The current Chevrolet Traverse was introduced for the 2018 model year, but one of its main rivals, the Ford Explorer, received a complete overhaul for 2020. That would seemingly put General Motors at a disadvantage in the hotly contested three-row SUV segment, but the Traverse has managed to keep up with its rivals in the highly competitive crossover/SUV landscape.
2020 Ford Explorer
Motor Trend’s recent comparison test of the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse and 2020 Ford Explorer is very indicative of the Traverse’s staying power. After conducting extensive testing of both SUVs, Motor Trend concluded the “Chevrolet is the more complete package,” than the Ford Explorer, which it found had “glaring faults,” and was difficult to live with.
The biggest problem Motor Trend had with the Ford Explorer was its build quality. The publication slammed the Ford for its poor interior fit and finish, saying it used “hard, scratchy plastics on the doors and dash, leatherette materials that feel more like rubber than leather,” and had “mismatched panels and exposed wiring.” Furthermore, Ford’s Sync3 infotainment system was found to be buggy, while the powertrain, a turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder and 10-speed automatic, was described by the magazine’s editors as “sloppy.”
By comparison, Motor Trend found the Traverse’s 3.6L LFY V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission was a much more cohesive package, with editors describing the combo as “snappier and smarter,” than the Explorer’s engine/transmission combo. It also said the Traverse’s softly sprung suspension provided a “nice mix of comfortable and controlled.” It still had some small criticisms for the Chevy, though, lambasting the automaker for its liberal use of hard plastics in the interior and poorly laid out climate and audio controls. It used products like the Kia Telluride and Honda Pilot as examples of how to properly execute an interior in the mainstream mid-size SUV segment.
Ford has some work to do with the recently introduced Explorer, as per Motor Trend’s findings. Making things worse for the Blue Oval is the fact that GM has an updated Chevrolet Traverse on the way for 2022, which will bring refreshed styling, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and more standard active safety technologies, among other improvements.
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Source: Motor Trend
Comments
I don’t think making the 2.3 turbo the std and only engine on the volume seller Explorers was a good idea. The new 3.3 V6 with 290 HP is offered on the police version of the Explorer why not the Civilian version?
Agreed but which one sold better, sad to say but it was the Explorer. The ST model sales alone are up 11 percent so like it or not someone is buying them.
Until they have to live with them for a while! Bet they wouldn’t buy another one.
While the Traverse won the contest there was strong criticism for its interior which has been an Achilles heel of all GM vehicles. They said the interior was basically WRONG on a vehicle with this price tag. Since this is where people spend their time buying a GM vehicle isn’t even a consideration.
IMO GM and Ford are clearly cheap-ing their way into the 21st Century. I believe the UAW costs are hurting both companies as their costs are simply higher than Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, etc…. They need to bridge this cost disadvantage and that needs to happen soon….
Hyundai/KiA products are designed primarily for the Korean market. The Koreans like having new vehicles with the latest tech. They don’t keep their vehicles that long. H/K vehicles don’t last long.
Toyota builds for the worldmarket. Lots of part, platform & Engine sharing. Infrequent new models. The Highlander shares platform & engine with the Camry. Lacks cargo space.
GM, Ford & Honda target the U.S. market. We are headed for a recession. They are going to do what they can to keep prices low.
The entire world is headed for recession if Covid-19 isn’t put under control by May.
We are getting better. Just need to keep it up for a few more weeks.
0% for 84 months at my local Chevy dealer, and I am too worried about losing my job to pull the trigger.
Hang in there M12, this too shall soon pass… Trump will get it going again, soon. I think by 5/1/2020 things will start opening up
don’t you mean the governors? king trump doesn’t have that authority. read the constitution.
Hyundai/Kia are a global company and to say they make products primarily for Korea then ship them elsewhere is simply uninformed. I’ve been to S.Cal many, many times and met with Hyundai executives over the years and they are extremely focused on the markets they sell in. The Telluride/Palisade were designed for Americans, and they are a smash hit with this market. If H/K tried to sell Korean market vehicle to Americans they sure are smart because they’ve gained Market Share consistently over the last 20 years, largely from GM. H/K have mfg in America too, not to build Korean market vehicles but ones designed for this market.
Toyota is also extremely global and have incredible designs that are globally accepted. Their durability reputation is really to credit for their consistent and sustained growth. Yes, they don’t change names very often as well which is something GM absolutely needs to do. Everyone knows what a Camry is, a Corolla but not a Sonic or an XT? The HIghlander (and I have one, my first Toy) is the most durable reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. Its fairly characterless but its bullet proof. They share engines among countless vehicles but thing is, they’re all well balanced engines that last. The only lack of cargo space in a Highlander is when the std 3rd seat is up, which I imagine is not “that” often.
I don’t think we’re headed for a recession but a U or V shaped recovery. Trump created the most incredible economy in the world in less than 3 years. The stock market shot up the first week after he was elected, a business man vs a lawyer / professional politician, imagine that. This Admin is doing everything it can to end this thing and let American Citizens get back to their normal productive lives.
GM and Ford need to decertify the UAW because its a cancer and its unnecessary. It cost GM billions during the strike for what? Their cost disadvantage is why they both cheap, cheap, cheap. To build the exact same vehicle it costs GM more than Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, or any other non UAW mfr.
I have always liked this iteration of the Traverse, there’s a white one in my neighborhood (black wheels/trim) so I see one in person often, I know there’s a new one on the horizon with more GMC like styling and it looks good also.
I just think this Traverse is a very sharp looking car!
As for the Explorer, “Motor Trend found the Traverse’s 3.6L LFY V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission was a much more cohesive package”, well well well! The 9 spd. was the other transmission co-developed by GM/FOMOCO and Ford turned their back on it saying it wasn’t efficient enough or something like that!
How’s that working out for them? 😄
Explorer benefits from its historical nameplate, concerning sales. If it has a worse interior quality than Traverse, congratulations, Ford. I always felt Chevy’s interior cheap for the segment: hard plastics, underwhelming design, no digital cluster… that’s where consumers spends more time!
Ford botched the startup of the Explorer , everything in that plant was new . The Traverse is older and over time things get built better / quality . Let Ford work out the problems of the first year of production woes and I believe they will fair better . The new interior is way ahead of GM in tech , while GM will continue to cheap out on their interiors .
totally agree…
Having driven several Explorers, I will say that just about anything in this segment can beat it. Uncomfortable seats, confusiung controls, and now, the latest offering has gone to the oh-so-trendy screen-as-afterthought rather than integrating the screen into the dashboard like has been done for well over a decade.
The Ford Explorer has one option that Chevy will NEVER put into the Traverse: hybrid power, including a plug-in version.
That sideways tablet on the center dash of the Explorer is the first thing i notice. It looks a bit cheap.
It looks like an afterthought. The Germans add needless ciomplexity by y having some of their retract into the dashboard by electric motor or something. The answer to the question I’m not asking.
I love the Traverse, but go read that review again. Both models were back of the pack in that comparison test. Telluride is Made in Georgia, U.S.A. I also agree that it was a horrible idea for Ford to only equip volume civilian models with only the 2.3 EcoBoost I-4; I want a naturally-aspirated V-6, especially if it’s north of $50,000 like so many models are.
My 2012 LT with 145,000 miles has far surpassed expectations for manufacturing quality. No serious maintenance issues at all! It just keeps trucking along! Even the suspension survives fast driving (the Mrs. has a lead foot). I am slowly saving up for a timing chain replacement but so far no hint of a problem!
I am leasing a 2019 Traverse LT now comfortably loaded, got the 15,000 miles per year upgrade. No money down and for $317 a month. I do not know what the Explorer price will be but this is a very important factor to consider. Does anyone have an explorer price that we can look at to compare? Oh, yea I got the GM employee price, I got someone in my family that works there.
Love that TRAVERSE!