Starting at
Starting at
328 | Horsepower | 285 |
326 lb-ft | Torque | 262 lb-ft |
17.7 in | Screen Size | 9 in |
There is no shortage of SUV options on the market these days, giving you plenty of great models to choose from so you can get exactly what you want in your next vehicle. While compact SUVs are great for new drivers, and full-size SUVs offer massive amounts of room inside for passengers and cargo alike, one of our favorite segments is three-row SUVs. These models give you a third row of seating for seven or eight passengers inside your vehicle, plus plenty of cargo room, but they are not as large as full-size SUVs. Choosing the right three-row SUV becomes a lot easier once you start looking at what they each offer and how they compare to each other, like considering the 2024 Chevy Traverse vs 2024 Honda Pilot to see how they stack up.
While the Honda Pilot is a fine SUV, it simply cannot keep up with the remarkable array of standard and available features the Chevy Traverse brings to the road. For starters, both of these SUVs are comparable in overall size and design, with large profiles that need plenty of power to make them fun to drive. That being said, the 285-hp 3.5L V6 engine in the Honda Pilot falls short of the kind of experience you can get from the Chevy Traverse and its turbocharged engine with 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. You get a superior experience on the road each day with Chevy, which is what matters most when you are considering which SUV is right for you.
Once you look inside these two SUVs, It's clear who outshines the other: the Chevy Traverse gives you a beautifully appointed and well-designed interior with more space for you to utilize. You have up to 97.6 cu.ft. of cargo capacity behind the front seats in the Chevy Traverse, while the Honda Pilot offers just 87 cu.ft. of maximum cargo capacity inside. Not only that, but you also get more generous space while you are driving the Traverse thanks to more than 44 inches of legroom up front, compared to the Pilot and its 41 inches of available legroom. Even better, you will find a stunning 17.7-inch Infotainment display in every 2024 Traverse, while the 2024 Honda Pilot has a standard 7.0-inch display with a 9.0-inch screen available, neither of which can come close to what Chevy gives you standard.
As you look at different vehicles, it can be tempting to view things like powerful engines as strictly being for sports cars or full-size trucks. In reality, every vehicle should have an engine that puts out enough power to ensure it is fun to drive, whether you are getting to work each day, running errands, or enjoying yourself on the weekend. While three-row SUVs like the Chevy Traverse tend to be smaller overall than full-size models like the Chevy Suburban, you still need an engine that delivers a great time behind the wheel. This is something Chevy understands better than just about anyone, and we can see it when compared to the Pilot.
Both the Chevy Traverse and Honda Pilot have a single engine available, so comparing them is quite simple. Looking at the 2024 Pilot, Honda has given it a 3.5L V6 engine that provides 285 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque, which is pretty good for an SUV this size but nothing exceptional. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard on the Pilot, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available, which is also good to see. FWD is sufficient for many drivers, but we tend to prefer AWD on a larger SUV like this since it provides you with a better overall driving experience and helps keep you in control when the weather gets nasty.
Looking at the 2024 Traverse, it is clear that Chevy has come to deliver a fantastic SUV that you will enjoy driving every day. You get a 2.5L turbocharged I-4 engine that provides an impressive 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque, giving you excellent performance in an SUV this size. Just like with the Honda Pilot, FWD is standard with AWD available, and we love seeing that kind of performance on offer here. Both models have up to 5,000 lbs of towing capacity available, making them great for getting a boat to the lake for the weekend. In the end, however, we much prefer the power of the Chevy Traverse and how well it handles on the road.
Three-row SUVs like the Chevy Traverse and Honda Pilot are all about giving you a great driving experience that is perfect for having people load up so you can hit the road. While both of these models are similar in size with seating inside for up to eight passengers—some configurations are designed for seven passengers so keep that in mind—there are still some significant differences between them. Overall, you get a more spacious interior with the Traverse, designed to keep you and your passengers comfortable.
The Honda Pilot is well-designed with a nice interior, but it falls behind what Chevy offers in a few key ways. Up front, the Pilot has just over 40 inches of headroom and 41 inches of legroom, while second-row passengers get about the same headroom and slightly less legroom. In terms of cargo space, which is often just as important as passenger room (especially when bringing along everything you need for your kids), the Pilot has just over 18 cu.ft. of space behind the rear seats, 48.5 cu.ft. of cargo room behind the second row, and 87 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats.
With the Chevy Traverse, you get a spacious interior that has been designed to ensure you are incredibly comfortable, with plenty of room for everything you have to bring along with you. Up front, you get more than 42 inches of headroom and more than 44 inches of legroom, significantly greater than what we saw in the Honda Pilot. The second-row space is similar to the Pilot, with about 40 inches of headroom and just over 41 inches of legroom, ensuring everyone is comfortable. Best of all, you find nearly 23 cu.ft. of rear cargo space, more than 56 cu.ft. of cargo volume behind the second row, and more than 97 cu.ft. of total cargo room inside the Traverse. That makes it easy to have everyone pile in with plenty of space for the stuff you need to bring along with your family every day.
Vehicles these days have impressive tech features far beyond what many of us expected to enjoy a couple of decades ago, but they are not all the same. The 2024 Honda Pilot has a standard 7.0-inch Driver Information Interface screen along with a 7.0-inch Infotainment display—both are fine but nothing exceptional. Along with this, a seven-speaker sound system is standard, with basic Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Advanced features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 9.0-inch Infotainment display, and a programmable, hands-free power tailgate are offered on higher trim levels but not the starting model.
With the 2024 Chevy Traverse, you get fantastic technology on every model, with even more available if you want advanced features. The starting LS trim has a stunning 17.7-inch Infotainment display with Google built-in, plus an 11-inch Driver Information Center screen that also looks amazing. Both of these screens are found in every model, along with a heated, wrapped steering wheel, keyless open and start, remote start, and much more. You even get an AutoSense power liftgate that can open automatically when the key fob is within three feet of it, ensuring every Traverse is a pleasure to own and drive. Higher trims can take things much further with a Bose Premium sound system and even GM's innovative Super Cruise hands-free driving system, elevating your daily routine beyond anything Honda offers on the Pilot.