2025 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2025 Honda Pilot

The 2025 Honda Pilot was available in several trims, including the Sport, EX-L, TrailSport, Touring, Elite, and Black Edition. The Sport trim was the most affordable, but it lacked many appealing amenities, making the leather-lined EX-L a recommended upgrade. Prices ranged from $40,200 to $54,580, plus a $1,395 destination charge. The Black Edition, evaluated in Southern California, featured black wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, and black badges, with a price of $55,975, including destination. Inside, it boasted black leather seats with red perforation accents, red contrast stitching, and red ambient lighting. While the Black Edition's custom look was more suited for suburban environments, the Pilot's overall design was rugged and attractive, especially in the TrailSport trim. The interior was thoughtfully designed with quality materials, though the digital displays appeared dated compared to rivals.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse impressed with its exterior styling, consistent with Chevrolet's SUV lineup. The interior design was appealing, featuring digital instrumentation and a Google-based infotainment system. However, the quality of materials, such as hard, glossy plastics and Evotex artificial leather, detracted from the overall impression. Available trims included the LT, Z71, High Country, and RS, with base prices from $41,095 to $55,495, including a $1,395 destination charge. The Z71 trim, tested with Radiant Red paint, a panoramic sunroof, and additional packages, had an MSRP of $55,900. The Z71 was the off-road version, offering unique wheels, all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and a Twin Clutch AWD system. While the Traverse's design was generally appealing, the material quality left room for improvement.

The 2025 Honda Pilot was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, generating 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. This setup allowed most Pilot models to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Pilot offered various driving modes, including Normal, Econ, Snow, Tow, Sport, Trail, and Sand. Models with the i-VTM4 AWD system featured hill descent control and up to 7.3 inches of ground clearance, with the TrailSport offering 8.3 inches. The AWD system's torque vectoring allowed up to 70 percent of engine output to a single rear wheel, or 75 percent in the TrailSport. While the V6 provided good acceleration, the transmission occasionally felt slow to downshift. Fuel economy was unimpressive, with an average of 20 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 21 mpg. The Pilot's handling was predictable and secure, though an adaptive-damping suspension system would have benefited the Elite and Black Edition models.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 326 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. In FWD mode, the engine exhibited torque steer, but engaging AWD provided controlled and satisfying acceleration. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, offered 7.7 inches of ground clearance, unique 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, a skid plate, and a Twin Clutch AWD system. The Traverse's driving modes included Tow/Haul, Normal, and Sport, though the driving experience wasn't particularly sporty. The Z71's suspension and tires were beneficial for daily driving, providing a smoother ride on rough pavement. The Traverse Z71 achieved an average of 21.5 mpg, slightly exceeding the EPA rating of 21 mpg.

The 2025 Honda Pilot excelled in form and function, with three rows of comfortable seats and thoughtful storage solutions. However, the Black Edition's front passenger seat lacked adjustability, which was a drawback for long trips. The second-row seats were roomy, with a removable center section for captain's chairs. The third row was habitable for adults if the second row slid forward. The Pilot offered 18.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 86.5 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The hands-free power tailgate and large storage well under the load floor added convenience.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse offered substantial interior volume, particularly in width. The front seats were comfortable, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. The Z71 trim featured heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Traverse accommodated up to eight passengers with a second-row bench seat, though our test vehicle had captain's chairs. The third row provided some leg support but lacked a view due to the rear window design. The Traverse offered 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 97.6 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. However, folding the third row required adjusting the second-row seats, which was inconvenient.

The 2025 Honda Pilot's technology appeared dated, with smaller display screens compared to rivals. The Black Edition featured a 10.2-inch digital gauge panel and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and wireless smartphone charging. However, the wireless CarPlay function was problematic, and the voice recognition system was inconsistent. The 12-speaker Bose audio system was adequate but not exceptional. The Pilot's CabinTalk feature allowed communication with passengers, and a small head-up display was included.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse boasted a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in, offering Google Maps navigation, Google Assistant voice recognition, and Google Play Store access. It also included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The large touchscreen provided a simple user interface, and Google Assistant was effective. The Traverse's 11-inch digital instrumentation panel offered various views, and the test vehicle included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a high-definition surround-view camera system.

The 2025 Honda Pilot came equipped with a comprehensive suite of Honda Sensing safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Black Edition also had parking sensors and a multi-view camera system with TrailWatch technology. However, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems had some issues, and the road sign recognition system was inaccurate. The Pilot earned high marks in crash tests, with a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse featured a generous list of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and more. The test vehicle's Driver Confidence Package added a surround-view camera system and a traffic sign recognition system. The Enhanced Driving Package included Super Cruise, a hands-free driving assist system, and remote-parking technology. Super Cruise was effective but had occasional issues. The Traverse received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS.