Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Chevrolet Traverse

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Traverse doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Traverse doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX 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 Lexus GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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 GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Traverse doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GX. But it costs extra on the Traverse.

The GX has a standard blind spot warning system which 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 GX has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Traverse.

The GX’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 GX and the Traverse have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

Warranty

The GX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Traverse’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the GX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Traverse. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Traverse ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The GX’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Traverse runs out after 100,000 miles.

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 GX’s reliability 51 points higher than the Traverse.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Traverse isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 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 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 17th.

Engine

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 266) than the Traverse’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

The GX has 3.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Traverse FWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 19.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The GX has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Traverse AWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 21.7 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	GX	Traverse
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches

The GX’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 GX stops much shorter than the Traverse:

	GX	Traverse
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the Traverse (265/60R18 vs. 255/65R18).

The GX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Traverse’s standard 65 series tires.

The GX has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Traverse; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The GX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Traverse’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Traverse doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Traverse’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GX 460 Luxury has a standard automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Traverse doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GX’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Traverse’s (56.6% to 43.4%). This gives the GX more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the GX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse (8.1 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The GX is 1 foot, 1.8 inches shorter than the Traverse, making the GX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the GX is quieter than the Traverse High Country AWD (73 vs. 76 dB).

Passenger Space

The GX has .7 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear headroom than the Traverse.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GX’s middle seats and third row seats (except Base/Black Line Edition) recline. The Traverse’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The GX has a standard 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 GX. The Traverse doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Traverse’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Traverse’s (6500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the GX uses the 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.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the GX is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Traverse. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 45% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The GX’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 GX 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. The driver of the Traverse can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GX 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 GX’s optional 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The GX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Traverse doesn’t offer headlight washers.

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

The GX 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.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the Traverse because it costs $391 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the GX than the Traverse, including $93 less for a water pump, $140 less for front brake pads, $11 less for fuel injection and $34 less for front struts.

Recommendations

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

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