Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander | The Best Model Year For Every Budget (2024)

Pass through any suburban neighborhood, and you’ll come across driveways occupied by three-row crossovers. These have become the de facto mode of transportation for millions of families, a role once handled by minivans and station wagons. Two players in this arena are the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander.

The Traverse, launched for the 2009 model year, is a relative newcomer, but it’s among the largest and most popular vehicles in its class. While the Highlander gets a midsized label, the Traverse qualifies as a full-sized crossover. It’s not as big as a Chevy Tahoe, but it’s close.

One Traverse feature that’s hard to top is a spacious third row. Occupants at the back of this family bus enjoy about half a foot more legroom than those in a Toyota Highlander. More than one Traverse owner out there bought their Chevy because of its generous cabin.

Highlanders have become the default choice for countless crossover buyers. It regularly trades places with the Ford Explorer for the title of America’s best-selling large three-row crossover. In recent years, the Traverse sits in third place, ahead of the Honda Pilot.

Few people choose a three-row crossover for excitement and enthusiast driving. They make this purchase out of necessity: to haul people and stuff. Think of it as the right tool for the right job. As a result, you won’t find cutting-edge technology or high-powered engines in the Traverse or Highlander. Sure, there are deluxe editions with nice interiors and the latest driver assistance features, but these Chevys and Toyotas are more about function than form.

Comparing the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander makes sense for those looking at used crossovers. Second-hand Traverses can be a bargain against Highlanders. For instance, shoppers looking for a decade-old vehicle can find a pre-owned Traverse through a private seller for about $8,000. You’ll need to almost double your budget for a Highlander.

This price gap results from modest depreciation for the Highlander and a loss of value twice as severe for the Traverse. There are great deals out there if you don’t mind driving a Chevy.

The Traverse has other advantages, including engine reliability that’s as good as or better than the Highlander for most model years. There are notable positives for the Highlander, too. These Toyotas edge out the Traverse with modestly lower maintenance costs and better fuel economy, especially when the Highlander Hybrid is in the mix.

Keep reading to see how this Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander contest turns out. You can learn about resale values, depreciation, reliability, longevity, maintenance costs, safety, and fuel economy—essentials to understand to make a more informed car-buying decision.

Other match-ups to review include Pathfinder versus 4Runner, Tahoe vs Expedition, Suburban vs. Tahoe, Jetta vs. Civic, Sentra vs. Corolla, Outback vs. Forester, 4Runner vs. Highlander, RAV4 vs. CR-V, Civic vs. Corolla, Pilot vs. Highlander, and Odyssey vs. Sienna.

See the methodology for the table above.

Before you respond to the “For Sale” ad, check out this How to Buy a Used Car article for a step-by-step checklist.

Price History Comparison | Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

Average Market Value – Based on Owners’ Self-Reported Mileages | Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

Private-sale data from Kelley Blue Book (KBB) show that used Chevrolet Traverses (green) consistently cost less than second-hand Toyota Highlanders (gray). That’s particularly helpful to bargain hunters or shoppers leaning toward something with a Bowtie badge on the grille. On the other hand, Toyota fans will pay a premium for the company’s vaunted reputation.

Also baked into these numbers are adjustments for owner-reported mileage via FIXD surveys. These calculations add more realism to the prices but account for some atypical fluctuations. For example, owners of 2015 Highlanders reported driving almost twice as much as their Traverse counterparts, causing these Toyotas to appear closer in value to the same-year Traverse. Meanwhile, the 2009 and 2013 Traverse racked up substantially more miles than Highlanders from these years, causing the value of these Chevys to sink further.

Original MSRPs serve as starting points before depreciation kicks in. In 2009, a base Traverse, the LS trim, stickered at $32,195, while the cheapest Highlander had a $30,070 window sticker. The same Traverse cost $33,150 in 2012 compared to $32,533 for a base Highlander.

Yet, the numbers flipped in 2015 as the starting price for a Traverse LS dropped to $31,775, while the least expensive Highlander, now the LE trim, cost $33,789.

