Chevrolet Traverse vs Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid continued the evolutionary design improvements seen in its predecessors, maintaining its attractive appeal. The vehicle's front fascia featured a frameless grille with a curved wing bar, creating a visual connection with the headlights and giving it a distinctive smile. The aerodynamic air inlets and outlets integrated into the black-plastic cladding around the wheel arches enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced road noise. Inside, the Crosstrek Hybrid offered a balance of rugged utility and refined comfort, with soft-touch surfaces and durable plastics. The Canadian model came with black leather upholstery, chrome-trimmed power window switches, and "Hybrid"-stitched floor mats, adding upscale accents. Standard features included heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power moonroof, contributing to a comfortable and airy cabin atmosphere.

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse, with its upright design and high-set grille, resembled a mini Chevrolet Tahoe. Its eye-slit LED headlights and air intake/fog light design added to its macho stance. The Traverse's semi-floating roof look was achieved by blacking out the top of the forward-angled pillar behind the rear door. The grille varied by model, with chrome or black options, and the Z71 trim stood out with red front tow hooks and all-terrain tires. Inside, the Traverse featured a 17.7-inch touchscreen and an 11-inch digital instrument cluster. The interior materials were smart, with soft-touch surfaces and contrasting stitching. The base LT trim offered cloth upholstery, heated front seats, and a hands-free power liftgate, while the RS trim added leather upholstery and heated second-row seats.

The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid came standard with all-wheel drive and a continuously variable transmission. It featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder gas engine paired with an 118 hp traction motor, resulting in a total system output of 194 hp. This made it the fastest Crosstrek to date, with improved acceleration and smoothness. The hybrid powertrain utilized two motor-generators, one for engine start/stop and battery charging, and the other as a drive motor and for regenerative braking. During testing, the Crosstrek Hybrid recorded 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres, slightly above the estimated 6.5 L/100 km. The Crosstrek's AWD system, combined with the X-Mode traction management system, provided superior capability on variable terrain compared to competitors like the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. Despite its size, the Traverse handled better than the larger Tahoe, thanks to its unibody architecture. It offered a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms. The Traverse's 0 to 100 km/h time was around eight seconds, and while the turbo-four provided adequate power, engine noise was a concern. The AWD system required manual engagement, and the drive mode button offered various settings, including Normal, Sport, Off-Road, Snow/Ice, and Tow/Haul. The Traverse's ride quality was generally good, with light and direct steering, though it became busy on broken pavement.

The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid improved upon its predecessors by offering more horsepower and cargo space. It featured a 527-litre cargo volume behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,433 litres with the rear row folded. The Crosstrek Hybrid retained a 63-litre fuel tank, allowing for a range of 829 kilometres. Rear-seat space was generous, with 926 millimetres of legroom, surpassing competitors like the Corolla Cross Hybrid. Up front, storage was limited, with a small tray for a wireless charging pad and two cupholders.

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse, nearly 18 centimetres shorter than a Tahoe, offered ample passenger space but less cargo capacity. The RS trim featured second-row captain’s chairs for seven-passenger seating, while the LT and Z71 trims used a second-row bench for eight-passenger capacity. First-row occupants enjoyed comfortable seats with good range of motion, and storage was excellent, with a centre console, wireless charging pad, and a large covered bin. Second-row passengers had good space, but the third row was cramped for adults, with only 816 mm of legroom. Cargo space measured 648 litres behind the third row, 1,603 litres behind the second row, and 2,764 litres behind the first row, offering a flat load floor for usability.

The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid came with an 11.6-inch touchscreen, but its infotainment system lagged behind competitors like the Kia Niro Hybrid and Hyundai Kona. The software was slow, and many controls were managed via touchscreen buttons. However, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with physical buttons for volume, tuning, and HVAC controls. The Crosstrek Hybrid featured a Harman Kardon stereo and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, though the navigation map couldn't display Google Maps from phone projections.

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse boasted an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and a 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google built-in, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was intuitive, with large icons and quick response times. Google Maps was standard for navigation, and the system included a satellite radio trial, Wi-Fi hotspot wiring, and eight years of OnStar Basics. The base audio system had six speakers, with an optional 12-speaker Bose system available.

The 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid did not receive a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, scoring "Marginal" in the moderate overlap front crash test and "Acceptable" in the side-impact test. However, it received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The Crosstrek Hybrid included Subaru's EyeSight ADAS, featuring adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, pre-collision braking, and more. It lacked a semi-autonomous driving system comparable to competitors.

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse offered a comprehensive set of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and more. The Enhanced Driving package added GM’s Super Cruise, automatic parking, and a driver attention monitor. The Traverse earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests, and a five-star rating from the NHTSA. Super Cruise provided hands-free driving on mapped highways, though drivers needed to remain attentive.