2026 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2026 Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot wins clearly, 96.8 to 82.4, on tech & comfort, safety, space & cargo. The Chevrolet Traverse is ahead on performance and price.
2026 Chevrolet Traverse
The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Traverse FWD, is EPA-rated a…
2026 Honda Pilot
The 2026 Honda Pilot is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Pilot FWD, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg c…
2026 Honda Pilot
Clear winThe Honda Pilot wins clearly, 96.8 to 82.4, on tech & comfort, safety, space & cargo. The Chevrolet Traverse is ahead on performance and price.
| Category · weight | 2026 Chevrolet Traverseoverall 82.4 | 2026 Honda Pilotoverall 96.8 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 96.2 | |||||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | |||||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 90.5 | 97 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 98.8 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 84.7 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 7.8 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 82.4 | 96.8 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 6 of 7 categories compared
Chevrolet Traverse: base trim LT FWD · Honda Pilot: base trim Sport FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Honda Pilot wins
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (51 points against 4 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
- It lists 37 standard driver-assist features against 21.
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 89).
Where the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse answers
- It turns out 326 lb-ft of torque against 262.
- It makes 328 hp against 285.
What they share
- 5 NHTSA stars.
- 29 owner complaints.
- The same EPA fuel cost ($3,050 a year).
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
51 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $40,800 | $42,395 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | twin turbo | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 6 |
| Engine displacement | — | 3,471 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 4-cylinder 2.5L VVT Turbo with stop/start, gas | V6 |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | Fuel Injection |
| Valve configuration | Dual-overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing | DOHC 24-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 328 hp | 285 hp |
| Torque | 326 lb-ft | 262 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 20 mpg | 19 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | 23 mpg | 22 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 27 mpg | 27 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 3.49:1 | 4.167 |
| Transmission speeds | 8 | 10 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | — | 7.3 in |
| Overall height | 70.9 in | 71 in |
| Overall length | 205 in | 200 in |
| Overall width | 79.6 in | 78.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 121 in | 114 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 1st row | — | 87 cu-ft |
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | — | 48.5 cu-ft |
| Cargo volume behind 3rd row | 98 cu-ft | 18.6 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | — | 158 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 8 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 42.6 in | 40.5 in |
| Second-row headroom | 40 in | 40.2 in |
| Third-row headroom | 38.3 in | 39.3 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 44.3 in | 41 in |
| Second-row legroom | 41.5 in | 40.8 in |
| Third-row legroom | 32.1 in | 32.5 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | — | 4,336 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | — | 4,336 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | MacPherson strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear suspension type | 5-link Independent | Multi-Link |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Electric variable-effort power steering | Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 39 ft | 37.8 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 321 mm | 351 mm |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | — | Electronic |
| Rear brake diameter | 315 mm | 330 mm |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 18 in | 20 in |
| Wheel material | aluminum | forged alloy |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 255/65R18 | 255/50 R20 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 19.4 gal | 18.5 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | — | HondaLink |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 62.3 in | 61.9 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 62.2 in | 61.7 in |
| Third-row shoulder room | 57.7 in | 59.5 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
