What is the best year for a Chevrolet Traverse?

The 2021 (85 complaints, 10/10 safety, 4 severe) and 2023 (75 complaints, 8/10 safety, 7 severe) Traverse are the cleanest years on record. Avoid the pre-2021 era, where complaint counts exceeded 200 every year from 2010 through 2020. Note that 2024-2025 ticked back up to 121 and 164 complaints — the improvement wasn't fully sustained. The 2021-2023 window is the safest range for used buying.

How much does Chevrolet Traverse insurance cost?

Traverse insurance averages around $2,393/year — roughly $199/month.

Is the Chevrolet Traverse or Ford Explorer cheaper to maintain?

The Traverse is cheaper to maintain by $76/year — $656 versus $732 for the Ford Explorer. However, the Explorer has a higher reliability score (7 vs. 6), lower major repair probability (14% vs. 18%), and significantly lower repair frequency (24% vs. 43%). On total maintenance value beyond annual dollar cost, the Explorer holds a meaningful edge.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Chevrolet Traverse?

Major repair probability of 18% is the second-highest in the three-row segment, and reliability score of 6 is below the class average. Extended warranty is worth considering for most used Traverse models, particularly any purchased from the 2010-2020 era of consistently elevated complaints.

Is the Toyota RAV4 expensive to maintain?

The RAV4 costs around $429/year to maintain — $92 below the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 26% is also below the class average of 30%, meaning fewer unscheduled shop visits than most rivals. Combined with an 8/10 reliability score and 10% major repair probability, it's one of the most economical compact SUVs to own over time.

What is the best year for a Toyota RAV4?

The 2022 RAV4 is the standout used buy. It marks the first fully settled year of the fifth generation after a turbulent launch window — complaints dropped from 865 in 2019 to just 127 in 2022, with a 10/10 NHTSA safety score and only 13 severe issues. The 2022–2023 range is reliably strong. Be cautious with 2019–2021 models, which carried elevated complaint counts as Toyota worked through early fifth-gen issues.

How much does Toyota RAV4 insurance cost?

RAV4 insurance averages around $1,990/year, or about $166/month — nearly identical to the Honda CR-V and toward the lower end for compact SUVs. The RAV4's broad popularity means insurers price it competitively. Rates vary by trim, location, and driver history, but the RAV4 is consistently an affordable quote across most profiles.

Is the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V cheaper to maintain?

The difference is minimal — the RAV4 averages $429/year versus $407/year for the CR-V, a gap of about $22 annually. Over five years that's roughly $110. Both are class leaders in maintenance cost. The CR-V scores slightly higher on reliability (9 vs. 8), but the RAV4's lower repair frequency (26% vs. 30%) means fewer unscheduled trips to the shop. Either is a sound long-term ownership choice.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Toyota RAV4?

Probably not for most buyers. The RAV4's major repair probability of 10% sits just below the compact segment average, and its 8/10 reliability score reflects a vehicle that holds up well with normal maintenance. If you're purchasing a 2019–2021 model used — which carried above-average complaints during the fifth generation's early years — adding powertrain coverage is a reasonable precaution. For 2022 and newer, the reliability case for an extended warranty is weak.

Chevrolet Traverse vs Toyota RAV4

Two three-row SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.

// VERDICT

Our verdict

Buy the Chevrolet Traverse if its specific features or size suit your needs better.

Buy the Toyota RAV4 — lower 5-year cost and better reliability.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota RAV4
Annual maintenance	$656	$429winner
5-year total cost	$3,280	$2,145winner
Reliability score	6 / 10	8 / 10winner
Major repair risk (5yr)	18%	10%winner
Cargo space	97.6 cu ftwinner	70.4 cu ft
Starting price (new)	$42,300	$34,800winner
Best years to buy	2013, 2021	2018, 2021, 2022

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota RAV4
RepairPal score	6 / 10	8 / 10winner
NHTSA complaints / 100k	257.3	89winner
Years to avoid	2018, 2019, 2025	2012, 2013, 2014
Value retained · 3 yr	73.5%	94.5%winner
Value retained · 5 yr	51.7%	75%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	37.6%	62%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota RAV4
Engine	19.9%	15.5%winner
Electrical	8.1%winner	12.7%
ADAS	8.3%winner	9.7%
Brakes	4.5%winner	5.8%
Suspension	—winner	2.9%
Steering	11.9%	3.9%winner
Fuel system	2.0%winner	7.9%
Tires/Wheels	1.4%winner	2.1%
Glass/Windows	1.1%winner	5.1%
Airbags	20.3%	7.8%winner
Seatbelt	2.4%	—winner

One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.

// INSURANCE

Which is cheaper to insure?

	Chevrolet Traverse	Toyota RAV4
Avg annual premium	$2,393	$1,990winner

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Chevrolet Traverse

$656/yr maint · 6 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Toyota RAV4

$429/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The Traverse costs $656/year to maintain — $83 above the three-row segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 43% is slightly above the class average of 40%. Reliability score of 6 is below the segment average of 7, and major repair probability of 18% is well above the 13% norm. It trails the three-row class average on most ownership-cost metrics.

How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →