Compare the2023 Toyota SiennaVS 2023 Chevrolet Traverse

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Sienna are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Traverse doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Toyota Sienna 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.

The Sienna 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Sienna XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Traverse doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Sienna has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Traverse’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Sienna has standard rear cross-path warning, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Traverse.

The Sienna’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Traverse doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Sienna and the Traverse 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, 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 Sienna is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Sienna	Traverse
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	175	333
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.9 inches
Neck Compression	42 lbs.	51 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 Toyota Sienna is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Sienna	Traverse
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	42	69
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	123 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	52	134
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	542 lbs.	716 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	31 G’s	34 G’s
Hip Force	499 lbs.	554 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Sienna is safer than the Traverse:

	Sienna	Traverse
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	446 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	1.3 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	736 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	18	189
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.98 in	1.02 in
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.22 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	625 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Sienna is 1% to 4.2% less likely to roll over than the Traverse.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Sienna its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Traverse last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Sienna for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Traverse.

Reliability

The battery on the Sienna is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Sienna’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Traverse’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 Sienna’s reliability 16 points higher than the Traverse.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Chevrolet is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 20th.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Sienna
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/36 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/36 hwy
Traverse
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Sienna’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Traverse doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Sienna higher (7 out of 10) than the Chevrolet Traverse (6). This means the Sienna produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Traverse every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Sienna has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Traverse doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Sienna	Traverse
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	12.4 inches

The Sienna’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Traverse are solid, not vented.

The Sienna stops much shorter than the Traverse:

	Sienna	Traverse
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Sienna XSE/FWD Platinum/25th Anniversary Edition’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Traverse’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Sienna is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Traverse.

The Sienna’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53% to 47%) than the Traverse’s (56.6% to 43.4%). This gives the Sienna more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Sienna’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Traverse’s (38.3 feet vs. 39 feet).

Passenger Space

The Sienna has 1.5 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 9.3 inches more rear hip room, .5 inches more rear shoulder room, 5.2 inches more third row legroom, .3 inches more third row hip room and 1 inch more third row shoulder room than the Traverse.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	Sienna	Traverse
Behind Third Seat	33.5 cubic feet	23 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	75.2 cubic feet	57.8 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	101 cubic feet	98.2 cubic feet

The Sienna has a standard Split & Stow third row seat, which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Traverse doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

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

Towing

The Sienna’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Traverse’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Sienna uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Traverse doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Sienna Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction 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 Sienna’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Traverse’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Sienna 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.

The Sienna’s standard sliding doors can be opened with less than three inches side clearance. The Traverse’s standard rear swing-out doors are bulky and make loading in tight spots difficult.

The Sienna’s power side sliding doors make it much easier to load and unload kids and cargo. One touch opens the door, before you even get to the van. The Traverse doesn’t offer a power rear door.

The Sienna has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Traverse doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Sienna Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Traverse’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Sienna’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Traverse’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Sienna has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Traverse doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Sienna second among minivans in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Traverse isn’t in the top three in its category.

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