The Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride
The crossover market saw more and more buyers flocking in every year for almost a decade now to the point where it made the top three car classes by the number of sales, alongside SUVs and pickup trucks.
That is why all car manufacturers are competing among themselves with better and better models. Today we take a look at two crossover SUVs that turned a few heads recently. One is from our very own legendary American manufacturer, Chevrolet, and the other from overseas, produced by Kia.
We’ll compare the Chevrolet Traverse with the Kia Telluride in an attempt to find which of the two provides better quality for the money, and if there’s an obvious winner in this head to head crossover battle.
Some aspects point to a clear winner, like the difference in power, while others leave things to be decided by every person for themselves, like the exterior looks.
Talking about the former, the Traverse wins, despite a smaller engine in the form of a 3.6-liter V6, as compared to the Telluride’s 3.8-liter. The Chevrolet will produce 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque while the Kia just 291 horsepower, and 261 pound-feet of torque. A noticeable difference can be spotted when it comes to fuel tank capacity, again in favor of the US manufacturer’s model with 21,7 for the Traverse and only 18,8 for its competitor for the day.
As far as exterior design goes, both cars are appealing. The models look like they belong in the 21st century and exude no boxy, uncool vibes, quite the contrary. The difference is that Kia went for an aggressive, secret-service-like look so fully that you’re almost shocked when other people than men in suits and sunglasses come out of it. The Traverse sports fresh, modern, aggressive but chic lines, and I can see it attracting a wide range of prospective buyers with its looks alone.
Cargo space again goes to the Chevrolet with 55.8 cubic feet of it behind the last row and 98.2 behind the second, while the Kia has just 46 and 87 respectively.
Both cars have comfortable interiors, but its absolutely obvious the Traverse was built precisely for the American market, by Americans. Sitting up to 8 passengers, the Chevrolet has exceptionally comfortable seating all around, and the second row can fit full-grown adults with ease, making even long trips a pleasure to go through. USB ports for all rows and an abundance of cup holders only add to the positive experience. The Kia is definitely not bad either, but no match for what we consider one of the best in class crossovers in terms of passenger comfort.
Comparable standard features with a slight edge for the Telluride completes the comparison. An 8.0-inch touchscreen trumps Traverse’s 7.0-inch one, and both models come equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard features.
Both models are solid options that will find their way on the shortlist of many prospective buyers. That being said, the Chevrolet's attention to detail and the huge emphasis they placed on comfort will win them the race in most cases though.