2021 Chevy Traverse vs. 2021 Chevy Equinox (Specs, Trims, Features)

Whether you’re looking for a two-row or three-row SUV, Chevrolet has you covered. The sporty compact Equinox with its two rows of seats makes a great commuter car or an SUV for your adventure-loving college student. The three rows of seats in the larger midsize Traverse make it the ideal family-friendly SUV with plenty of room to carry the kids, the dog, and loads of supplies. Let’s compare the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox to the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse so you can decide which SUV best fits your budget and lifestyle.

Exterior Styling

The Equinox offers four trims, the L, LS, LT, and Premier. With its wheelbase of 107.3 inches, it’s easy to maneuver the Equinox through city traffic and park in challenging spots. You’ll find 17-inch wheels on the three lower trims and 18-inch wheels on the Premier.

The Traverse offers seven trims: the L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS, Premier, and luxury-oriented High Country. The longer Traverse has a wheelbase of 120.9 inches, which allows you to carry more people, luggage, groceries, and kids’ sports equipment. The Traverse rides on 18-inch wheels or, on the upper trims, 20-inch wheels.

Both SUVs feature modern styling with angular LED headlights, a dropped fascia, and sweeping lines that help create an aerodynamic look. The starting price for the Equinox is $23,800. The Traverse starts at $29,800.

Engines and Transmissions

Under the hood of all Equinox trims, you’ll find a 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission pairs with this engine. If you’re looking to boost the power, the LT and Premium trims offer an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission pairs with this mighty engine.

The Traverse has one powertrain, a 3.6-liter V-6 engine delivering 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. Shifting is seamless with the Traverse’s nine-speed automatic transmission.

Performance and Capability

Rear-wheel drive comes standard across the Equinox lineup, with the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive on any trim but the base L. With its four-wheel independent suspension system and rear stabilizer bar, the Equinox corners exceptionally well, whether you’re driving up twisting mountain roads or cruising down the freeway. If you’d like to pull a small trailer, with the right equipment your Equinox can tow up to 3,500 pounds.

Similar to the Equinox, the Traverse comes standard with rear-wheel drive. You can choose the available all-wheel drive for extra traction when driving on uneven terrain, navigating slippery roads, or pulling a trailer. The Traverse also has four-wheel independent suspension and front and rear stabilizer bars. When properly equipped, the Traverse has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

Interior Design

On the Equinox, you have two rows of seats that can carry five people with plenty of headroom and legroom. All trims except the Premiere come with cloth seats, while the top trim comes with leather upholstery. Add the LS Convenience Package to the LS trim to get a power-adjustable driver’s seat and rear privacy glass.

You can get several packages to spruce up your LT trim, and many of these features come standard on the Premier. The Confidence and Convenience Package adds heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power rear liftgate, and ambient lighting. When configured properly, the Equinox has a maximum of 63.9 cubic feet of storage space.

The Traverse has three rows with two bench seats that can seat eight people comfortably. You can also choose two captain’s chairs for the second row instead of the bench seat to accommodate seven people. Chevrolet’s Smart Slide seating system makes accessing the third row a breeze. When you choose the High Country trim, you get power-folding third-row seats.

The L, LS, and LT Cloth come with easy-to-clean cloth seats, and the LT Cloth has a power-adjustable driver’s seat. Move up to the LT Leather trim to get leather seats for all rows, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable front passenger seat. Both the Premier and High Country get ventilated front seats and heated rear seats as well as a power-adjustable steering wheel. Your Traverse has a maximum of 98.2 cubic feet of cargo space.

Technology and Connectivity

Both the L and LS trims of the Equinox feature an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. All trims come standard with Bluetooth, four USB ports, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot, and a six-speaker sound system. When you add the Confidence and Convenience Package along with the Infotainment Package, you get an 8-inch touch screen, a 120-volt power outlet, a navigation system, and a seven-speaker premium Bose stereo system. Move up to the two top trims to get a wireless charging pad and a hands-free rear liftgate.

The Traverse offers many of the same technology features as the Equinox but adds triple-zone climate control, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an 8-inch high-definition touch screen on the LT Leather and upper trims. Add the LT Premium Package to get an integrated navigation system, a 10-speaker audio system, a wireless charging pad, and the hands-free rear liftgate that comes standard on the Premium and High Country.

Safety and Driver-Assist Features

When you’re driving either of these two powerful SUVs, it’s nice to know they have a host of standard and available safety and driver-assist features. Both the Equinox and Traverse come standard with a Teen Driver system and a rear-seat reminder.

When you add Chevy Safety Assist to the upper trims of both the Equinox and Traverse, you get blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, rear parking sensors, a lane-mitigation system, and adaptive cruise control.

We hope this handy guide will help you decide which SUV is right for you. Stop by United Chevrolet Buick GMC to take either the 2021 Equinox or 2021 Traverse for a test drive, or contact us to learn more about our impressive SUV lineup.