2019 Toyota Highlander vs. 2019 Chevy Traverse

Exterior Comparison

The 2019 Toyota Highlander is smooth and stylish with headlights that have integrated Daytime Running Lights and LED taillights for superior looks and performance. In the Highlander Nightshade, you can get a darker style with black headlights and fog lights, black trim, a shark-fin antenna, and a rear spoiler.

The exterior of the 2019 Chevy Traverse looks powerful and stylish. This vehicle has a Redline Edition that gives you some exterior upgrades like 20-inch high-gloss black wheels, a signature black ice grille, black roof rails, and dark taillamps. The Traverse can also make your life easier with features like the Hands-Free Liftgate.

Interior and Technology

The standard seating in the 2019 Toyota Highlander is for eight passengers on cloth seating. However, you can also get the Highlander with second row captain's chairs which brings the seating to seven. You can also upgrade your seats to genuine leather and heated first and second row seats as well as ventilated front seats. You can also upgrade your steering wheel to be leather-wrapped and heated.

The Highlander gives you 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row of seats, and you can get a total of 83.7 cubic feet with the two rear rows folded down.

You can get standard technology in the Toyota Highlander that includes a 6.1-inch touchscreen, an infotainment system, a rearview camera, five USB ports, and Bluetooth. This SUV also gives you Toyota Safety Sense P standard. This means that you get features like automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control standard.

Available upgrades for the 2019 Highlander include an 8-inch touchscreen, integrated navigation, a JBL audio system, a rear-seat entertainment system, a surround-view camera, parking sensors, and rear cross traffic alert.

The seating in the Traverse depends on the trim option you choose. Some trims give you second row captain's chairs, but the base trim for the Traverse gives you second row bench seating and total passenger capacity of eight. Cloth upholstery is standard on the 2019 Traverse, but you can upgrade for leather upholstery, heated front and second row seats, ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.

For cargo space in the Traverse, you get 23 cubic feet behind the seats. You can get a total of 98.2 cubic feet of space with the second and third rows of seats folded down.

When it comes to standard technology, the Chevy Traverse offers you a MyLink infotainment system, a 7-inch touchscreen, six USB ports, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Teen Driver, and a rearview camera.

However, you have to pay more for active safety technologies. You have available features like forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and rear parking sensors, but these features will cost you extra. You also have available technology upgrades including wireless device charging, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a rear-seat entertainment system.

Both of these vehicles offer you comfortable seating and good passenger capacity. You also get some great standard technology features with these SUVs. However, the 2019 Toyota Highlander stands out because it offers you some great standard safety technology. In the Traverse, you have to pay more to get some of those same features that the Highlander offers on its base model.

Performance

The entry-level Toyota Highlander is the only Highlander to give you a four-cylinder engine option. This engine is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder that is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It gives you 185-horsepower and 20 city and 24 highway miles per gallon.

All other 2019 Highlander models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that is more powerful. This engine gives you 295-horsepower, and it is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. For fuel efficiency, this vehicle gives you 21 city and 27 highway miles per gallon. When it comes to towing, the 2019 Toyota Highlander has a 5,000-pound towing capacity.

The base engine for the 2019 Chevy Traverse is a 3.6-liter V6 engine. This engine gives you 310-horsepower, and it is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. With this V6 engine, you can get an estimated 18 city and 27 highway miles per gallon. In terms of towing capacity, you can get up to 5,000 pounds with the V6 engine and a properly equipped Traverse.

The second engine option is only available on the RS trim level. This engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This engine is also paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It produces 255-horsepower, and it earns you 20 city and 27 highway miles per gallon.

Overall, both of these vehicles offer you a great performance. You get a 5,000-pound towing capacity with both vehicles and very similar fuel efficiency as well.

Which is Right for You?

The 2019 Toyota Highlander and the 2019 Chevy Traverse both offer you a functional and stylish exterior. On the inside, you have similar interior features including seating for seven to eight and available heated seats. When it comes to technology, both of these vehicles offer you an intuitive infotainment system and some great connective technology features. However, the Toyota Highlander stands out when it comes to safety features. The Highlander offers you a whole suite of safety features standard, while the Traverse makes you pay extra for those features. Finally, when you look at performance, these vehicles both give you a 5,000-pound towing capacity and fuel economy that is very similar. For fuel economy, the Highlander performs just one mile per gallon better in the city than the Traverse.

Overall, these are two capable SUVs, but the 2019 Toyota Highlander stands out because of the extra safety features that it offers you. It shows that Toyota prioritizes the safety of you and your loved ones.

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