Compare the2018 Chevrolet TraverseVS 2018 Infiniti QX60

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Traverse are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The QX60 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Traverse has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The QX60 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Traverse and the QX60 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front-wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all-wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

Chevrolet pays for scheduled maintenance on the Traverse for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Chevrolet will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 2 oil changes). Infiniti doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the QX60.

There are over 14 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Traverse has a standard 170-amp alternator (155-amp - Traverse RS). The QX60’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Traverse has a standard 600-amp battery. The QX60’s 550-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2017 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2016 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in reliability, above the industry average. With 11 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 13th.

The Traverse RS’ standard 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. produces 25 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 270) than the QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Traverse’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (310 vs. 295) than the QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

Regardless of its engine, the Traverse’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) Infiniti only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the QX60 Hybrid.

The Traverse AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX60 (21.7 vs. 19.5 gallons).

For better traction, the Traverse has larger tires than the QX60 (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Chevrolet Traverse’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Infiniti QX60 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Traverse has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The QX60 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse’s wheelbase is 6.7 inches longer than on the QX60 (120.9 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Traverse is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the QX60.

The front grille of the Traverse uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The QX60 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Traverse has standard seating for 8 passengers; the QX60 can only carry 7.

The Traverse has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.7 inches more third row headroom, 2.7 inches more third row legroom, 6.5 inches more third row hip room and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the QX60.

The Traverse’s cargo area provides more volume than the QX60.

The power windows standard on both the Traverse and the QX60 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Traverse is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX60 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Traverse LS/LT/RS/Premier/High Country’s available exterior keypad. The QX60 doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system, and its extra cost InTouch Services™ can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Standard Chevrolet MyLink for the Traverse allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The QX60 doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

Insurance will cost less for the Traverse owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Traverse will cost $1470 to $2350 less than the QX60 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Traverse is less expensive to operate than the QX60 because typical repairs cost much less on the Traverse than the QX60, including $219 less for a water pump, $57 less for an alternator, $40 less for a starter, $69 less for fuel injection, $453 less for front struts, $267 less for a timing belt/chain and $964 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Traverse will be $3757 to $11618 less than for the Infiniti QX60.

The Chevrolet Traverse outsold the Infiniti QX60 by almost three to one during 2016.