2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs Honda Pilot

Whether you're looking for room to accommodate a large family or simply need extra space on your next trip, the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse and Honda Pilot are ideal choices. These SUVs offer three rows of seating with plenty of interior volume that's perfect for relaxed travel - plus, they come equipped with modern tech features and safety components to ensure an enjoyable ride every time. Make these two models part of your shopping list if you want a solid investment in comfort and reliability.

The Powertrain

The Traverse is a true powerhouse under the hood, with its 3.6-liter V6 engine delivering an impressive 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque to give drivers that extra bit of oomph they crave. Equipped with both front or all wheel drive capabilities as well as nine speed automatic transmission for smooth driving experiences, each journey can be tailor-made through the Driver Mode Selector knob. Whether you're hauling something heavy on tow mode, navigating slippery surfaces in snow mode or adventuring off the beaten path in off road mode – there's plenty here to excite even seasoned drivers.

Since tow-haul mode was just mentioned, it's a good time to discuss the towing capacity of the Traverse. It can haul up to 5,000 pounds when properly equipped. To help drivers line things up accurately, there's an available hitch guidance feature that's part of the rear vision camera. That feature can also allow a driver to take a quick look at the trailer while driving. Another available feature allows someone to zoom in on the hitch through a program called hitch view.

Honda has made the engine for their popular Pilot model comparable to that of the Chevy Traverse, with a 3.5-liter V6 capable of reaching 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet torque - but though it lacks some power compared to its rival, it offers just as much maximum tow capacity at 5,000 pounds. For added driving excitement behind this powerhouse performance lies an innovative nine-speed automatic transmission complete with paddle shifters giving drivers more control around every turn.

Like the Traverse, the Pilot has available all-wheel drive. Otherwise, it would have front-wheel drive. Even with front-wheel drive, it would have a snow mode to provide better grip on slippery surfaces. Models with all-wheel drive have three modes to choose from as part of the intelligent traction managements system. They are snow, sand, and mud modes.

The Pilot has a program called Hill Start Assist. Some may find this to be very convenient, especially if they live in an area where there are some hills. After being stopped on an incline for traffic, a stop sign, or a red light, vehicles sometimes roll backwards before they gain the momentum necessary to start moving forward again. Hill Start Assist can prevent that from happening by holding pressure on the brakes while the driver moves pressure from the brake to the gas pedal.

Further, the Honda Pilot has active noise cancellation. This makes its cabin a little quieter and changes the driving experience a bit.

The Pilot and Traverse may be on the larger side, but that doesn't mean they have to lack fuel efficiency. Honda has taken steps to reduce their energy consumption with the Eco Assist system – front-wheel drive Pilots can get up to 27 highway mpg while all-wheel drives reach 26. Meanwhile, Chevy Traverses just slightly behind at 25 or 27 depending on whether you choose FWD or AWD respectively.

Drivability

Besides everything having to do with the powertrain, there are other factors that influence the drivability of a vehicle. How big is it, how much space is in its cabin, and what are the convenient features in place?

Chevy's Traverse is a pretty large model. It sits 7.51 inches off the ground and has an overall length of 205.9 inches. The Pilot, in comparison, sits 7.3 inches off the ground and only has a length of 196.5 inches. A difference of close to ten inches in length may be important to people who park in smaller garages or who often parallel park. The two SUVs have pretty much the same height and width.

The length of the Traverse allows it to offer a lot of passenger room and cargo room. It has 41 inches of first-row leg room and 38.4 inches of second-row leg room. The third row of some SUVs is very cramped, but that's not really the case with the Traverse. It manages to offer 33.5 inches of third-row leg room. Obviously, this isn't as much space as what the other rows provide, but it should be enough room for people to be somewhat comfortable.

In the third row of the Pilot, there's a bit less room to stretch out. Those passengers would have 31.9 inches of leg room. There's nothing to be concerned about in the first and second rows, as they have 40.9 and 38.4 inches of leg room, respectively.

As one might imagine after reading this far, the Chevy SUV has more cargo space than the Honda SUV does. The rear cargo area of the Traverse has a volume of 23 cubic feet. The Pilot's rear cargo hold only has a volume of about 17 cubic feet. Lowering all the seats can significantly expand cargo capacity. In this case, the Traverse would have a cargo capacity of about 98 cubic feet compared with the Pilot's 84 cubic feet of cargo space.

