Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2024 Chevrolet Traverse Limited

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 front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Chevrolet Traverse Limited doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot 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 Limited doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Honda Pilot 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 Limited doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Traverse Limited’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Pilot EX-L/TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition has a standard Low-Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Pilot 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 Limited’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Pilot has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Traverse Limited.

The Pilot’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 Limited doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Pilot and the Traverse Limited 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.

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 Honda Pilot is safer than the Traverse Limited:

	Pilot	Traverse Limited
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	31	141
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	446 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.67 in	1.3 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.59 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	335 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	101	189
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	134 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.71 in	1.02 in
Torso Max Deflection	.75 in	1.22 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	513 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Honda Pilot has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Traverse Limited is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

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

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Pilot has a standard 650-amp battery. The Traverse Limited’s 600-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the Traverse Limited:

			MPG
Pilot
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/25 hwy
Traverse Limited
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Pilot has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Traverse Limited. 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 Honda Pilot higher (7 out of 10) than the Chevrolet Traverse Limited (6). This means the Pilot produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Traverse Limited every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the Traverse Limited.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Pilot	Traverse Limited
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.4 inches

The Pilot stops shorter than the Traverse Limited:

	Pilot	Traverse Limited
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Pilot TrailSport’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Traverse Limited (265/60R18 vs. 255/65R18).

The Pilot EX-L’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 Limited’s standard 65 series tires. The Pilot Sport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Traverse Limited’s optional 55 series tires.

The Pilot TrailSport 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 Limited; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .85 G’s, while the Traverse Limited RS AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Traverse Limited’s (37.7 feet vs. 39 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Traverse Limited’s (37.8 feet vs. 39 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Pilot TrailSport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse Limited (8.3 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Pilot to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Pilot is 6 inches shorter than the Traverse Limited, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Pilot TrailSport is quieter than the Traverse Limited High Country AWD (39 vs. 41 dB).

Passenger Space

The Pilot has .3 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room, 1.1 inches more third row headroom and 2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Traverse Limited.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	Pilot	Traverse Limited
Third Seat Folded	59.5 cubic feet	57.8 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	111.8 cubic feet	98.2 cubic feet

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

Towing

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

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

Ergonomics

The Pilot Elite/Black Edition has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Pilot’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 Limited’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

The Pilot Elite/Black Edition’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Traverse Limited’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 Pilot’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Traverse Limited’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Pilot to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Pilot 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 Limited doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pilot will cost $260 less than the Traverse Limited over a five-year period.

The Pilot will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Pilot will retain 55.18% to 56.17% of its original price after five years, while the Traverse Limited only retains 49.82% to 51.87%.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Pilot and the Chevrolet Traverse Limited, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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