2025 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2024 Toyota Sienna

The 2024 Toyota Sienna, available in various trims such as LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, and Platinum, presented a distinctive and stylish appearance. Despite the absence of the "swagger wagon" commercials, the Sienna maintained its unique vibe with sleek front and rear fascias and a range of cool colors like deep blue, red, or green. LED lighting was standard, with upper trims featuring Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, known for its sporty look, included a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. The Woodland Edition, available in exclusive Cement or Midnight Black Metallic colors, was designed for off-road readiness with roof rails, a tow hitch, and slightly increased ground clearance. Inside, the Sienna offered cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and room for eight passengers, with the XSE trim providing additional luxury features like leather-trimmed heated and cooled front seats and a leather-trimmed power steering wheel.

In contrast, the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse showcased Chevrolet's knack for exterior styling across its SUV lineup. The Traverse's interior design was appealing, featuring digital instrumentation and a Google-based infotainment system. However, the quality of materials, such as hard, glossy plastic and Evotex artificial leather, left something to be desired, especially given the Traverse's price point. Available in trims like LT, Z71, High Country, and RS, the Traverse's base prices ranged from $41,095 to $55,495. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road adventures, included features like Radiant Red paint, a panoramic sunroof, and various driving packages, with an MSRP of $55,900. Despite its stylish appearance, the Traverse's interior materials and overall quality did not fully meet expectations for its price range.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive models featured an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. While the Sienna offered a sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode for improved acceleration, it still felt sluggish, particularly when merging onto highways or climbing mountain passes. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) contributed to a smooth but slow acceleration experience, and the CVT could become noisy. Around town, the Sienna provided a pleasant driving experience, with light and accurate steering and excellent visibility. However, the brakes were occasionally grabby, and the Sienna's performance paled in comparison to competitors like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Chrysler Pacifica, which offered stronger V6 engines.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, on the other hand, featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 328 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 326 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. This power allowed the Traverse to achieve rapid and controlled acceleration, especially with all-wheel drive engaged. The Z71 trim, designed for off-road use, offered increased ground clearance, unique 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and additional off-road features like a skid plate and hill descent control. The Traverse's driving modes included Tow/Haul, Normal, and Sport, although the vehicle's size and off-road tires made it feel less sporty. Despite its size, the Traverse handled well, with minimal tire noise and sound handling at reasonable speeds. The Z71 trim's suspension and tires provided a smoother ride on rough roads, and the vehicle achieved an EPA-rated 21 mpg in combined driving, slightly exceeding expectations.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in interior space and functionality, offering a lower storage pass-through for bulkier items, multiple cupholders, and a shelf above the glovebox for smaller items. The second-row captain's chairs could slide fore and aft, providing up to 40 inches of legroom, and upper trims included an ottoman for added comfort. However, the slide function was somewhat complicated, and the seats couldn't be removed, limiting maximum cargo space. The third row was accessible for adults and offered ample legroom when the second row was adjusted. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone for the front passenger in the XSE trim. The rear liftgate provided 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 101 cubic feet with the third row stowed.

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse boasted significant interior volume, particularly in terms of width. Front seat occupants enjoyed ample space, with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat and heated front seats. The Traverse offered eight-passenger seating with a second-row bench seat, although our test vehicle featured individual captain's chairs. The third row provided adequate comfort, but the rear windows limited visibility. The Traverse's storage space was commendable, with 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 97.6 cubic feet with the second row folded. However, folding the third row required adjusting the second-row seats, and the Traverse lacked some family-friendly features like smartphone pockets and easily reachable USB ports.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with an older infotainment system, featuring a nine-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the system included physical buttons for common menus, the backup camera's grainy view was disappointing. The Sienna offered a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL stereo system. USB ports were plentiful, and a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet was available. Optional features included an 11.6-inch rear-seat entertainment system and a 10-inch color head-up display.

In contrast, the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse featured a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in, offering Google Maps navigation, Google Assistant voice recognition, and access to various apps. The system also included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio. The large touchscreen provided a user-friendly interface, and Google Assistant was particularly effective. The Traverse also featured an 11-inch digital instrumentation panel with customizable views. Optional features included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a high-definition surround-view camera system, enhancing the vehicle's technology offerings.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The Sienna received a four-star rating from the NHTSA for frontal crash and rollover protection and a five-star rating for side crash protection. The IIHS awarded the Sienna a "Good" rating for crashworthiness and seat belt systems, although its front crash prevention was rated as "Average."

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse was equipped with a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and active blind-spot monitoring. The test vehicle's Driver Confidence Package added a high-definition 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. The Traverse received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS.