Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the Toyota Highlander?

No, the Highlander is slightly more reliable. It has a lower yearly repair cost, fewer shop visits, a smaller chance of a major repair, and fewer owner complaints per car sold. Both models are in good standing, so the difference is small rather than decisive.

Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Highlander?

The Highlander has far more. Federal recall records show 66 across its nine model years, against 19 for the Traverse. A high recall count is not always a bad sign, since a recall means a free fix exists. Check that any open recall work was completed.

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

The Highlander costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows $489 a year, against $656 for the Traverse. That is roughly $835 saved over five years. A transmission failure on a Highlander can still run $8,500 to $10,000, according to owner reports.

What is the common exhaust problem on the Chevrolet Traverse?

The front exhaust pipe bracket cracks at its welds, and the pipe then tears. Owners hear a rattle at startup that grows into a loud clang, and some smell fumes in the cabin. Failures appear from about 53,000 miles. GM coverage applied to 2019 and 2021 models but not 2020.

What goes wrong with the Toyota Highlander transmission?

A high-pitched whine under acceleration grows until the transmission fails and needs replacement. Most reports come just past the 60,000-mile warranty. Owners cite the UA80 transmission and bulletin T-SB-0008-21, and some wait months for a backordered unit. Listen for the whine on a test drive.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander: Reliability Compared

Chevrolet Traverse

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Highlander

Good

The Toyota Highlander edges out the Chevrolet Traverse on reliability, mainly on lower yearly repair costs. It also has far more recalls. Both models hold a good standing, so the gap is small and the right pick depends on which problems you can live with.

How Do the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander Generations Compare?

Most Traverse shoppers will be looking at the second generation, which ran from 2018 through 2024 and received a facelift for 2022. The weakest years, 2018 and 2019, are the early ones in that generation. The Highlander's third generation covered 2018 and 2019, and the fourth generation (XU70) has run from 2020 through 2026. Its weakest years, 2021 and 2024, both fall in the fourth generation. A fifth generation (XU80) is listed for 2027, so every Highlander year in the comparison belongs to an older design. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints and recalls, so they look cleaner than they may prove.

Verdict

The Toyota Highlander is more reliable than the Chevrolet Traverse, scoring 73/100 vs 70/100.

A slight edge goes to the Highlander. Independent repair-cost data shows a lower yearly repair bill, fewer unscheduled shop visits, and a smaller chance that a repair is major. Owners also file fewer complaints per car sold. Both models hold a good standing, so the gap is small. The Highlander's recall count is much higher, but several of its known problems have a named recall or service bulletin. Many Traverse complaints about all-wheel drive and brakes end with dealers finding no fault.

Key Differences

1Toyota Highlander costs $167 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Traverse has 47 fewer total recalls
3Toyota Highlander has 5% lower major repair risk

Category Scoreboard

1Chevrolet Traverse

—

5Toyota Highlander

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota Highlander
Reliability Score	70/100	73/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	19	66
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.2	5.8
Annual Repair Cost	$656/yr	$489/yr
Repair Frequency	0.4/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	18%	13%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander?

Drivetrain and electrical faults define the Traverse, while Highlander complaints spread across transmission, brakes, air bags, and body parts. Traverse owners report AWD Service messages that drop the car to two-wheel drive, early alternator failures, and cracked front exhaust brackets that let fumes into the cabin. Highlander owners report a whining transmission that needs replacement, a forward surge while braking at low speed, and a front bumper cover that detaches at highway speed. Air bags are the clearest split. The Highlander has 41 crash-linked air bag complaints, many describing no deployment in front impacts. Air bags are not among the Traverse's main problem areas.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota Highlander
POWER TRAIN	2.2Low	1.5Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	0.8Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.1Low	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.2Very Low	—None
SEAT BELTS	0.1Very Low	—None
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SEATS	—None	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
TIRES	—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 Toyota Highlander?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Highlander at $489 a year against $656 for the Traverse. That gap of $167 adds up to about $835 over five years. The Highlander also needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.3 a year versus 0.4, and its chance of a major repair is 13% against 18%. The averages hide big single bills. Highlander owners report transmission quotes of $8,500 to $10,000, and some Traverse owners pay for exhaust repairs themselves.

How Does Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota Highlander	Edge
2026	76/1000R / 6C	84/1000R / 0C	Toyota Highlander
2025	75/1000R / 132C	76/1008R / 40C	Toyota Highlander
2024	73/1000R / 107C	67/10016R / 198C	Chevrolet Traverse
2023	72/1002R / 62C	73/10013R / 140C	Toyota Highlander
2022	73/1001R / 76C	74/1007R / 186C	Toyota Highlander
2021	71/1003R / 72C	70/1006R / 403C	Chevrolet Traverse
2020	62/1008R / 188C	71/1008R / 269C	Toyota Highlander
2019	62/1003R / 358C	70/1003R / 414C	Toyota Highlander
2018	62/1002R / 416C	72/1005R / 242C	Toyota Highlander

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Chevrolet Traverse scored 73/100 and the 2022 Toyota Highlander scored 74/100 — 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 Toyota Highlander?

Pick the Highlander if you want the lower running cost and fewer surprise repairs. Its repair bill is smaller and major repairs are less likely. Skip 2021 and 2024, its weakest years. Ask whether the bumper cover recall repair was done, and listen for a rising whine under acceleration, since transmission reports cluster just past 60,000 miles. Do not pick a 2025 or 2026 because it has few complaints. Those years have simply had less time to collect them. Pick the Traverse if the Highlander's recall count and air bag complaints worry you, and you can accept a somewhat higher repair bill. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. If you shop a 2020, know that GM exhaust coverage applied to 2019 and 2021 but not 2020, so a cracked bracket would be your expense. On any test drive, check for AWD Service messages and a rattle at cold startup.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota Highlander: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Traverse more reliable than the Toyota Highlander?: No, the Highlander is slightly more reliable. It has a lower yearly repair cost, fewer shop visits, a smaller chance of a major repair, and fewer owner complaints per car sold. Both models are in good standing, so the difference is small rather than decisive.
Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Highlander?: The Highlander has far more. Federal recall records show 66 across its nine model years, against 19 for the Traverse. A high recall count is not always a bad sign, since a recall means a free fix exists. Check that any open recall work was completed.
Which costs less to repair, the Traverse or the Highlander?: The Highlander costs less. Independent repair-cost data shows $489 a year, against $656 for the Traverse. That is roughly $835 saved over five years. A transmission failure on a Highlander can still run $8,500 to $10,000, according to owner reports.
What is the common exhaust problem on the Chevrolet Traverse?: The front exhaust pipe bracket cracks at its welds, and the pipe then tears. Owners hear a rattle at startup that grows into a loud clang, and some smell fumes in the cabin. Failures appear from about 53,000 miles. GM coverage applied to 2019 and 2021 models but not 2020.
What goes wrong with the Toyota Highlander transmission?: A high-pitched whine under acceleration grows until the transmission fails and needs replacement. Most reports come just past the 60,000-mile warranty. Owners cite the UA80 transmission and bulletin T-SB-0008-21, and some wait months for a backordered unit. Listen for the whine on a test drive.

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More Toyota Highlander comparisons

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Decided between Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander

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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