Used car safety, rank #17 of 181
Chevrolet Traverse 4WD Safety Rating (2018-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2018-20 Chevrolet Traverse 4WD, a midsize SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
Honorable MentionThe 2018-20 Chevrolet Traverse 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 6 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize SUVs average of 24.9, which is 76% below the class average. That places it #17 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 88.1/100, earning our Honorable Mention designation, and it typically sells used for $18,000 to $30,000.
What the Chevrolet Traverse death rate means
At 6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD beats the midsize SUVs average of 24.9 by 76%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 13, so even the pessimistic end of the range is no worse than the class average.
The other-driver death rate of 21 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Chevrolet Traverse. It is higher than the Chevrolet Traverse's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest midsize SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD highlighted. It ranks 5 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Nissan Pathfinder 2WD at a death rate of 0.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Pathfinder 2WD | 2018-20 | 0 (0 to 22) | 93.2 | 3.5/5 | $16,000 to $26,000 |
| Nissan Murano 2WD | 2018-20 | 4 (0 to 12) | 90.8 | 3.5/5 | $16,000 to $25,000 |
| Subaru Ascent | 2019-20 | 6 (0 to 16) | 88.1 | n/a | $22,000 to $32,000 |
| Ford Edge 4WD | 2019-20 | 6 (0 to 15) | 88.1 | 3.5/5 | $17,000 to $28,000 |
| Chevrolet Traverse 4WD (this page) | 2018-20 | 6 (0 to 13) | 88.1 | 3.0/5 | $18,000 to $30,000 |
| Honda Pilot 2WD | 2019-20 | 7 (0 to 20) | 84.2 | 3.5/5 | $20,000 to $32,000 |
| GMC Acadia 2WD | 2017-20 | 10 (2 to 19) | 81.9 | 3.0/5 | n/a |
| GMC Acadia 4WD | 2017-20 | 11 (3 to 20) | 81.1 | 3.0/5 | n/a |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD | 2017-20 | 12 (6 to 17) | 80.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize SUVs: 24.9 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Chevrolet Traverse
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Chevrolet Traverse we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Chevrolet Traverse | No award | 83.9 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 88.1 used-car score above.
Reliability and cost of ownership
Reliability: 3.0 out of 5
RepairPal rates the Chevrolet Traverse 3.0/5, 22nd out of 26 in its category. Owners spend about $656 a year on repairs and maintenance, visiting the shop 0.4 times a year for unscheduled work, and 18% of those repairs are severe.
RepairPal detailsUsed price: $18,000 to $30,000
Typical asking prices for 2018-20 Chevrolet Traverse 4WD listings. For a model with a death rate of 6, that buys more real-world protection per dollar than most alternatives in the midsize SUVs class.
Safety recalls for the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
8 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, power train, tires, fuel system, gasoline, structure.
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Air bags: side/window, curtain
Risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge.
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Power train: automatic transmission
Risk: A transmission fluid leak can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge.
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Tires
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021.
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Tires
Risk: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020.
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Power train: automatic transmission
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020.
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Air bags: side/window, curtain, inflator
Risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020.
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Structure: frame and members
Risk: A crack in the frame rail may reduce crash performance, increasing the risk of an injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2019.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Chevrolet Traverse 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 6 per million registered vehicle years for the 2018-20 Chevrolet Traverse 4WD, 76% below the class average (24.9 for midsize SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 88.1 out of 100 and rank #17 of 181 used vehicles, with a Honorable Mention designation.
What is the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD driver death rate?
6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 13. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Chevrolet Traverse died at a rate of 21 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2018-20 models.
How does the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD compare with other midsize SUVs?
The midsize SUVs class averages 24.9 driver deaths per million; the Chevrolet Traverse 4WD sits at 6. Among the 9 midsize SUVs compared above it ranks 5 by safety score; the top of that group is the Nissan Pathfinder 2WD with a death rate of 0.