Used 3-row SUVs compared: Honda Pilot vs. Chevrolet Traverse
Midsize SUVs are the go-to vehicle of choice for growing families thanks to their useful features, plentiful passenger and cargo space, and easy-to-drive nature. A great example is the Honda Pilot, which has been a popular pick for more than two decades.
But if you need more space, the Chevrolet Traverse makes a strong case for itself. Not only is it roomier, it has more horsepower and some tech that the Pilot can't match.
CarMax partnered with car-review experts from Edmunds to weigh in on the differences between these two midsize SUVs.
RepairPal, an independent reliability tracker, gives the Honda a slightly higher reliability score, earning 3.5 stars compared to the Chevy's 3.0, but that's not because the Chevy's in the shop more. Instead, RepairPal says both are equally likely to wind up needing unscheduled repairs, but the Chevy could cost more. Balancing that is the fact that the Traverse generally costs about 10% less than the Pilot, saving you money up front.
Let's take a closer look at these two SUVs to see which might work best for your family.
Honda
Honda Pilot Basics
Honda originally introduced the Pilot way back in 2003, but this focus is on third-generation Pilots built from 2019 through 2022. Those Pilots got a noteworthy refresh to styling, a standard nine-speed automatic transmission, and new trim levels that included the near-luxury Black Edition (2020) and off-road-focused TrailSport (2022).
Every Pilot comes standard with a V6 engine, with available all-wheel drive. Inside, the Pilot feels high-quality, with soft-touch surfaces where you'd want them, such as on the dash and doors, and durable-feeling hard plastics where they're needed. The Pilot comes with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration on its 8-inch center touchscreen. Some Pilots come with a wireless phone charger as well, though you'll have to plug in your phone each time to fully integrate your phone. If you're road tripping with kids, the Pilot is available with a rear-seat entertainment system with a fold-down screen and HDMI input so you can watch your favorite movies.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Traverse Basics
Chevrolet introduced the first-generation Traverse for the 2009 model year, but we're concentrating on second-generation Traverse models built from 2022 through 2023, when the Traverse was updated with refreshed styling and improved tech.
These Traverse models also come standard with a V6 engine and a nine-speed automatic. The Traverse's interior design looks good, but the materials used aren't quite as nice as the Pilot's, which makes the Traverse feel less refined overall. As for tech, the Traverse years we're looking at have either a 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. While the Traverse doesn't have a rear-seat entertainment system, it does offer in-vehicle Wi-Fi at the base model (for an extra charge). You have to go to the upper trims of the Pilot for that same functionality.
SUVs Head to Head
Both Honda and Chevy are using a well-known playbook for their three-row SUVs, and both offer lots of space, plenty of power, and a comfy interior. But which is best for your needs?
Passengers and cargo
Neither of these big three-row SUVs skimps on passenger space, and both are available with seating for seven or eight people depending on which trim you choose. Both offer the driver a commanding view of the road ahead, and the driver's seats in the Pilot and Traverse have multiple adjustments, including steering wheel tilt and reach, to make finding the optimum position a snap. The second row is a similar story, with plenty of legroom, headroom, and elbow room to sit three across with minimal complaint.
However, if you're going to use the third row a lot, the Traverse has a definite edge. While the Pilot is pretty good for short trips, the Chevy's third row is roomy enough for average-size adults, which is important to keep in mind for road trips. Getting to the third row is a bit easier in the Pilot thanks to its one-touch seat release for the second row, but the way the Traverse's seat tilts forward means you don't have to remove a child booster first, a definite advantage.
The same is true when it comes to cargo room. Behind the third row of the Chevy Traverse there's an enormous amount of room; to get more, you need to move up to a full-size SUV or minivan. The Traverse also has a movable panel that can either be used to hide small items or be dropped down into the floor to provide additional cargo space. The third row folds easily, opening up even more space, and if you need to fold the second row, you'll wind up with a mostly flat and enormous cargo area. The Pilot has many of the same features, but in the end it's just smaller inside.
