One of the Toyota Highlander’s biggest competitors today was first introduced back in 2009, and this year it enters its second generation. With plenty of upgrades and changes, we wanted to take a look at how the new version of the popular utility vehicle measures up to our own midsize crossover. So we decided to compare them to one another by pitting the 2018 Toyota Highlander vs 2018 Chevy Traverse.
To help us compare these two vehicles to one another, we’ve compiled some data into the table below. As you can see, these two crossovers are quite comparable to one another, but each SUV has subtle advantages over the other, so we figured we’d dive into them and show you exactly what the strengths and weaknesses of each vehicle are.
So, starting from the top we’ll be kicking things off with fuel efficiency. In today’s market, efficiency is important regardless of segment. One of the reasons crossovers began to push traditional SUVs out of the market is because they showed an ability to be more efficient than their larger predecessors. The Highlander can travel two extra miles per gallon, which might not sound like a ton but can certainly add up to some savings in the long run.
Now we’ll move onto power, which is almost if not as important in a utility vehicle as it is in a sports car, though for different reasons. The Traverse does manage to offer 10 horsepower more than the Highlander, but those 10 HP are diminished by the fact that the Toyota weighs more than 100 pounds less than the Chevy. The lighter a vehicle is, the less power it needs. So in terms of power, the Traverse might have a slight advantage, but it would hardly be noticeable.
And that is reflected in the final row, which shows the two crossovers have the exact same towing capacity. Capabilities like this are why crossovers need an abundance of power similar to sports cars, and this shows that the two vehicles are fairly even. If you’re interested in a 2018 Toyota Highlander of your own, then be sure to get in touch with us here at Arlington Toyota!
