The Power Conference

It’s Not A Minivan If The Doors Don’t Slide

- Scott Evans

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Chevrolet Traverse VS Subaru Ascent

The utility of a minivan is never questioned, but its coolness? Absolutely. The original tough-looking, truckbased SUVs offered image-conscious buyers an alternative that combined most of the space of a minivan with a truck’s off-road and towing capabilities— and also a truck’s jarring ride quality. But because most families prefer the go anywhere image over actual abilities, less capable but more functional car-based crossovers have risen to the top of the market. For the family that most needs what a minivan can do but doesn’t want to be seen in one, three-row crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse and Subaru Ascent offer a rugged-image alternative.

Although they arrive in the same place, these two entrants take very different routes getting there. Both offer a standard turbocharged four-cylinder of similar power and torque, but Chevrolet requires an upgrade to an optional V-6 to match the Subaru’s tow rating. All-wheel drive is also standard on the Subaru and optional on the Traverse. Chevrolet does offer more configurations, but it will cost you more to match the Subaru’s standard equipment and capability.

Likewise, Subaru’s EyeSight suite of active safety features is standard on every Ascent, but Chevrolet reserves some safety features for the more expensive trims. As tested, our Ascent and Traverse were similarly priced, but we would need to spend several thousand dollars more on a higher-trim Traverse to get the lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance the Subaru has standard.