2021 Chevrolet Traverse

2021 is a carry-over year of the second-generation (2018–2023) Traverse, ahead of the 2022 refresh; every trim from L to High Country uses the 310-hp 3.6L V6. Healthy output for a mainstream three-row.

Naturally aspirated V6 torque is modest for a ~4,400-lb three-row compared with turbocharged rivals.

The unchanged V6/9-speed tests at roughly 6.3–6.9 s in instrumented runs, with Consumer Reports slower at ~7.3 s — quick for a large family crossover.

The V6 is smooth and linear with no turbo lag and pulls well at higher revs, though it needs revs to feel strong and the standard auto stop-start can be noticeable.

The GM 9-speed automatic shifts smoothly in most driving but can be slow to kick down and feel busy; the electronic shifter offers little meaningful manual control.

5,000 lbs when properly equipped is the norm for mainstream three-row crossovers — on par with Highlander and Pilot, short of Durango-class ratings.

FWD is standard but AWD is available across most of the lineup, and the High Country gets twin-clutch AWD with active torque vectoring; a traction-mode selector is offered but no low range.

A pavement-oriented family crossover with roughly 7.5 in of ground clearance, no skid plates, no low range and no off-road trim (the Z71 arrived only with the 2024 redesign).

One engine and one transmission for every 2021 trim, with only FWD/AWD as a choice and no electrified option.

The 3.6L V6 with 9-speed automatic returns 21 MPG combined in FWD form — below average for gas SUVs, typical of a large non-hybrid three-row.

City economy is the weakest cycle: a heavy body and a naturally aspirated V6 with only stop-start as an efficiency aid.

The 9-speed's tall top gear lets the V6 cruise efficiently, making highway the Traverse's best figure.

A modest ~19.4-gallon tank and 21 MPG combined give about 400 miles per fill — adequate but mid-pack for the segment.

EPA's annual cost estimate on regular gas is high, reflecting the V6's ~714 gallons per 15,000 miles.

Runs on 87-octane regular across every trim; no premium requirement or charging needs.

NHTSA rates both the FWD and AWD 2021 Traverse 5 stars overall, though the frontal crash result is 4 stars and rollover is 4 stars.

The 2021 Traverse earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick (not TSP+), but only with optional front crash prevention and the Premier/High Country headlights. Crash results are Good across small overlap, original moderate overlap, original side and roof, with an Acceptable on the newer updated side test — an award, but one the volume LT doesn't fully qualify for as typically equipped.

For 2021 (the year before the refresh made Chevy Safety Assist standard), AEB, pedestrian braking, forward collision alert and lane keep assist were optional on LS/LT via the Chevy Safety Assist package and standard only on RS, Premier and High Country. Blind-zone and rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise were also trim/package-gated, so the volume LT often went without core ADAS.

IIHS rates both available systems Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle (avoided collisions at 12 and 25 mph) and Superior/Advanced for daytime pedestrian prevention, but there is no nighttime pedestrian rating and the system is optional on the volume trim.

Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert were available on LT and standard on upper trims, but absent from the LS and alert-only — no rear cross-traffic braking, active blind-spot intervention or safe-exit alert.

Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning was optional on LS/LT (Chevy Safety Assist) and standard on RS and above; it is a reactive edge-nudge system with no lane centering on any trim.

Adaptive cruise control was limited to the High Country (and select upper configurations), so the volume LT uses conventional cruise; no lane-centering highway assist exists on any trim.

No hands-free driving system was offered on any 2021 Traverse; Super Cruise arrived only with the 2024 third-generation redesign.

IIHS rates the Premier/High Country LED projector headlights (with high-beam assist) Acceptable, but the other variations — including those on the volume LT — rate as low as Poor.

The long, tall body gives a commanding forward view, but thick rear pillars and a small rear window create sizeable rear-quarter blind zones; a rear camera is standard and Surround Vision plus a rear camera mirror are available on upper trims.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable (tested on an LT with cloth seats), but large rear doors, an adult-capable third row and an available 8-passenger bench make fitting multiple car seats easier than in most three-row rivals.

Eight-passenger bench standard on volume trims; captain's chairs drop it to seven.

Generous front headroom for the class; the sunroof costs about 1.7 in.

