Compare the2019 Chevrolet TraverseVS 2019 Lexus RXL

For enhanced safety, the Chevrolet Traverse’s middle seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Lexus RXL doesn’t offer comfort guides on its middle seat belts.

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 RXL 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 RXL doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Traverse and the RXL have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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.

There are over 12 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 8th.

The Traverse RS’ standard 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. produces 32 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 263) than the RX 350L’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6. The Traverse RS’ 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. produces 295 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. ) than the RX 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid. The Traverse’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 2 more horsepower (310 vs. 308) and 266 lbs.-ft. more torque (266 vs. ) than the RX 450hL’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Traverse V6 is faster than the RX 350L 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.) Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the RXL Hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Traverse uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on Traverse RS for maximum performance). The RX 450hL requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Traverse FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.4 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Traverse AWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the RXL’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 19.2 gallons).

The Traverse has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The RXL doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Chevrolet Traverse, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the RXL.

The Traverse stops shorter than the RXL:

For better traction, the Traverse has larger tires than the RXL (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 Lexus RXL 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 RXL doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse’s wheelbase is 11.1 inches longer than on the RXL (120.9 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Traverse is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than on the RXL.

The Traverse Premier AWD handles at .77 G’s, while the RX 350L pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Traverse Premier AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the RX 350L (27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

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 RXL doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Traverse uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The RXL doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

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

The Traverse has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 3.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 7.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, 4.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.4 inches more third row headroom, 10 inches more third row legroom, 4.7 inches more third row hip room and 11.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the RXL.

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

The Traverse’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RXL’s (1500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus RXL is only 3500 pounds. The Traverse offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

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 RXL doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Traverse is less expensive to operate than the RXL because typical repairs cost much less on the Traverse than the RXL, including $558 less for a water pump, $164 less for a muffler, $324 less for a starter, $773 less for a timing belt/chain and $1559 less for a power steering pump.