There are so many great midsize sport utility vehicles on the market today it’ll make your head spin. And with that many options, it’s hard to whittle it down. Once you weed out the non-negotiable options and features, you’re likely still looking at two or three great models. If you’re on the fence between the 2019 Chevy Traverse and Ford Explorer, you’ve come to exactly the right place. We break it down so you can feel good about your final decision.
Price: 2019 Chevy Traverse
We start things off with price. Because all things being equal, you should go with the more affordable option. And that would be the 2019 Chevy Traverse in this case. The Chevy SUV starts at just $29,930 compared to the Ford’s starting price of $32,365. Value is more important perhaps than price so let’s take a look at what you get for each.
The 2019 Traverse comes with standard features that include a 310-horsepower V6 engine, nine-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, tri-zone automatic climate control, Chevrolet's Teen Driver, rearview camera, and MyLink infotainment system with 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, and six USB ports. That’s quite the haul for a price so low.
By comparison, the 2019 Explorer comes with a 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, front-wheel drive, eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, rearview camera, MyKey system, SYNC (not SYNC3) infotainment interface, 4.2-inch color display, Bluetooth, USB port, and six-speaker stereo. In other words, you’re paying more but you get less. Less horsepower, fewer USB ports, smaller display screen, and fewer features. The Traverse looks a lot better from where we’re sitting.
Reliability: 2019 Chevy Traverse
If you’re looking to keep your SUV for a while and want to feel satisfied with it, the 2019 Chevy Traverse is a better bet. JD Power and Associates gave the Traverse a 3.5 out of 5 score for reliability. Meanwhile, the Ford Explorer received only a 3 out of 5, the industry average.
Fuel Economy: 2019 Chevy Traverse
Cargo Capacity: 2019 Chevy Traverse
Where the Chevy Traverse really shines is in its cargo space. With the seats folded down, the 2019 Traverse offers 98 cubic feet of storage, almost enough to live in. The 2019 Explorer by comparison offers far less, to the tune of 81.7 cubes. Put all the seats up and the Traverse still has more storage space to work with. As you can see, the Traverse is far and away the leader in this matchup, offering plenty more for a lower price.