Compare the2024 Toyota Highlander HybridVS 2023 Chevrolet Traverse

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 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.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Traverse doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake on the Limited/Platinum automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Traverse and the Traverse’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Highlander Hybrid’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 Highlander Hybrid and the Traverse 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, 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 Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Highlander Hybrid	Traverse
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	328	333
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.9 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	35.2%

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, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse:

	Highlander Hybrid	Traverse
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	69
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	134
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	716 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 Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Traverse:

	Highlander Hybrid	Traverse
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	71	141
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	446 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.3 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	6 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	132	189
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	134 lbs.
Neck Compression	112 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.22 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	201 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 Highlander Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Traverse last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander Hybrid for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Traverse.

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 Highlander Hybrid’s reliability 27 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 Highlander Hybrid gets better mileage than the Traverse:

			MPG
Highlander Hybrid
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/35 hwy
	AWD	LE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/35 hwy
		2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/34 hwy
Traverse
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

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

The Highlander Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Traverse. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Traverse:

	Highlander Hybrid	Traverse
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12.4 inches

The Highlander Hybrid’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 Highlander Hybrid stops much shorter than the Traverse:

	Highlander Hybrid	Traverse
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

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

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD handles at .78 G’s, while the Traverse Premier AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander Hybrid’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Traverse’s (37.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse (8 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Highlander Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Highlander Hybrid is 11 inches shorter than the Traverse, making the Highlander Hybrid easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Highlander Hybrid has 1 inch more front legroom, .3 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear hip room than the Traverse.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

Towing

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

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning 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 Highlander Hybrid’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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Traverse’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

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

The Highlander Hybrid 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 Highlander Hybrid and the Chevrolet Traverse, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Chevrolet Traverse by over two to one during 2022.

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