On the hunt for a new SUV? If you’re looking for a mid-sized SUV with three rows of seats, loads of great features, and a powerful engine, you’ll find yourself with options like the 2023 Chevy Traverse vs 2023 Dodge Durango. Both SUVs offer a unique driver experience and it’s hard to go wrong with either option. To determine which SUV is best for you, let’s look at some numbers that might inform your decision.
The 2023 Chevy Traverse has a starting MSRP of $34,520. It comes with a 3.6L V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and has a combined fuel economy rating of 21 miles per gallon. The 2023 Dodge Durango, on the other hand, starts at $40,140, comes with a standard 3.6L V6 engine, and eight-speed automatic transmission, and has a combined fuel economy rating of 22 miles per gallon. On the surface, these two SUVs look quite similar, with one exception.
The number that probably jumps out at you immediately is the price difference. You’ll find that the 2023 Chevy Traverse will cost you nearly $5,000 less across multiple models and dealerships than the 2023 Dodge Durango. That’s a significant difference in price, and for many of us an extra $5,000 is hard to justify. Even at first glance, you can see that the engine power and fuel efficiency of the 2023 Chevy Traverse and the 2023 Dodge Durango are virtually identical. That means you’ll be driving at similar speeds, and stopping to fill up your gas tank at similar frequencies. Does the 2023 Durango have anything on the 2023 Traverse to justify its higher price tag? Let’s take a closer look.
Interior Features
The 2023 Chevy Traverse has an impressive suit of interior features. A six-speaker audio system, eight spacious and comfortable seats, and a power folding third row are some of our favorite highlights. Power folding rear seats are must-haves for modern SUVs, as they easily allow you to customize your driving experience to either prioritize more space for cargo or more seats for passengers, all without contorting yourself to operate manual seat controls. Further helpful features include the hands-free rear liftgate, which can open the trunk with just a wave of your foot, and extra storage options in convenient spots like under the dashboard or in a floor compartment.
The 2023 Dodge Durango comes with the same number of speakers as the 2023 Chevy Traverse, but only has seven available seats in its base model. While a difference of one extra seat may not seem like much, it can be a game changer when you have a big group of friends or family members that all want to travel together. It always is a pain to force a group to split into two vehicles, or worse, you could be the one stuck sitting on someone’s lap. Luckily, the 2023 Dodge Durango does have some redeeming interior qualities. We particularly love the voice-activated audio systems that allow you to sing along to your favorite tunes on the road without so much as touching the dashboard.
With all that in mind, we give the edge to the 2023 Chevy Traverse, if only for its spacious room inside and its helpful storage features. With all of the seats folded down, the Traverse has a cavernous 98.2 cu. Ft. of cargo space, while the Traverse only gives you 85.1. The Traverse also wins with the second row of seats deployed, giving 57.8 cu. ft. of cargo space compared to just 43.3 in the Traverse. The 2023 Durango has some quality technology included, but we prefer the practicality of the 2023 Traverse in this instance.
Safety
As much as we love all the flashier features of an SUV, any vehicle that can’t keep you and your passengers safe is essentially worthless. Thankfully, both the 2023 Chevy Traverse and the 2023 Dodge Durango do everything they can to make sure your drives are as safe as possible. Make sure you pick the option that’s best for you and your family, and whatever safety needs that you may have.
Both the 2023 Chevy Traverse and the 2023 Dodge Durango have admirable safety features, like lanekeeping assist to keep you centered and steady on the highway, and adaptive cruise control to automatically maintain an ideal speed on long-distance journeys. Each SUV has great rear camera accessibility and automatic braking in case of an emergency. That means you can feel comfortable backing up out of your driveway or into a tight parking spot, knowing either vehicle will alert you if you’re close to a collision and automatically prevent any from occuring. The 2023 Dodge Durango also comes with advanced Blind Spot Monitoring, which can add a further layer of protection when changing lanes on the highway, keeping you from having to constantly look over your shoulder!
The 2023 Chevy Traverse also comes equipped with Teen Driver technology, a welcome feature for those of us with young drivers eager to get behind the wheel for the first time. You can rest assured that the 2023 Traverse will provide the best possible learning experience for a teen driver, such as customized limitations to keep your teen focused on the road, automatic safety measures that can act before your teen can make a bad mistake, and even a personalized report to let parents know how their teen is doing behind the wheel.
We consider both SUVs to be relatively equal in the safety department. Fortunately, drivers will feel safe and comfortable in either option. Though if we had to pick a favorite, we give the slight edge to the 2023 Chevy Traverse for its available Teen Driver technology, which can make it the more ideal pick for families with teenage drivers.
Engine Performance and Power
While many SUV owners simply desire the option of a larger, more versatile vehicle, other drivers like to push their SUVs to the limit. If you are looking for an SUV that can haul along hefty cargo or go off-road when necessary, you’re in luck. The 2023 Chevy Traverse and the 2023 Dodge Durango both have excellent driving performance and power.
The 2023 Dodge Durango does objectively outclass the 2023 Chevy Traverse in towing capacity. The 2023 model of the Durango can pull up to 8,700 pounds when configured properly, compared to the 5,000 lbs the Chevy Traverse can handle. Whether or not you actually will ever need to tow an extra 3,700 pounds of cargo is another question.
The 2023 Chevy Traverse proves it can hold its own with the 2023 Durango, however. They have nearly identical fuel efficiency ratings, and the engines in both base models are similar as well. The Traverse’s 310 horsepower edges out the Durango’s V6 with 295. The 2023 Traverse also has an advantage in the transmission department, offering an extra gear over the 2023 Durango. The 2023 Traverse also has similar offroad capabilities to the 2023 Durango, with available all-wheel drive options for both SUVs. Drivers who like to take their SUVs off the beaten path won’t find a clear favorite among either of these options.
Of course, this doesn’t take into account that while the Traverse only offers one V6 engine choice, the Durango offers several.V8 options. This is where its towing capacity advantage comes from. If power is your priority, you’ll be happy with the Durango’s optional 5.7L V8 that makes 360 horsepower, or the 6.4L V8 with 475 horsepower. Those with the ultimate need for speed can get Dodge’s famous Hellcat engine, a rip-roaring supercharged 6.2L V8 making 710 horsepower. This is probably overkill for the vast majority of drivers, but overkill is part of Dodge’s reputation. You’ll also have to pay a lot more for a V8 Durango, pushing it far beyond the price range of an otherwise comparably equipped Traverse.
When it comes to the V6 engines we’re most likely to use in the real world, it’s a tossup in terms of performance and power between the 2023 Chevy Traverse and the 2023 Dodge Durango. They have comparable V6 engines, and each can claim a perk the other one can’t. If speed (and affordability) are your desires, we think the 2023 Traverse is the better pick, while those drivers who want more raw power or truly need more towing capacity should consider the 2023 Durango.
Apples to Apples
Ultimately, while we found some great features of the 2023 Dodge Durango that we love, it’s hard to say that it’s overall a better pick than the 2023 Chevy Traverse. At a lower price, the 2023 Traverse offers an extra seat, more unique safety options for families, and a generally more impressive set of interior and safety features. The 2023 Dodge Durango does perform better in terms of horsepower and sheer towing capacity, especially in its V8 versions. But we don’t think it’s worth over $5,000 more than the Traverse for a comparable V6 version, and the even more expensive V8 versions price the Durango even farther out of the Terrain’s price range. While both are excellent SUV choices for drivers looking for their next vehicle, we give the slight edge in this matchup to the 2023 Chevrolet Traverse.