Looking at selling prices demonstrates the ravages of depreciation in the case of the Traverse. The Highlander certainly loses value over time, but not like the Chevy. Based on the KBB data, a 2009 Traverse has an average private sale price of $4,024, almost half the $7,467 cost of a Highlander from the same year. So, even though this Traverse costs more when new, poor residual value makes it much cheaper to buy today.

It’s the same story for the 2012 model year: the average price for the Traverse is $6,137, against $11,647 for the Highlander. The gap lessens as the cars become newer, but the Highlander always costs more, given equal conditions. For instance, a 2015 Traverse has an average price of $9,190 against $13,677 for a 2015 Highlander.

Remember that these prices are based on private sales; you’ll pay 30% to 50% more at a dealer. Looking for an older example or one with higher mileage can soften the impact of retail prices.

Lastly, CarEdge shows that depreciation takes a bit out of newer Traverses, with these Chevys losing 39% of their value during the first five years. On the other hand, a Highlander only drops in value by 21% depreciation hit over the same period, reinforcing the significant difference in the values of these vehicles over the years.

Be sure to read our Best and Worst Years series of articles highlighting the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander winners and losers.

Depreciation vs. Maintenance Expenses

Just like stock market investors who “buy the dip” to increase their profits, used car buyers can save money by choosing vehicles that have lost a lot of value but don’t cost too much to maintain and repair.

The combination of low residual value and low maintenance costs starts in the 2009 model year for the Traverse and continues through 2013. Buy anything newer, and you won’t be maximizing the depreciation opportunity.

Similarly, depreciation reaches rock bottom for Highlanders from 2003-2008. Upkeep costs aren’t necessarily the cheapest for these years, but low valuations certainly help.

But don’t assume every example within these ranges is a smart buy. Learn more by reviewing the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander. There’s also an at-a-glance summary toward the end of this article.

Reliability Comparison | Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

With no older Traverses to concentrate on, it’s easy to see that Highlanders from 2001 to 2008 don’t offer exceptional engine reliability. Only the 2007 model year manages to eke out a slightly above-average FIXD Reliability Score of 6. To be fair, these are 20-year-old cars, so expectations of no check engine lights are unrealistic. Even Toyotas have their limits.

Yet, the Highlander doesn’t offer significantly better engine reliability when the Traverse enters the picture for the 2009 model year. The 2010 and 2012 Highlander offer FIXD Reliability Score of 5 and 6, respectively, but these are still mediocre rankings.

Equally notable is that the Traverse holds its own against the Highlander starting with the 2013 model year. Outside of the 2014 Traverse, with a score of 7, these Chevys never drop below an 8, a very good statistic.

Meanwhile, four Highlanders from 2013-2021 have scores at or below 7 (2013, 2014, 2018, and 2020). In particular, seeing newer Highlanders (2018 and 2020) with less-than-stellar engine reliability is quite revealing.

The Traverse’s Owner Reliability Scores are equally intriguing. These Chevy owners love their cars about the same as Highlander owners, which says a lot about the Traverse.

Review the Best and Worst Years articles on the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander to learn more about these vehicles’ FIXD Reliability and Owner Reliability Scores.

Longevity Comparison | Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

Seeing older Highlanders reach the 150,000-200,000 mile benchmark is unsurprising as this is a reasonable lifespan expectation for a modern automobile. Judging if the Traverse is equally capable is more challenging because the model is relatively new.

Ordinarily, I’d dive into a marketplace review of autotrader.com and compare the mileage of both models’ older examples (2001-2012). The thinking is that older cars are more likely to have higher mileage. However, this analysis method isn’t entirely possible because Traverses from 2001-2008 don’t exist. So, we’ll have to take a slightly different approach.

Autotrader listings from April 16, 2024, show 446 Highlanders available from 2001-2008. Of these, 181 (40.6%) have 150,000-200,000 miles, and 126 (28.3%) have 200,000 miles or more. This reveals these older Toyotas have a reasonable chance of obtaining high-mileage status.

