2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that offered practicality and style, appealing to families who valued convenience. Its sliding side doors made loading children into car seats a breeze, even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey's third-row seat provided ample comfort for adults, making it ideal for family outings or carpools. With a spacious cargo area, it rivaled larger SUVs in terms of storage capacity. The Odyssey's design featured clean lines and stylish elements, such as the kinked sliding doors and dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels on the Elite trim. Inside, the Odyssey boasted quality materials and a well-thought-out layout, with easy-to-use controls and a spacious, open-concept design.

In contrast, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse was a crossover SUV that combined the practicality of a minivan with the rugged appeal of an SUV. It featured a restyled exterior with new headlights, taillights, and grille designs, along with various appearance packages for added flair. The Traverse RS trim, with its blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels, exuded a sporty vibe. Inside, the Traverse offered a comfortable and spacious cabin with black leather upholstery and thoughtful design elements. While hard plastic surfaces were present, the overall layout was logical and user-friendly. The Traverse's interior was designed to accommodate families, with features like Smart Slide second-row seats and ample storage options.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It was a front-wheel-drive minivan, lacking all-wheel drive or hybrid options. The Odyssey's EPA fuel economy estimate was 22 mpg in combined driving, which was lower than some hybrid competitors. Despite this, the Odyssey offered an enjoyable driving experience, with responsive handling and quick acceleration. However, its brakes tended to heat up during downhill driving, leading to pedal vibration and noise. Overall, the Odyssey was a capable and fun-to-drive minivan, but its braking system needed improvement for mountain driving.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It had a tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped and offered various driving modes, including Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road. The Traverse's V6 engine provided ample power, and its EPA fuel economy rating was 20 mpg in combined driving. On the road, the Traverse offered a firm yet comfortable ride, absorbing smaller road imperfections with ease. However, it could feel disconnected on undulating pavement. The Traverse's handling was predictable, and its suspension limited body roll, making it more athletic than some rivals.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a low ride height. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather seats, power adjustments, and a tri-zone climate control system. Storage space was abundant, with clever compartments and a center console tray. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for versatile configurations, enhancing safety and convenience. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the Odyssey provided 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind it. Folding the third-row seat expanded cargo capacity to 88.8 cubic feet, while removing the second-row seats created a massive 144.9 cubic feet of space.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, in RS trim, offered seating for seven with captain's chairs in the second row. It featured power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row Smart Slide seats and long rear doors facilitated easy access to the third row. While the Traverse's third-row seat wasn't as comfortable as some competitors, it offered better accommodations than many rivals. The Traverse provided 23 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 57.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. The maximum cargo volume was 98.2 cubic feet, making it one of the roomiest SUVs in its segment.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims offered navigation, CabinWatch, and CabinTalk features. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display, but it was considered outdated. The Odyssey's infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked a tuning knob and had limited voice recognition capabilities. Overall, the Odyssey's technology package needed an upgrade to compete with rivals.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, depending on the trim. It featured Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot. Higher trims included an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel and a Bose premium sound system. The Traverse's infotainment system was praised for its excellent voice recognition and user-friendly interface. The available digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera enhanced visibility and safety.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. It also featured automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, and the blind-spot monitoring system's warning light was poorly positioned. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured Chevy Safety Assist as standard, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims offered adaptive cruise control and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Traverse's safety features were generally accurate and refined, with the option to deactivate certain systems. The Traverse received top "Good" ratings in most IIHS collision tests, except for an "Acceptable" rating in a new side-impact test. NHTSA ratings were not available at the time of writing.