Front legroom is merely average for a large three-row crossover.

Tall greenhouse gives the second row abundant headroom.

Good second-row legroom with a sliding seat to trade space with the third row.

One of the few mid-size three-rows whose third row genuinely fits adults, with Smart Slide second-row access.

Class-leading cargo space behind every row.

Near-minivan maximum cargo capacity.

Hidden under-floor bin behind the third row and a hideaway compartment behind the touchscreen are useful, but nothing standout.

Front seats are comfortable and rear rows roomy, though cushions are flat and volume trims use cloth with limited adjustment.

Supple, absorbent ride is the Traverse's hallmark, with reasonable body control for the class.

Active Noise Cancellation helps keep a quiet highway cabin; some road noise on larger wheels.

Tri-zone automatic climate is standard, but heated/ventilated seats and heated wheel are confined to upper trims.

2021 was the last year of the FWD-only L trim, so the Traverse's entry price sat roughly $4k lower than the 2022 refresh, which dropped the L.

The LT Cloth is the Traverse's volume trim and AWD the majority mix; $35,700 FWD plus the $2,000 AWD step and $1,195 destination puts it just under $39k.

Same 3.6L V6 / 9-speed drivetrain as 2022–2023; CarEdge's ~$3,060 maintenance-only projection plus typical out-of-warranty repair exposure in years 4–5 lands in the mid-$5k range for mainstream three-row SUVs.

The 2021 reached year five with roughly half its value intact, helped by the 2021–23 used-car price spike, but still trails Toyota and Korean three-row rivals.

Chevrolet's New Vehicle Limited Warranty sits at the industry floor, behind Hyundai/Kia three-row rivals.

GM's powertrain coverage matches the industry minimum, half the 10-year coverage of the Palisade and Telluride.

Chevrolet Complete Care offered one complimentary maintenance visit in the first year, 5-yr/60,000-mi roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, and short OnStar/Connected Services trials — behind ToyotaCare's 2 yr / 25,000 mi.

$38,895 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $19,448) leaves about $19,448 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $24,948 in total.

2021 is a carry-over year in the second-generation (2018–2023) Traverse, before the 2022 refresh, with the mechanicals unchanged. J.D. Power gives the 2021 a strong owner-reported quality score of 87/100 ('Great') and ranks it #1 among Upper Midsize SUVs, while Consumer Reports rates its reliability only about average for the model year. The sources disagree, but the balance leans positive, so it lands upper mid-band.

Chevrolet sits in the lower-middle of Consumer Reports' brand-reliability rankings and near or slightly below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. It trails Buick but does not finish in the bottom third year after year.

MY2021 has three NHTSA campaigns, all small in scope. One is a roof-rail curtain-airbag harness connector shared across 2020–2022. Another is airbag calibration software flashed in error at dealers, affecting 6 units. The third is a Braun wheelchair-conversion ramp recall that covers upfitted vehicles only. Two of the three involve airbags, and the generation carries 9-speed shift-quality TSBs, which keeps it out of the top band.

Every 2021 Traverse uses the 310-hp LFY 3.6L V6, part of GM's long-running High Feature V6 family with a large high-mileage population. The 9T65 nine-speed automatic is the weaker link, with owner complaints and TSBs about harsh or delayed shifts, so the powertrain stays below the top band.

The cabin is roomy and logically laid out, but hard plastics cover the dash and doors on volume LT trims, which puts it behind the Palisade, Telluride and Pilot. Only the High Country trim feels upscale.

The Traverse is built at Lansing Delta Township on a mature line, and the 2021's strong J.D. Power quality score points to consistent assembly. Owners still report occasional interior rattles and trim squeaks, which holds it mid-band.

Chevrolet has about 3,000 US dealers, GM's densest network, with good rural coverage where import rivals thin out. J.D. Power's Customer Service Index puts the brand around the mass-market average for service satisfaction.

The C1XX platform, 3.6L V6 and 9T65 transmission are shared with the Acadia, Enclave, Blazer and other GM products, so OEM and aftermarket parts are cheap, plentiful and familiar to independent shops. Average annual repair costs run near the midsize-SUV norm.

A small 7-inch screen on volume trims; even the optional 8-inch is undersized for the class.