142 features · differences first, then sharedSafety50 differ · 55 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Front Pedestrian Braking | std | — |
| Cross Traffic Monitor | — | std |
| Multiview Camera System | std | — |
| Advanced Front Airbags | — | std |
| Lane Departure Warning (LDW) | — | std |
| Rearview Camera with Dynamic Guidelines | — | std |
| SmartVent® Front Side Airbags | — | std |
| Three-Row Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor | — | std |
| 3-Point Seat Belts at all Seating Positions | — | std |
| Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure | — | std |
| Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) | — | std |
| Blind Spot Information System (BSI) | — | std |
| Blind Zone Steering Assist | std | — |
| Brake Assist | — | std |
| Buckle to Drive | std | — |
| Child-Proof Rear Door Locks | — | std |
| Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) | — | std |
| Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) | — | std |
| Electronic Parking Brake | — | std |
| Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist | opt | — |
| Following Distance Indicator | std | — |
| Front & Mid Row Outer 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System | — | std |
| Front Knee Airbags | — | std |
| HD Rear Vision Camera | std | — |
| Hill Descent Control | — | std |
| Hill Start Assist | — | std |
| Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking | std | — |
| Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert | std | — |
| Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH): Lower Anchors (2nd-Row All, 3rd-Row Passenger-Side), Tether Anchors (2nd-Row All, 3rd-Row All) | — | std |
| Post-Collision Braking System | — | std |
| Rear Cross Traffic Braking | std | — |
| Rear Park Assist | std | — |
| Rear Pedestrian Alert | std | — |
| Rear Seat Reminder | std | — |
| Rear Seat Reminder | — | std |
| Rearview Camera Washer | — | std |
| Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) | — | std |
| Safety Alert Seat | std | — |
| Seat Belt Reminder for all Seating Positions | — | std |
| Side Bicyclist Alert | std | — |
| Super Cruise | opt | — |
| Teen Driver | std | — |
| Three-Row Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor | — | std |
| Traffic Jam Assist | — | std |
| Traffic Sign Recognition | std | — |
| Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR) | — | std |
| Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control | — | std |
| Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control | — | std |
| Direct Ignition System with Immobilizer | — | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Tire Fill Assist and Location and Pressure Indicators | — | std |
| Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow | std | std |
| Forward Collision Warning (FCW) | std | std |
| Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) | std | std |
| Driver Attention Monitor | std | std |
| Auto High-Beam Headlights | std | std |
Infotainment18 differ · 18 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi® Hotspot Capability | — | std |
| 10-Speed Automatic Transmission (10AT) with Shift-By-Wire (SBW) and Paddle Shifters | — | std |
| 10.2-Inch Digital Instrument Cluster | — | std |
| 12.3-Inch Color Touchscreen | — | std |
| 245-Watt Audio System with 9 Speakers, including Subwoofer | — | std |
| 3.0-Amp USB Type-C Charging Port - 2nd Row (2 Ports) | — | std |
| 3.0-Amp USB Type-C Charging Port - Front Console (1 Port) | — | std |
| 3.0-Amp USB Type-C Smartphone / Audio Interface - Front Console (1 Port) | — | std |
| Bose Audio | std | — |
| CabinTalk® In-Car PA System | — | std |
| Google built-in (includes 3-Years Unlimited Data Plan for In-Vehicle Apps) | — | std |
| HD Radio™ | — | std |
| HondaLink® | — | std |
| HondaLink® Subscription Services | — | std |
| Radio Data System (RDS) | — | std |
| Speed-Sensitive Volume Compensation (SVC) | — | std |
| Wireless Android Auto™ Compatibility | — | std |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay® Compatibility | — | std |
Convenience11 differ · 11 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Key Fob Activated Remote Engine Start | — | std |
| Push Button Start | — | std |
| 12-Volt Power Outlet (Front) | — | std |
| Capless Fuel Filler | — | std |
| One-Touch Turn Indicators | — | std |
| Power Door and Tailgate Locks | — | std |
| Power Lift Tailgate | — | std |
| Power Windows with Auto-Up / Down All 4 Windows | — | std |
| Programmable Remote Entry | — | std |
| Remote Start | std | — |
| Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock® (Front Door and Tailgate) | — | std |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control System with Humidity Control, Air Filtration | — | std |
| Rear-Seat Heater Ducts | — | std |
Seating8 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 40 / 20 / 40 Split, Flat-Folding 2nd-Row Seats | — | std |
| 60/40 Split, Flat-Folding 3rd-Row Bench Seat | — | std |
| Adjustable Seat-Belt Anchors (Front Row) | — | std |
