Compare the2025 Chevrolet TraverseVS 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Chevrolet Traverse achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Toyota Grand Highlander has not been tested.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Traverse has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Braking, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade offers Parking Support Brake.

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

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Chevrolet Traverse is safer than the Grand Highlander:

The Chevrolet Traverse achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Grand Highlander is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

The Traverse’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Grand Highlander’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Traverse’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Traverse first among midsize suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Grand Highlander isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th.

The Traverse has more powerful engines than the Grand Highlander:

As tested in Consumer Reports the Chevrolet Traverse is faster than the Toyota Grand Highlander turbo 4 cyl.:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Traverse’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Grand Highlander doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Traverse uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Traverse FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Grand Highlander Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (19.4 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Traverse AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Grand Highlander’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 17.8 gallons).

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 Grand Highlander doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

The Traverse stops shorter than the Grand Highlander:

For better traction, the Traverse’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Grand Highlander (275/45R22 vs. 255/65R18).

The Traverse’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Traverse offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Grand Highlander’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Chevrolet Traverse’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Toyota Grand Highlander only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Traverse’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Grand Highlander (121 inches vs. 116.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Traverse is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 1.9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Grand Highlander.

The Traverse RS AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Grand Highlander Platinum AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the Traverse uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Grand Highlander doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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

The Traverse has 3.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Grand Highlander (157 vs. 153.3).

The Traverse has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2.6 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom, 1.6 inches more rear hip room, 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.1 inches more third row headroom, 2.9 inches more third row hip room and .2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Highlander.

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

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Traverse RS/High Country’s second row seats and pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Grand Highlander doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Traverse uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Grand Highlander uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Traverse RS/High Country’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Grand Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Traverse’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Grand Highlander does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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 Traverse’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Grand Highlander’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The Traverse RS/High Country’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Grand Highlander offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Traverse has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Traverse has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Grand Highlander XLE/Limited/Nightshade/Platinum offers wireless charging.

The Traverse’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Grand Highlander doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

The Chevrolet Traverse outsold the Toyota Grand Highlander by 45% during 2024.