Compare the2023 Chevrolet TraverseVS 2022 BMW X5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 BMW X5 doesn’t offer height adjustable 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 X5 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 X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the Traverse and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Traverse is safer than the BMW X5:

	Traverse	X5
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	15.6%	34%
Neck Stress	198 lbs.	308 lbs.
Neck Compression	77 lbs.	112 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	53/40 lbs.	636/584 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	333	342
Neck Stress	128 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	91 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	258/133 lbs.	527/418 lbs.

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 Chevrolet Traverse is safer than the BMW X5:

	Traverse	X5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	69	72
Hip Force	204 lbs.	279 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	251	308
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	554 lbs.	796 lbs.

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

Warranty

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Traverse 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 8 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Traverse AWD gets better fuel mileage than the X5 M50i (17 city/25 hwy vs. 16 city/22 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Traverse uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X5 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 X5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Traverse higher (6 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the Traverse produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

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 X5.

Brakes and Stopping

The Traverse stops much shorter than the X5:

	Traverse	X5
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Chevrolet Traverse’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X5 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 X5 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the X5 (120.9 inches vs. 117.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Traverse’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the X5’s (39 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

Chassis

The Chevrolet Traverse may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 500 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The Traverse uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Traverse has standard seating for 8 passengers; the X5 can only carry up to 7.

The Traverse has 2.1 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 1 inch more rear legroom and 4.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the X5.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Traverse’s middle row seats recline. The X5’s middle row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Traverse’s cargo area provides more volume than the X5.

	Traverse	X5
Third Seat Folded	57.8 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	98.2 cubic feet	72.3 cubic feet

The Traverse’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Towing

The Traverse can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Traverse can be unhitched and driven around locally. The X5 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Traverse’s available exterior PIN entry system. The X5 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Traverse has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Traverse’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Traverse LT/RS/Premier/High Country has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The X5 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Traverse (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Traverse owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Traverse will cost $2485 to $5580 less than the X5 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Traverse is less expensive to operate than the X5 because typical repairs cost much less on the Traverse than the X5, including $198 less for a water pump, $1620 less for a muffler, $42 less for front brake pads, $311 less for a starter, $102 less for fuel injection, $46 less for a fuel pump, $419 less for front struts, $610 less for a timing belt/chain and $1564 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 $25048 to $31141 less than for the BMW X5.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Traverse and the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Traverse outsold the BMW X5 by over two to one during the 2021 model year.