2019 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2019 Honda Pilot
The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is a midsize three-row crossover SUV that impresses customers at Saint Maries Chevrolet dealerships with its cavernous cabin space, smooth ride and excellent fuel economy for its class. The Traverse seats eight, making it the perfect vehicle for large families or drivers who find themselves regularly needing to transport many passengers.
The 2019 Honda Pilot is another midsize three-row crossover that competes with the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The Pilot also seats eight passengers. If you’ve been considering buying either of these vehicles or you’d just like to find out which one tops the other, read on as we compare the Traverse and the Pilot to discover which is the better buy.
Cost
If cost is an important factor, you’ll choose the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse over the 2019 Honda Pilot. The Traverse has a Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) that starts at $29,300. The Pilot has a starting MSRP of $31,450. That’s a difference of more than $2,000. When you buy the Traverse at Chevrolet dealerships serving Saint Maries, you won’t actually pay the MSRP. We use the figure as a way to compare the two crossovers.
The Chevrolet Traverse saves owners even more money, as it costs less to operate than the Pilot. According to “The Car Book” by Jack Gillis, the Traverse costs less to repair than the Pilot. The book cites some sample repair costs, stating that Traverse owners can expect to pay $118 less for a muffler, $126 less for a power steering pump and $100 less for a starter.
Engine
The Chevrolet Traverse has two engines on offer. Both of them are more powerful than the Honda Pilot’s sole engine. The Traverse’s base engine is a 3.6-liter V6 that puts out 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. The Traverse RS trim gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 257 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are connected to a fast-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission. Under the hood of the Honda Pilot is a 3.5-liter V6 that’s only good for out a substantial 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. While the Pilot’s V6 makes more horsepower than the Traverse’s four-banger, it generates less torque, which means the Traverse sends more power to the wheels. And the Pilot’s engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, compared to the Traverse’s nine-speed gearbox.
According to Consumer Reports, the Traverse equipped with the V6 took 7.3 seconds to get from zero to 60 mph, while the Pilot made the trip in 7.5 seconds.
Safety
Both the Traverse and the Pilot have standard driver and passenger front airbags, side-impact head airbags and front side-impact airbags. The Traverse goes a step further and adds a standard front seat center airbag, which is designed to protect the driver and front passenger from injuries in the event of a side-impact crash by deploying between them. You can’t get a front seat center airbag on the Honda Pilot.
Our Conclusion
We only examined three main categories in this review, but if you take these important considerations and add the Traverse’s great cargo capacity and its superior reliability, it’s easy to see that the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is the clear pick over the 2019 Honda Pilot.