Chevrolet Infotainment 3 is simple and responsive, but the 7-inch display is small next to rivals.

Wired CarPlay/Android Auto standard; wireless projection at most on upper trims — Wikipedia credits wireless to the 2022 refresh, when GM made it standard.

Native navigation only with the 8-inch system on upper trims; most owners rely on phone projection.

Six-speaker base audio is adequate; 10-speaker Bose on upper trims is a modest upgrade.

Analog gauges with a small Driver Information Center; the 8-inch DIC arrived only with the 2022 refresh.

Pre-VIP electrical architecture; no meaningful vehicle OTA updates.

myChevrolet app offers remote start/lock and location, subscription-dependent after trial; 4G LTE hotspot standard.

Up to seven USB ports across all three rows, but wireless charging only on Premier/High Country and its tray is narrow.

Keyless open/start and remote start on LT and up; hands-free liftgate only on top trims; no phone-as-key.

Rear camera standard; parking sensors and HD Surround Vision limited to upper trims.

No head-up display on any 2021 trim.

Huge cabin and sliding second row make family logistics easy; IIHS LATCH rating only Acceptable.

5-star NCAP overall and IIHS TSP with optional equipment, but AEB and blind-spot monitoring are still optional on the volume LT for 2021.

Adult-friendly third row, USB ports in every row, tri-zone climate and 23 cu ft behind row three; rear entertainment discontinued for 2021.

Smooth V6 and supple ride, but its size, occasionally hesitant 9-speed and non-defeatable stop/start add friction.

V6-only thirst at ~21 MPG combined makes it a costly commuter.

Over 204 inches long with a 39-ft turning circle; surround camera only on upper trims.

5,000-lb tow rating with the trailering package and a cavernous cargo bay cover light-to-moderate work.

Proven LFY V6 but average reliability record; a family crossover rather than a fleet tool.

Cargo tie-downs, roof rails and a 120V outlet on some trims, but no work-oriented features.

Supple ride, quiet cabin and ~400-mile range make it a good tourer; adaptive cruise only on top trims, no lane centering.

AWD available and 5,000-lb towing handle gravel roads and campers, but modest clearance and no off-road trim.

Class-leading cargo at every row plus under-floor storage and available hitch.

Secure, balanced tune with reasonable body control, but soft and roll-prone when pushed.

Light but precise steering makes the big SUV easy to aim; little feedback.

Good stopping power for its size despite a soft pedal.

Smooth, strong V6, but the 9-speed can be slow to kick down and stop/start cannot be disabled on 2021 models.

LFY V6 is smooth and refined, audible only under hard acceleration.

Wide turning circle reflects the long 120.9-in wheelbase.

Commanding seat and simple controls, but limited rearward visibility and memory settings only on top trims.

Quick enough at ~6.6 s to 60 mph but focused on comfort and space rather than engagement.

Before the 2022 refresh, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring were not standard on lower trims, and the L/LS carried cloth seats and a 7-inch screen — sparse next to a Telluride or Palisade that bundle full driver-assist suites at base.

A ~$31k L and ~$39k volume LT Cloth AWD buy one of the roomiest three-row cabins and a 310-hp V6, but thin standard safety tech, an industry-floor warranty and ~50% five-year retention blunt the value case against Telluride/Palisade.

Seven trims — L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS, Premier, High Country — span ~$31k to ~$54k with FWD or AWD on all but the L and 7- or 8-passenger seating; the only gap is a single V6 powertrain.

Calendar-2021 sales of ~116k units made the Traverse one of the segment's highest-volume three-rows, before chip constraints cut 2022 volume.

Chevrolet is a neutral mainstream badge — universally serviced but without the loyalty halo of Toyota or Honda, and its fleet exposure shows up in residuals.

Early 2021 still saw GM cash and financing offers, but the semiconductor shortage drained dealer inventory through the year and incentives largely dried up, leaving later buyers paying near MSRP.

2021 is the fourth year of the second generation and a carry-over year just ahead of the 2022 mid-cycle refresh, so buyers got the pre-refresh styling and safety-tech packaging.

Reviewers praised the cavernous cabin, adult-usable third row, cargo space and smooth V6, but ranked it behind Telluride, Palisade and Pilot on interior quality and tech, with no major awards.