Looking for a spacious ride that can fit your entire crew? Check out the Chevy Traverse or Honda Pilot. These vehicles come with options for seating 7-8 passengers, either in two rows of three seats and one row of two chairs (known as 'captain's style'), or an even roomier 3 x 2 setup. Whichever configuration you choose, there'll always be enough space to spread out comfortably--and when not in use, it couldn't be simpler to fold down those backseats! Enjoy having all the luxuries of a full-size SUV without sacrificing any passenger comfort.

Technology can make so many things much easier. Having smartphone compatibility gives drivers a way to play their favorite music or podcasts to stay entertained, and it provides a safe way to make phone calls and check on messages. With both the Traverse and Pilot, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are Bluetooth and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

The Traverse starts out with a seven-inch touchscreen, and its higher trims have eight-inch touchscreens. All versions of the Pilot have eight-inch touchscreens. At the upper end of the respective lineups, the trims have integrated navigation. This program can give turn-by-turn directions while taking any traffic congestion into account.

Chevy has equipped the Traverse with a total of six USB ports. Some trims have wireless charging pads in front. This can clear the front console area of extra cords. The Pilot also has available wireless charging, but it doesn't have as many charging ports. Its entry-level trim only has two USB ports, while the rest have a total of four. Unfortunately, those riding in the back row of the Pilot don't have easy access to charging ports.

The two vehicles both have similar speaker systems. The base package on the Traverse comes with six speakers, while that of the Pilot has seven speakers. Higher trims of both models have premium ten-speaker systems.

All Traverse trims have Wi-Fi capability, which can be so nice when people want to stream content, video chat, or keep up with work while on the road. With the Pilot, only a few trims have this feature.

The Honda Pilot offers an enhanced driving and riding experience with features that aren't available in the Traverse. For example, CabinTalk is truly innovative - it broadcasts the driver's voice through rear speakers or headphones for full control of conversation within all areas of the vehicle! Additionally, enjoy a unique audio setup tailored to individual preferences thanks to multi-zone sound. Finally, get ready for long road trips as passengers can kick back watching movies on two 10.2-inch screens complete with Blu Ray player and wireless headphones - even streaming capabilities are included too.

Safety

Chevrolet and Honda have outdone themselves with the driver-assist technologies on their vehicles. The Traverse's following distance indicator is an added bonus, making sure drivers never get too close to others while leaving plenty of room for maneuvering. Meanwhile, both cars boast automatic emergency braking complete with frontal collision warning plus lane keep assist and departure warning features to ensure you stay right where you should be - on track.

The Honda Pilot and Traverse offer more than meets the eye when it comes to tech. Standard on both is adaptive cruise control, which can detect slower moves in front of you while driving and adjust speeds accordingly, plus blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert for increased safety support. Only with a higher trim level of the Traverse though do you get an added bonus - rear park assist, allowing easier maneuverability into tight spots as well as extra peace-of-mind from their patented Rear Pedestrian detection system.

Which Has the Best Value?

The Honda Pilot is the perfect pick for those who want a reliable and affordable ride. Starting at approximately $38,000 with seven different trims to choose from - all wheel drive included in some of them - you won’t have trouble finding an option that suits your needs without breaking the bank. But if cost-efficiency isn't as important to you and luxury matters more, then perhaps its counterpart, the Traverse would be better suited: starting even lower than the Pilot's entry level trim but going up just over $55,000 on its highest rung model.

The Honda Pilot and Chevrolet Traverse offer a wealth of tech-savvy features to make your drive safer, smarter, and more comfortable. Mid levels come with luxe jobs like adjustable rear liftgates, leather upholstery , premium sound systems, panoramic moonroofs all accessible at the touch of a button. If you want full opulence then go for their top trims; the Pilot offers heated/ventilated front seats plus optional add ons such as a rear seat entertainment system while in comparison its rival ups those ante even further by adding additional heating elements that extend from steering wheels to both back rows.

Which is Better?

For drivers who are looking for an SUV offering cargo space and a third row, two popular options on the market today include the Chevrolet Traverse and Honda Pilot. The muscular yet manageable size of the Chevy along with its slightly greater power will make it top choice for many, while those seeking cutting-edge safety features might be drawn to what Pilot's higher trim levels have in store - from luxurious amenities to tech equipment not found elsewhere at this price tag.