The Pilot does have an advantage when it comes to small-item storage. The center console bin is huge, and there are tons of places to put phones, cups, purses, bags … you get the idea. The Traverse is also good, but the Pilot's small-item storage is just better.
The Traverse is the clear winner when it comes to interior space. To be sure, the Pilot is no slouch, and its plentiful bins for smaller items are noteworthy, but in the end it can't match the Chevy's cavernous interior.
Behind the wheel
Both of these SUVs have V6 engines under the hood, and both are available with all-wheel drive. The Traverse has a 30-horsepower advantage over the Pilot, but it doesn't really translate to the real world, where their acceleration is essentially the same. Furthermore, the Pilot's transmission is more responsive, quickly downshifting when you put your foot down for more acceleration. The Traverse favors fuel economy and doesn't feel quite as punchy.
As for all-wheel drive, the Pilot's system stands out from the crowd by using something called "active torque vectoring." Standard on every all-wheel-drive Pilot, this technology helps route power from the engine to the rear wheel with the most traction, providing exceptional stability in slippery conditions. By contrast, the Traverse uses a less sophisticated system that provides extra traction but doesn't have the same advanced capabilities as the Honda's system.
When it comes to fuel economy, the Honda has a slight but consistent advantage. The EPA estimates the front-wheel-drive Traverse will get 21 mpg in combined city/highway driving, and all-wheel drive will get 20 mpg. The front-wheel-drive Pilot gets an estimated 23 mpg combined, or 22 mpg for all-wheel drive.
Around town or on the highway, these two SUVs are pretty evenly matched. Both have suspensions tuned for comfort, and they're quiet enough at highway speeds that you won't have to blast the audio system to drown out wind or road noise. In the city, higher-level Traverse trims have an advantage thanks to their 360-degree camera system, which makes maneuvering in tight parking lots easier. The Pilot has no such system, but it is a bit easier to see out of.
While both of these three-row SUVs are comfortable and quiet on the road, at the end of the day, CarMax and Edmunds found the Pilot is just a bit nicer to drive than its Chevy competitor. While they're evenly matched when it comes to acceleration, the Pilot just feels smoother going down the road, and that's before factoring in better fuel economy and a more advanced all-wheel-drive system.
Driver-assist tech
When Chevy refreshed the Traverse for the 2022 model year, it made automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, rear parking sensors, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert system standard on all trims. Previously they'd been scattered through various trims and options packages. However, dedicated road trippers seeking adaptive cruise control will need to seek out an LT with leather and an option package, or RS or higher trims, to get it.
By contrast, since the 2019 refresh every Pilot trim came standard with a suite of driver-assist features that include adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot warning came standard on EX trims and above. Trim availability aside, the systems work similarly, and neither has a clear advantage when it comes to lane-keeping accuracy or maintaining following distance when using adaptive cruise control.
With all that said, note that both systems are older and lack modern functions such as low-speed follow for the adaptive cruise control, which can make navigating heavy traffic easier.
When it comes to functionality, it's a wash, but Honda's much easier access to this tech gives it the win here.
Final Thoughts
So, which is better? The Chevrolet Traverse wins on space, hands down, and after its refresh in 2022, it has an edge when it comes to technology, thanks to standard wireless smartphone integration and widely available in-vehicle Wi-Fi. On the other hand, you won't have to look so hard for driver-assist tech in the Pilot, and the Honda's interior feels a bit more upscale despite being slightly less roomy. The Pilot's driving experience feels more sophisticated overall than the Chevy's, plus it has a better all-wheel-drive system and fuel economy.
As always, bring your kids and your booster seats with you when you're shopping for a family car and see how well everyone, and everything, fits. But unless you absolutely need the most cargo room you can get, the Pilot gets the nod here.
Edmunds is a wholly owned subsidiary of CarMax.
This story was produced by CarMax and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.