Midsize and three-row SUVs · 3 model years, 2020 to 2025
Chevrolet Traverse vs Kia Telluride: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse and the Telluride split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call).
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2020 to 2025 | Traverse | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.0% | 1.5% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 20,000 | 12,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 1 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Traverse owners complain about most is brakes; for the Telluride it is engine. Complaints citing brakes make up 31% of all Traverse complaints, against 2.4% on the Telluride. The Telluride leans the other way on exterior lighting: 17% of its complaints, against 1.3% for the Traverse.
Chevrolet TraverseKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Traverse is brake wear (33% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (19% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Traverse.
| Problem | Traverse | Telluride |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 33% 180most in 2025 · 9k mi | 2.3% 25 |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 0 | 19% 204most in 2020 · 5k mi |
| Headlights too dim or fail | 0 | 15% 159most in 2020 · 60k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 5.4% 2926k mi | 8.1% 88most in 2020 · 48k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 6.8% 3726k mi | 6.2% 68most in 2024 · 6k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 7.9% 4365k mi | 3.4% 37most in 2020 · 48k mi |
| Forward collision warning goes off or the camera drops out | 8.5% 46most in 2025 · 4k mi | 2.2% 24 |
| Seat belt or seat problems | 3.9% 216k mi | 4.0% 44 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Telluride owners report problems earlier. Half the Telluride complaints that give a mileage come before 12,000 miles; for the Traverse the halfway point is 20,000. 73% of Traverse reports and 72% of Telluride reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Chevrolet TraverseKia Telluride
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 162 for the Traverse and 336 for the Telluride.
Worst and best years
The 2018 Traverse draws 1.6 times the complaints of a typical Traverse year for its age. The 2020 Telluride draws 1.7 times the complaints of a typical Telluride year for its age.
Chevrolet TraverseKia Telluride
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Telluride draws more recalls: 3.7 campaigns per model year against 2.7 for the Traverse. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Chevrolet Traverse
8 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: tires (2), transmission and drivetrain (2) and airbags (2).
Investigations
- EA26006: Electronic brake module component failure (open)
Kia Telluride
11 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: seats (3), seat belts (1) and electrical (1).
- 24V-214 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 2 model years
- 24V-407 (seats) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- PE23002: Complete loss of high beams (closed, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Traverse complaints report a crash: 2.8%, against 1.6% for the Telluride. Fire reports: 2 for the Traverse and 13 for the Telluride. Complaints on file report 0 deaths in the Traverse and 1 in the Telluride for these model years.
Chevrolet TraverseKia Telluride
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Chevrolet Traverse or the Kia Telluride more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Traverse and the Telluride split evenly (2 each, the rest too close to call). NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Traverse has 541 complaints and the Telluride 1,091 for the 3 model years from 2020 to 2025 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Traverse or the Telluride?
The Traverse has 8 recall campaigns and the Telluride 11 across the 3 model years from 2020 to 2025 that both have on file. The Telluride draws more recalls: 3.7 campaigns per model year against 2.7 for the Traverse.
What are the most common problems on the Traverse and the Telluride?
The most reported problem on the Traverse is brake wear (33% of its complaints). On the Telluride it is windshield problems (19% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the Traverse.
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