| Driver's Seat with 10-Way Power Adjustment, including 2-Way Power Lumbar Support | — | std |
| Front Passenger's Seat with 4-Way Power Adjustment | — | std |
| Head Restraints at all Seating Positions | — | std |
| On-Demand In-Trunk Seat Storage | — | std |
| One-Touch Flat-Folding 2nd-Row Seats | — | std |
| Heated Front Seats | std | std |
Interior14 differ · 14 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Heated Steering Wheel | std | — |
| Beverage Holders (Front Row-4 / 2nd-Row-6 / 3rd-Row-4) | — | std |
| Cargo Area Light (LED) | — | std |
| Driver's and Front Passenger's Seatback Pockets | — | std |
| Floor Mats | — | std |
| Garment Hooks (2nd row, 2 total) | — | std |
| Illuminated Steering Wheel-Mounted Controls | — | std |
| Interior Ambient LED Lighting | — | std |
| Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel | — | std |
| Lockable Glove Compartment | — | std |
| Multi-Functional Center Console Storage | — | std |
| Sliding Sunvisors | — | std |
| Sunglasses Holder | — | std |
| Tilt and Telescopic Steering Column | — | std |
Exterior17 differ · 17 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Laminate Windshield | — | std |
| Active Shutter Grille | — | std |
| Compact Spare Tire | — | std |
| Dual Gloss Black Exhaust Finishers | — | std |
| Fin-Type Roof-Mounted Antenna | — | std |
| Gloss Black Roof Rails | — | std |
| Intermittent Rear Window Wiper/Washer | — | std |
| LED Brake and Taillights | — | std |
| LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | — | std |
| LED Fog Lights | — | std |
| LED Headlights with Auto-On / Off | — | std |
| Power Side Mirrors | — | std |
| Push-to-Release Fuel Filler Door | — | std |
| Rear Privacy Glass | — | std |
| Security System | — | std |
| Variable Intermittent Windshield Wipers | — | std |
| Rear-Window Defroster with Timer | — | std |
Powertrain9 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd-Gen Intelligent Variable Torque Management™ (i-VTM 4 ™) AWD System | — | opt |
| Integrated Drive Modes | — | std |
| 10-Speed Automatic Transmission (10AT) with Shift-By-Wire (SBW) and Paddle Shifters | — | std |
| Active Control Engine Mount System (ACM) | — | std |
| Active Noise Cancellation™ (ANC) | — | std |
| Eco Assist™ System | — | std |
| Idle-Stop | — | std |
| Integrated Drive Modes | — | std |
| Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) | — | std |
| Front-Wheel Drive | std | std |
Chassis4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Electric Power-Assisted Rack-and-Pinion Steering (EPS) | — | std |
| MacPherson Strut Front Suspension | — | std |
| Multi-Link Rear Suspension | — | std |
| Unit-Body Construction | — | std |
Cargo2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo Area Bag Hooks | — | std |
| Cargo Area Tie-Down Anchors (4 Total) | — | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPChevrolet Traverse
Top recalls
- high Seats 26V696000 · 4 vehicles
- minor Equipment 26V114000 · 5,861 vehicles
Honda Pilot
Top recalls
- high Suspension 26V424000 · 3,933 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Chevrolet TraverseLT FWD | Honda PilotSport FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $40,800 (base trim) | $42,395 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $40,800 – $55,400 7 trims | $42,395 – $55,195 8 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Traverse FWD | Pilot FWD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 22 | 22 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,050 | $3,050 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 yr / 60,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Roadside assistance | 5 yr | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse or the 2026 Honda Pilot?
The Honda Pilot wins clearly, 96.8 to 82.4, on tech & comfort, safety, space & cargo. The Chevrolet Traverse is ahead on performance and price. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Honda Pilot scores 96.8 and the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse 82.4. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse or the 2026 Honda Pilot?
The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse starts lower — $40,800 against $42,395, a gap of $1,595 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse or the 2026 Honda Pilot?
2026 Chevrolet Traverse: 5 NHTSA stars, grade B, 2 recalls. 2026 Honda Pilot: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse and the 2026 Honda Pilot?
Where the 2026 Honda Pilot wins: it lists more comfort and tech equipment (51 points against 4 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½), lists 37 standard driver-assist features against 21, and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 89). Where the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse answers: it turns out 326 lb-ft of torque against 262 and makes 328 hp against 285. What they share: 5 NHTSA stars, 29 owner complaints, and the same EPA fuel cost ($3,050 a year).