The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS is a standalone and performance-oriented trim in the lineup. The powertrain under its hood is the same as the other trims which is a 3.6L V6 engine. The RS trim specifically comes with different exterior accents limited to this trim only. It has got Black accents including Black roof rails, Black bowtie emblems, Black Traverse badging, gloss Black window trim, and Black Ice grille and fog lamp bezels, etc. 

Some of the other features include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather-appointed front, and second rows, heated steering wheel, HD Rear Vision Camera, Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium system, and Bose premium 10-speaker sound system.

Which trim Should You Buy?

If you have made up your mind to go for the RS trim then you are left with only one trim option. But you can choose between the FWD and AWD versions. We recommend you go with the AWD trim at an extra cost of $2,000 which will give you better traction and versatility but a little fuel mileage will be sacrificed.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS is fitted with a 3.6L V6 engine inside which is responsible for the impressive output of 310 horses and 266 lb-ft of torque which sits as one of the best in its segment. This engine comes paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission that does the shifts without any major lag leaving behind. With this amount of power, it takes this big SUV sprint from 0-60MPH in 6.9 seconds which is more than enough for this segment. 

The Traverse RS also comes with an additional start/stop feature which shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop after braking and gets restarted automatically just after releasing the pedal. This feature is quite good in some sense but it may not be liked by everyone at the same time. The 2021 Traverse RS is a big SUV with a good towing capacity at 5000 pounds.

In terms of pricing, all the SUVs here are almost the same except for the more expensive Hyundai Palisade. The Traverse here makes the highest horsepower - which is 10 horses more than the second-best Explorer but the latter produces the highest torque here which makes it the fastest in terms of acceleration in this segment. But, still, we will consider both the Traverse and Explorer winners here because of almost similar performance output.

How well does the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS handle?

The Traverse drives quite well but due to its big body dimensions, it lacks some agility for sure compared to other cars. The Traverse also comes with standard four drive selection modes which the driver can choose from. This SUV is also big and has a very high seating position which gives the driver a commanding view of the front which makes driving quite easy. 

The steering also feels lightweight and moving this big boy around cities or in packed spots won’t be quite a difficult job. All in all, the Traverse RS is quite good in terms of handling but its size is the only drawback that creates some issues in certain places.

2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS Braking Performance

The braking system of the Chevrolet Traverse RS is quite good although we expected it to be a little less because of its size and weight. It is equipped with 12.6 and 12.4-inch brake rotors at the front and rear ends. The Traverse can come to a complete stop from 60-0 MPH in about 127 feet which can be considered a very good number for a big SUV like this. 

Safety-wise also this SUV is quite good when it comes to braking. The RS trim comes with Automatic Emergency Braking Assist too, which electronically applies the brake automatically whenever the need arises.

From the above tabular data, it is quite evident that the Traverse RS did a good job but it is not enough to beat its competitors. The Ford Explorer here has the biggest brake rotors which help it to come to a complete stop from 60-0 in 121 feet only. But, the winner here would be the Telluride for having the best stopping power which is a little better than the second-best Ford Explorer.

In terms of fuel economy, the 2021 Traverse RS doesn’t go that well compared to its rivals. It lags behind its rivals in terms of combined MPG. In the cities, it can drive around 18 miles on a single gallon of gas which is quite less. But, on the highways, things get a little better for Traverse RS by giving 27 miles. In a mixed driving condition though it will give you around 21 miles which are still less than its segment rivals. Its fuel tank on the other hand is quite big and can store almost 19.4 gallons of gas.

In terms of fuel economy, the 2021 Traverse RS comes out to be the least economical in its segment. The Ford Explorer here despite having the highest power output provides the segment-best MPG rating which is a huge advantage for this SUV over others. The Traverse RS offers the biggest fuel tank in this segment but due to its low MPG rating, it cannot achieve the same range as Explorer and the other two SUVs here.

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS unique thing about its interior is the big space which is one of the main selling points of these SUV segments. It has three rows which claim to comfortably seat 8 passengers although seating 7 people is recommended. The front driver seats can be adjusted in eight ways that also come with lumbar support for added comfort. The space in the front row is adequate and there is no spacing issue over there. In the second row, there are captain chairs that come with a sliding feature to pave a comfortable way into the third row. 

Both the front and second-row also come with leather-appointed seats but the third row, which is a 60/40 split-folding bench, comes with vinyl wrapping. The third row is fairly spacious and it is not cramped like many other SUVs in this segment. The cabin also features loads of storage spaces inside for better practicality. If you wish to fold down all the seats the cargo space stands at 98.2 cubic feet which is again the largest space offered by any SUV in its segment.

The Chevrolet comes with the biggest cargo space as standard and is almost 2 cubic feet bigger than the second-best Telluride and Palisade. In terms of cabin space, it does provide good headroom but the best legroom is provided by both the SUVs from the Hyundai family. But, the 2021 Traverse RS comes out to be the most spacious in the third-row seat which is likely to be enjoyed by the passengers sitting over there.

Standout interior features:

• Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control
• 8-way power-adjustable front seats with lumbar support
• Remote Keyless Entry
• Leather-appointed seats
• Front bucket seats

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS?

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS is equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen display that has impressive graphics and excellent responsiveness. The system comes with Chevy Infotainment System 3 installed which is very intuitive. The RS trim specifically also comes with a built-in navigation system that comes very handy in some situations. 

Apart from that, you can also mirror your smartphone via Apple Carplay and Android Auto which comes standard. In the music department, the cabin is equipped with a 10-speaker Bose Premium system which gives a great output and it is sure to be enjoyed by the passengers inside. Apart from that, there are various other infotainment systems to keep the cabin lively and entertaining.

Standout infotainment features:

• 8” touchscreen display 
• Apple Carplay And Android Auto
• 10-speaker Bose Premium sound system
• Navigation and Bluetooth
• Alexa built voice recognition system
• Chevy Infotainment System 3 

The 2021 Traverse RS is a big full-size SUV which is evident from its dimensions and looks. The RS trim specifically also comes with a different exterior theme which sets it apart from the other trims in the lineup. It has Black accents including Black roof rails, Black bowtie emblems, Black Traverse badging, gloss Black window trim, and Black Ice grille and fog lamp bezels, etc. 

The Traverse RS is also based on a big 20” wheel which is exclusive to this trim only and the top-end trim also enjoys the same. The front grille and the overall design structure have also remained the same as the outgoing model. The big front grille looks dashing and the headlamps and DRLs beside it are LED. 

In terms of body weight, all the SUVs here including the Traverse RS are almost identical. The Chevy here is the longest SUV by dimensions and it also has the longest wheelbase. The ground clearance of the Traverse RS, on the other hand, is the lowest compared to its rivals. The Korean cousins are significantly smaller than the Chevy.

Standout exterior features:

• Black Roof Rails
• LED Headlamps and DRLs
• LED Brakelights
• Dark Accent Theme
• 20" Aluminium wheels
• Body-colored Power Heated Side Mirrors

In terms of safety, NHTSA gave it a perfect 5-star for its safety and the IIHS awarded it with Top Safety Pick title for the year 2021. The Traverse RS is equipped with Chevy Safety Assist which features a lot of state-of-the-art safety tech. All in all, if safety is one of your top priorities while shopping in this segment, the Traversee RS will not disappoint you in any way.

Standout safety features: 

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• Forward Collision Alert
• Front Pedestrian Braking
• Following Distance Indicator
• Rear Pedestrian Alert
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Lane Departure Warning
• Automatic Emergency Braking Assist

2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS vs 2021 Ford Explorer Limited

The Ford Explorer is a bit expensive compared to the Traverse RS. The Explorer can only seat 6 people inside and it also provides the best performance in its segment. On the other hand, the Explorer offers the best MPG rating which is an added advantage. But, still, the Chevy wins the game here in terms of spaciousness and practicality and it also comes at a cheaper cost.

2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS vs 2021 Kia Telluride SX

The Kia Telluride is better in some ways compared to the Traverse which is fuel-efficient. Other than that, the Traverse RS is better in terms of spacing, cargo, and performance by a huge margin. Also, the x-factor of the Traverse here is the big and spacious third-row seating which is lacking in the Telluride. Both of these SUVs are almost priced in the same range. However, we would recommend the Traverse RS as it has more value proposition than Telluride.

2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS vs 2021 Hyundai Palisade Limited

The Hyundai Palisade and the Kia Telluride share the same powertrain and dimensions which is why we would still recommend the Traverse RS over Palisade. The Traverse RS is more spacious and has better performance than the Palisade. The Hyundai on the other hand only beats the Traverse in terms of fuel economy. So, it would be a wise choice here to go with the Traverse RS for getting the best out of your money.

Yes, the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse RS is a great SUV in this segment that excels in all the necessary attributes for a vehicle of this class. There is plenty of space in all the rows, including the third row. Furthermore, its performance is quite decent and the ride quality is also quite good. As a result, Traverse RS is very versatile and practical compared to its competitors. The Chevy, without hesitation, is one of the best full-size SUVs that offer a combination of performance and practicality.