Compare the2025 GMC AcadiaVS 2024 Chevrolet Traverse Limited

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the GMC Acadia are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Traverse Limited doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the GMC Acadia achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Chevrolet Traverse Limited has not been tested.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Acadia has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Acadia has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Traverse Limited’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Acadia has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Traverse Limited and the Traverse Limited’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

The Acadia’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Acadia and the Traverse Limited have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and front parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse Limited:

	Acadia	Traverse Limited
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	165	216
Neck Stress	178 lbs.	198 lbs.
Neck Compression	2 lbs.	77 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	32/13 lbs.	53/40 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	234	333
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.9 inches
Neck Compression	48 lbs.	51 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Chevrolet Traverse Limited:

	Acadia	Traverse Limited
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	64	69
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	113	134
Hip Force	518 lbs.	716 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	14 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Traverse Limited:

	Acadia	Traverse Limited
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	55	141
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	446 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.3 in
Shoulder Force	-156 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.79 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	6 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	915 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.02 in
Shoulder Force	-312 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.22 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	848 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The GMC Acadia achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Traverse Limited is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Acadia has a standard 220-amp alternator. The Traverse Limited’s 170-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The Acadia’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 18 more horsepower (328 vs. 310) and 60 lbs.-ft. more torque (326 vs. 266) than the Traverse Limited’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Acadia gets better mileage than the Traverse Limited:

			MPG
Acadia
	FWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/24 hwy
Traverse Limited
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/25 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The Acadia stops much shorter than the Traverse Limited:

	Acadia	Traverse Limited
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Acadia Denali’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Traverse Limited (275/45R22 vs. 255/65R18).

The Acadia Denali’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Traverse Limited’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Acadia Denali offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Traverse Limited’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Acadia Denali AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Traverse Limited Premier AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Acadia AT4 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Traverse Limited (7.8 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Acadia to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Acadia has 3.3 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 3.1 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room, .1 inches more third row hip room and .4 inches more third row shoulder room than the Traverse Limited.

Cargo Capacity

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the Acadia Denali’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

Towing

The Acadia’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Traverse Limited’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Acadia uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Acadia’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Traverse Limited does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Acadia offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Acadia’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Traverse Limited’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Acadia the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Traverse Limited can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Acadia Denali’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Traverse Limited’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Acadia’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Traverse Limited’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Acadia has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Traverse Limited LT Leather/RS/Premier/High Country.

The Acadia has a standard center folding armrest for the middle row passengers. A center armrest helps make middle row passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the GMC Acadia has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Traverse Limited LT/RS/Premier/High Country offers wireless charging.

The Acadia’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Traverse Limited doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the GMC Acadia and the Chevrolet Traverse Limited, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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