2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2021 Volvo XC90

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy, blending traditional elements with modern touches. Known for its conservative styling, Volvo managed to infuse the XC90 with more character while retaining its recognizable boxy profile and blunt front end. The details made the difference, with softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights featuring "Thor’s Hammer" daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, was the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more basic looks, respectively. The XC90 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models, ensuring a cohesive design language across the brand.

Inside, the XC90 embraced "Swedish minimalism," offering a clean, thoughtfully arranged interior with high-quality materials. The matte-finish wood trim and optional wool upholstery provided a natural, luxurious feel. The Orrefors crystal shifter added a high-end touch, though it seemed a bit out of place in the otherwise restrained interior. The overall design aimed to provide a serene and uncluttered environment, focusing on comfort and functionality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, while often seen as a glorified minivan, offered a practical and stylish alternative for those needing a family SUV. Starting at $33,700, the Traverse provided a range of trims, with the High Country model reaching $53,400. The 2022 model received a light restyle, including new headlights, taillights, and grille designs, along with updated color choices and redesigned aluminum wheels. The RS trim, with its blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels, stood out for its sporty appearance. The Traverse's design was praised for its crisp lines and tasteful details, making it one of the more appealing vehicles in its segment.

Inside, the Traverse RS featured black leather upholstery with red and light gray contrast stitching, creating a sleek, modern look. The materials were a mixed bag, with hard plastic surfaces in some areas, but the overall design was simple and logical. The switchgear was decorated in matte-finish black with white markings, reducing glare and making controls easy to use. The Traverse's interior was designed with practicality in mind, offering ample storage space and user-friendly features.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all based on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 model added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T5 came standard with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive was optional on the T5 and standard on the T6 and T8.

Despite the impressive power figures, the XC90's small engine struggled to provide the flexibility of larger engines found in competitor SUVs. The plug-in hybrid model, designed for efficiency, often required the gasoline engine to assist even at low speeds. The XC90 offered three drive modes—Pure (all-electric), Hybrid, and Power—but Pure mode was only practical at low speeds with gentle acceleration. The XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and provided a quiet cabin. Most models had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, with the base FWD T5 rated at 4,000 pounds.

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 and offered various driving modes, including Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road. 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.

The Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride, absorbing smaller road imperfections well. However, it required careful speed management over larger bumps to avoid scraping the front air dam. On the highway, the Traverse provided a comfortable ride, though road and wind noise were more noticeable than preferred. The Traverse's handling was predictable, with the V6 drivetrain, Active Return Assist steering, and extended-life Duralife brakes performing well in various driving conditions. However, the RS trim's all-season tires and the vehicle's tendency to feel disconnected from the road at higher speeds were noted drawbacks.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 was available in six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. Headroom and legroom in all three rows were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The seats in the second and third rows were hard and lacked support. The optional power moonroof and upright roof profile gave the interior a spacious feel. The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but a power-adjustable steering wheel was not available. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console storage bin and few storage options on the console itself. Cargo space was 11.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 34.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 64.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, in RS, Premier, or High Country trims, featured captain’s chairs in the second row, reducing seating capacity to seven. The RS trim included power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row Smart Slide function and long rear doors made accessing the third row easier. The all-black cabin of the RS trim was comfortable, with generous legroom, headroom, and foot room in the second row. The third-row seat was accessible through a wide pass-through or the Smart Slide function. Adults could fit in the third row if the second-row seats were slid forward. The Traverse offered ample storage space, including a hidden compartment behind the infotainment screen and another under the cargo floor. Cargo space was 23 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 98.2 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system with a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The system was user-friendly, with a portrait-oriented touchscreen that allowed for easy navigation through menus. However, the amount of text and typeface used made reading some menus difficult while driving. The wireless charging pad added for 2021 was too small for most phones, and the XC90 only had second-row USB-C ports, limiting charging options for newer phones.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system on LS and LT Cloth models, while other trims featured an 8-inch high-definition display. The system included Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and access to connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. The 8-inch system offered integrated navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and expanded connected services with more in-vehicle apps, including Alexa Built-in. The RS trim included a Bose premium sound system with seven speakers. The voice recognition system was responsive and accurate, reducing confusion and frustration. The Traverse also featured a digital rearview mirror and a surround-view camera, enhancing visibility and maneuverability.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for non-hybrid models. It earned top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and a “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle testing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave all 2021 XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating. The XC90 offered a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, a driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, and Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver aid.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The Traverse LS had an optional Safety Package, adding rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Traverse had not been fully assessed by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of writing, but it received top “Good” ratings in most collision-related tests.