Compare the2025 Toyota HighlanderVS 2026 Chevrolet Traverse

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Payload
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Toyota Highlander has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Traverse doesn’t offer knee airbags.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chevrolet Traverse, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Highlander	Traverse
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-22 MPH	-20 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-17 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-16 MPH
37 MPH Brights	-25 MPH	-16 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2 sec	1.9 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-25 MPH	-16 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2 sec	1.4 sec

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Traverse doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Highlander and the Traverse have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Highlander	Traverse
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	35.9%

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Highlander	Traverse
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	64
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	300 lbs.	372 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	664 lbs.	721 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Highlander’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Traverse’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Traverse.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 13 points higher than the Traverse.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked fifth.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota third in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Traverse:

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Traverse
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy

The Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Traverse. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Traverse:

	Highlander	Traverse
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12.4 inches

The Highlander stops shorter than the Traverse:

	Highlander	Traverse
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	150 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Traverse’s (37.4 feet vs. 39 feet). The Highlander’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Traverse with 22-inch wheels’ (37.4 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse (8 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Highlander’s minimum ground clearance is .2 inch higher than on the Traverse Z71 (8 vs. 7.8 inches).

Chassis

The Toyota Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the Chevrolet Traverse.

The Highlander is 9.6 inches shorter than the Traverse, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Highlander. The Traverse doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Payload

The Highlander has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Traverse (1715 vs. 1669 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Traverse doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Traverse’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Traverse can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Traverse doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Traverse doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Toyota Highlander retains 58.21% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 48.14% resale value of the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse after five years, which can save the Toyota’s owner up to $4467.98929 in depreciation.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Chevrolet Traverse, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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