Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the KIA Telluride?

Slightly, yes. Both rate good, but the Traverse draws 7.2 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 23.3 for the Telluride. Shop visits are equal at 0.4 a year. The Telluride is cheaper to repair, so the edge is small and depends on what you value.

Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Telluride?

The Telluride has more: 27 recalls across 6 model years, against 19 across 9 model years for the Traverse. Its recalls are packed into a shorter span. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before buying.

Which costs less to repair, the Traverse or the Telluride?

The Telluride costs less, at an estimated $573 a year against $656 for the Traverse. Over five years that is roughly $415 saved. Both average 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the difference comes from the cost of each repair.

What is the biggest problem with the Telluride?

Engine oil consumption is the most serious. Owners report losing a quart or more between changes and no low-oil warning before the engine stalls or seizes. Some needed a new engine. Windshield cracking is the most common complaint, and rollaway in Park is the main crash risk.

Which Traverse years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Be careful with 2020 too. Owners report cracked front exhaust brackets, and GM special coverage applied to 2019 and 2021 models but not 2020. Those owners paid for repairs themselves, and welded patches often cracked again.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Traverse

Good

Kia Telluride

Good

Reliability favors the Chevrolet Traverse over the KIA Telluride, but only slightly. Owners file far fewer complaints per car sold. The Telluride is cheaper to repair each year, and both models visit the shop equally often, so the gap is narrow.

How Do the Chevrolet Traverse and Kia Telluride Generations Compare?

Most used cars in this matchup come from a second-generation Traverse or a first-generation Telluride. The Traverse's second generation ran from 2018 through 2024, with a facelift in 2022. The data also lists a third generation starting in 2024, but its listed years do not line up, so approach 2025 and 2026 cars with care. They rate strongest partly because they have had little time to collect complaints. The Telluride was sold as a single generation from 2020 through 2025, with a refresh in 2023. Early cars from 2020 and 2021 are the weakest years. The 2024 and 2025 models rate best but are also the newest.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Traverse is more reliable than the Kia Telluride, scoring 70/100 vs 66/100.

Slightly ahead on reliability is the Traverse, and the deciding fact is how seldom its owners file complaints for every car sold. Both models stand at good, and both average the same number of unscheduled shop visits. The Telluride is cheaper to repair each year, which keeps the gap small. The Traverse's weak spots are serious: AWD dropouts, early alternator failure and cracked exhaust brackets. The Telluride's worst are oil-burning engine failure and rollaway in Park. Neither is trouble-free.

Key Differences

1Kia Telluride costs $83 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Traverse has 16.1 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Chevrolet Traverse has 8 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

3Chevrolet Traverse

—

1Kia Telluride

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencySafety Rating

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Traverse	Kia Telluride
Reliability Score	70/100	66/100
Years Tracked	9	6
Total Recalls	19	27
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.2	23.3
Annual Repair Cost	$656/yr	$573/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.4/yr
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	5	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Traverse and Kia Telluride?

Power and control problems dominate the Traverse list. AWD shuts off with service messages, the car can act as if it is in park while in drive, and alternators fail early and can cause sudden power loss. Some brakes fail to stop the car at low speeds, and front exhaust brackets crack again and again. The Telluride's trouble is different: windshields that crack, instrument clusters that go blank, and engines that burn oil until they fail. Its worst hazard is rolling away in Park. Crash-linked reports show up in Traverse power train, electrical and brake areas. The Telluride has them in power train, electrical and lighting, with no brake group listed.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Traverse	Kia Telluride
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	4.4Average
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	4.2Average
POWER TRAIN	2.2Low	1.7Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.1Low	2.8Low
ENGINE	0.6Very Low	1.9Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	2.5Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	1.6Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	0.3Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.7Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Traverse or Kia Telluride?

Yearly repair cost favors the Telluride at an estimated $573, against $656 for the Traverse. That gap is $83 a year, or about $415 over five years. Each model averages 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither sends you back more often. On the Traverse, 18% of repairs are major. The data gives no matching figure for the Telluride, so that part cannot be compared. Big single bills still appear on both: a quoted $7,500 head unit and replacement engines on the Telluride, and out-of-pocket exhaust repairs on the Traverse.

How Does Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Traverse	Kia Telluride	Edge
2025	75/1000R / 132C	78/1002R / 32C	Kia Telluride
2024	73/1000R / 107C	69/1004R / 180C	Chevrolet Traverse
2023	72/1002R / 62C	68/1005R / 161C	Chevrolet Traverse
2022	73/1001R / 76C	63/1006R / 280C	Chevrolet Traverse
2021	71/1003R / 72C	63/1004R / 280C	Chevrolet Traverse
2020	62/1008R / 188C	55/1006R / 667C	Chevrolet Traverse

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Chevrolet Traverse scored 73/100 and the 2024 Kia Telluride scored 69/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Traverse vs the Kia Telluride?

Pick the Traverse if you want fewer owner complaints per car sold and can accept a higher yearly repair bill. Target 2025 or 2026 for the best standing, though those years have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Treat a 2020 with suspicion: GM special coverage for the cracking exhaust bracket applied to 2019 and 2021 models, not 2020. Ask whether the alternator has been replaced, and test the AWD on a long drive. Pick the Telluride if lower yearly repair cost matters more to you and you can live with its complaint pattern. The strongest years are 2024 and 2025, but remember they are also the newest. Avoid 2020 and 2021, the weakest. Before you buy, check the windshield for cracks and confirm the instrument cluster works at startup. Ask for full oil-change records, since some owners said Kia denied engine coverage over missing service records. Confirm that recall work is done.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the KIA Telluride?: Slightly, yes. Both rate good, but the Traverse draws 7.2 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, against 23.3 for the Telluride. Shop visits are equal at 0.4 a year. The Telluride is cheaper to repair, so the edge is small and depends on what you value.
Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Telluride?: The Telluride has more: 27 recalls across 6 model years, against 19 across 9 model years for the Traverse. Its recalls are packed into a shorter span. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before buying.
Which costs less to repair, the Traverse or the Telluride?: The Telluride costs less, at an estimated $573 a year against $656 for the Traverse. Over five years that is roughly $415 saved. Both average 0.4 unscheduled shop visits a year, so the difference comes from the cost of each repair.
What is the biggest problem with the Telluride?: Engine oil consumption is the most serious. Owners report losing a quart or more between changes and no low-oil warning before the engine stalls or seizes. Some needed a new engine. Windshield cracking is the most common complaint, and rollaway in Park is the main crash risk.
Which Traverse years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019, the weakest years. Be careful with 2020 too. Owners report cracked front exhaust brackets, and GM special coverage applied to 2019 and 2021 models but not 2020. Those owners paid for repairs themselves, and welded patches often cracked again.

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More Kia Telluride comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Traverse and Kia Telluride

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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