Let’s compare the 2009-2012 model years of the Traverse and Highlander. Autotrader shows 414 Traverses and 555 Highlanders in the age range. Of these, 139 (33.6%) Chevys and 185 (33.3%) have accumulated 150,000-200,000 miles. These results show both vehicles are equally capable of reaching the 200,000-mile mark.

The picture is less clear beyond 200,000 miles. At this level, the listings show 35 (8.5%) Traverses and 83 (15.0%) Highlanders have reached this threshold among all 2009-2012 units for sale.

These numbers suggest the Highlander is almost twice as likely to exceed 200,000 miles. However, I wouldn’t completely bank on this because there just isn’t enough Traverse history to back this up yet. Indeed, five or ten years from now, high-mileage Traverses may drop like flies compared to Highlanders. There’s just not enough current information to provide a definitive answer. Keep this in mind if you hope to own a Traverse beyond 200,000 miles.

For a more thorough look at longevity, review the individual articles on the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander.

Who Should Buy These Cars: The Legacy of Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

No one will be surprised to see the Traverse and Highlander used primarily for family transportation. People buy three-row crossovers to move offspring and other relatives. The Highlander sees slightly more use for this reason than the Traverse (47% to 43%).

Activities involving “lots of driving” (commuting or road-tripping) favor the Traverse at 32% versus 27% for the Highlander. Meanwhile, 13% of Traverse owners and 11% of Highlander owners use their vehicles for hauling and towing.

All in all, despite some differences in the percentages, the Traverse and Highlander are used similarly.

Driver Experience | A Summary of The Top 10 Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander Posts:

Redditors vigorously compare the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander. Here are some of the highlights from Reddit: r/whatcarshouldIbuy.

Reliability

In discussions on Reddit, the Toyota Highlander is often praised for its reliability. Commenters cite the vehicle’s better long-term dependability, which aligns with its strong resale value. On the other hand, the Chevrolet Traverse is mentioned less frequently in terms of reliability. Some users express concerns about its long-term durability compared to the Highlander, though they also acknowledge improvements in newer models.

Comfort and Functionality

For comfort and third-row functionality, the Chevy Traverse receives positive comments for its spacious third row and overall cargo capacity, which are particularly valued by families or those needing more room for passengers. The Toyota Highlander, while reliable, is sometimes criticized for smaller cargo space when the third row is up, making the Traverse a preferred option for those prioritizing space.

Performance and Value

When discussing performance, both vehicles are considered adequate for family needs, with a slight edge given to the Highlander for the overall driving experience. In terms of value, the consensus is that while the Traverse offers more space, the Highlander holds its value better over time, which can be a crucial factor for resale. Price comparisons show that both models can be competitive depending on the features and the vehicle’s specific year.

Resale

The Toyota Highlander is strongly favored in terms of resale value due to its robust reputation for reliability and lower depreciation rates. According to several commenters, while offering more space, the Chevrolet Traverse does not hold its value as well as the Highlander. This factor is essential for a buyer considering the long-term financial aspects of their purchase.

Reddit Recap

Overall, Reddit users tend to lean towards the Toyota Highlander for its reliability and better resale value, making it a solid choice for families looking for a dependable vehicle. However, those needing more space and comfortable third-row seating might prefer the Chevrolet Traverse. Both cars are appreciated for their functionalities, but the choice often boils down to prioritizing space or long-term value and dependability.

Year-by-Year Comparison |Chevrolet Traverse vs. Toyota Highlander

Sources:

• KBB Values: Average private-seller valuations as supplied by Kelley Blue Book (KBB), based on a Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander, with typical mileage for that respective model year.
• Fuel Economy: Mileage-per-gallon estimates according to the EPA MPG on Fueleconomy.gov.
• Annual Maintenance/Repairs: Upkeep expenses as reported by surveyed Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander owners.
• Safety Ratings: Crash test data collected and reported by NHTSA. We average all ratings for each year to come up with a simplified, average safety score. This makes it easier to look at on a graph. We also collected IIHS Awards for this
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