The Digital Cockpit, available in higher trims, replaced traditional gauges with a digital display. The new MIBIII infotainment system, introduced later in 2021, brought multi-phone pairing, improved voice recognition, and a redesigned navigation system. The base six-speaker audio system included options to center sound in specific rows, while higher trims offered a 12-speaker Fender audio system. A built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot supported up to four devices, with service provided by Verizon.

In comparison, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 7-inch touchscreen on LS and LT Cloth models, with an 8-inch high-definition display on higher trims. The Premier and High Country trims included a new 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. Both infotainment systems supported Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones simultaneously, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and access to connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. Higher trims offered a range of features including integrated navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a Bose seven-speaker system. Voice recognition technology in the Traverse performed exceptionally well, reducing frustration during use. The digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera system in the RS trim proved useful for enhanced visibility.

The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas earned top “good” ratings in IIHS crash tests, with the exception of “marginal” ratings for child-seat anchors and standard headlights. The SEL and SEL Premium trims received “good” headlight ratings. NHTSA awarded the 2020 model a five-star overall rating, which likely applied to the 2021 model. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring, with adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and traffic-jam assist available on higher trims. Future updates aimed to introduce more advanced aids like Travel Assist and Emergency Assist.

For 2022, the Chevrolet Traverse came equipped with Chevy Safety Assist as standard, featuring forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional safety packages included rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert on higher trims. Upper trims provided adaptive cruise control, high-speed emergency braking, and rear pedestrian alert. Although not assessed by IIHS for headlight or driving-assistance systems at the time, the Traverse received top “Good” ratings in collision tests, except an “Acceptable” rating in a stringent side-impact test. NHTSA had not yet rated the 2022 model.