Chevrolet Traverse vs Equinox South Jersey

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse and the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox are both Chevy SUVs sold at Lucas Chevrolet, and the honest way to choose between them is family size. The Traverse is a three-row crossover that seats seven or eight; the Equinox is a compact two-row that seats five, costs thousands less and returns better mileage. Lucas Chevrolet stocks both, so this is not about which is better. It is about how many seats you need and how much you want to spend.

2026 Chevrolet Traverse Overview

The Traverse is Chevrolet's midsize three-row crossover. A single 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 328 horsepower through an 8-speed automatic, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive available. It measures 204.5 inches long on a 121-inch wheelbase, seats seven or eight, and opens to 98 cubic feet of cargo with the rows folded. Properly equipped it tows up to 5,000 pounds. It starts at $40,800, and its top RS trim opens near $55,400, before destination freight.

2026 Chevrolet Equinox Overview

The Equinox is Chevrolet's compact two-row SUV, redesigned for 2025 and carried into 2026. A 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder makes 175 horsepower, paired with a CVT on front-drive models or an 8-speed automatic with all-wheel drive. At 183.2 inches long it is more than a foot and a half shorter than the Traverse, seats five, and holds 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat or 63.5 with it folded. It starts at $28,800 and returns an EPA-rated 27 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, the efficiency pick of the two.

Powertrain and Efficiency

Both use turbocharged four-cylinders, but they are tuned for different jobs. The Traverse's larger 2.5-liter turbo makes 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft to move three rows and a trailer; the Equinox's 1.5-liter turbo makes 175 horsepower and is geared for efficiency, earning 26 mpg city, 29 highway and 27 combined with front drive against the Traverse's 20 city, 26 highway and 22 combined (fueleconomy.gov). If your driving is mostly the Route 38 retail strip and the I-295 commute with the occasional Shore run, the Equinox sips less fuel; if you tow or fill three rows, the Traverse has the muscle and the 5,000-pound rating the Equinox cannot match at its 1,500-pound ceiling.

Pricing and Value

The Equinox is the value leader, opening about twelve thousand dollars below the Traverse. That gap buys real family capability, though: a third row, roughly 35 more cubic feet of maximum cargo, and more than three times the tow rating. Both carry Chevrolet's 3-year / 36,000-mile basic warranty and 5 years / 60,000 miles of powertrain coverage, and both come with one year of Chevrolet-covered maintenance. For a Marlton or Cherry Hill family weighing the two, the question is whether you will use the third row and the towing often enough to justify the step up.

Where Each One Wins

Where the Traverse Wins

The Traverse is the answer when people and cargo drive the decision. It seats up to eight where the Equinox tops out at five, opens to 98 cubic feet against 63.5, and tows up to 5,000 pounds against 1,500. Its 328-horsepower turbo has the reserve to carry a full load up the Turnpike without strain. For carpools, road trips and a boat trailer, the Traverse is built for the job.

Where the Equinox Wins

The Equinox wins on the numbers a lot of buyers actually feel every day. It starts thousands less, returns 27 mpg combined against 22, and its shorter body is easier to park at the Moorestown Mall or thread through a tight Burlington side street. For a couple or a small family that never needs a third row, it covers the job for less money and less fuel.

Which Should You Choose: Traverse or Equinox?

Choose the Traverse if you need three rows, want more cargo, or plan to tow. Choose the Equinox if five seats are enough and you would rather have the lower price, the better mileage and the smaller footprint. Match the SUV to your seat count first, then to your budget:

Shop the Traverse and Equinox at Lucas Chevrolet

Lucas Chevrolet keeps both in stock at 1622 Route 38 in Lumberton. The easiest way to decide is to sit in each: put the family in the Traverse's third row, then see whether the Equinox's back seat is already enough. See the Traverse inventory, or line up financing before you visit.

Traverse vs Equinox FAQs

Should I buy a Traverse or an Equinox?

Buy the Traverse if you need three rows, more cargo or a 5,000-pound tow rating. Buy the Equinox if five seats are enough and you want a lower price, better fuel economy and a smaller SUV to park.

How much bigger is the Traverse than the Equinox?

The Traverse is 204.5 inches long to the Equinox's 183.2, more than a foot and a half longer, and it adds a third row. It also opens to 98 cubic feet of cargo against the Equinox's 63.5.

Which gets better fuel economy, the Traverse or the Equinox?

The Equinox. With front-wheel drive it is EPA-rated 27 mpg combined, versus 22 for the front-drive Traverse. Both run on regular 87-octane fuel.

Which is less expensive, the Traverse or the Equinox?

The Equinox starts at $28,800, about twelve thousand dollars below the Traverse's $40,800 starting MSRP, both before destination freight.

Can the Equinox seat seven?

No. The Equinox is a two-row, five-passenger SUV. If you need seven or eight seats, the Traverse is the one to look at.

Explore the 2026 Traverse Research Hub

MSRP excludes the destination freight charge, tax, title, license, and dealer fees; the dealer sets the final price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates and will vary with driving.