The Size Ladder at a Glance
The six SUVs below are listed by starting price, lowest to highest. Read across one row and you can see what each step actually buys.
| Model | Seating | Cargo (Cu Ft, With Basis) | EPA Combined MPG | MSRP at Launch (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trax | 5 | 25.6 behind rear seat / 54.1 rear seat folded | 29 (gas), 30 (Flex Fuel) | $21,700 (LS) |
| Trailblazer | Up to 5 | 25.3 behind rear seat / 54.4 rear seat folded | 31 (FWD gas), 30 (FWD Flex Fuel), 27 (AWD) | $23,300 (LS) |
| Equinox | 5 | 29.8 behind rear seat / 63.5 rear seat folded | 27 (FWD), 26 (AWD) | $28,800 (LT) |
| Traverse | 7 or 8 | 98 maximum, second and third rows folded | 22 (FWD), 21 (AWD) | $40,800 (LT) |
| Tahoe | 7, 8, or 9 | 122.7 behind first row / 72.5 behind second row / 25.5 behind third row | 16 to 17 (gas), up to 24 (diesel) | $60,700 (LS) |
| Suburban | 3 rows, second-row bench or available buckets | 144.5 behind first row / 93.8 behind second row / 41.5 behind third row | 16 to 17 (gas), up to 23 (diesel) | $63,700 (LS) |
MSRP at launch for the 2026 model year, excluding destination. Each figure is the starting price of the trim named, not an as-built price. In the MPG column, “(gas)” is the gasoline engine’s EPA combined rating; where a model is also offered in a Flex Fuel version, that version’s own EPA combined rating is listed beside it.
Two-Row Families
If your household is four people or fewer, and the back seat rarely carries three adults, a two-row SUV is the right tool and the saving is real money rather than pocket change. The Equinox LT launched at $28,800 against the Traverse LT at $40,800, a $12,000 step for the third row. All three models below seat 5.
Chevy Trax
The Trax is the entry point and the value play. It launched at $21,700 for the LS, with 25.6 cu ft available behind the rear seat, or 54.1 cu ft with the 60/40 split-folding rear seat down, which is more usable space than 178.6 inches of exterior length suggests. Power comes from a 1.2L turbocharged 3-cylinder rated at 137 hp and 162 lb-ft, paired with a 6-speed automatic, and it returns 29 MPG combined as a gas model or 30 MPG combined as a Flex Fuel model. Passenger volume is 99.8 cu ft.
Who should look elsewhere: the Trax is front-wheel drive only, with no all-wheel-drive configuration offered. A family set on all-wheel drive should start with the Trailblazer or the Equinox instead.
See the Chevy Trax overview for the full trim walk.
Chevy Trailblazer
The Trailblazer is the fuel-economy pick of the group. Its front-drive gas model rates 31 MPG combined, the best combined rating of the six SUVs on this page, while the front-drive Flex Fuel model rates 30 MPG combined and the all-wheel-drive model rates 27 MPG. It comfortably seats up to 5 adults with 98.2 cu ft of passenger volume, carries 25.3 cu ft of cargo behind its rear seat or 54.4 cu ft with that seat folded, and offers an available hands-free power liftgate. The LS debuted at $23,300, and towing is rated at 1,000 lb with an accessory hitch.
Where it comes up short: with the rear seat up, the Trailblazer’s 25.3 cu ft is the smallest of the two-row figures here. A family that regularly loads a stroller plus a week of groceries behind an occupied back seat will be happier with the Equinox’s 29.8 cu ft on that same basis.
Read the Chevy Trailblazer overview for trims and equipment.
Chevy Equinox
The Equinox is the two-row model most families end up on, and it is the safety standout among the two-row models here. It seats 5, splitting 2 in front and 3 in the rear, with 104.3 cu ft of passenger volume without the sunroof. Cargo is 29.8 cu ft behind the rear seat and 63.5 cu ft with that seat folded, the largest two-row figures on this page. The LT came in at $28,800 at launch, and EPA combined is 27 MPG with front-wheel drive or 26 MPG with all-wheel drive. Towing is rated at 1,500 lb with all-wheel drive and 800 lb with front-wheel drive.
What sets it apart is standard equipment rather than size. Every Equinox trim includes four driver aids on top of Chevy Safety Assist, so a rival has to carry the same four just to draw level. The safety section below names them.
Who needs a different model: the Equinox has two rows and no third-row option. Families who need a seventh seat even occasionally should move up to the Traverse.
Browse Equinox inventory or read the Chevy Equinox overview.
Three-Row Families
The Traverse is the middle rung, and for most growing families it is the practical answer to a third row without stepping into full-size dimensions or full-size fuel bills.
Chevy Traverse
Seating depends on the trim you choose. The LT uses a second-row bench and seats up to 8, while the Z71, RS, and High Country use second-row captain’s chairs and seat 7. The LT launched at $40,800.
A 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder makes 328 hp and 326 lb-ft through an 8-speed automatic, returning 22 MPG combined in front-drive form and 21 MPG in all-wheel drive. Towing is 5,000 lb standard with the included trailering equipment, which covers most family boat and camper duty on the St. Johns. NHTSA gives the Traverse 5 stars overall.
Chevrolet gives the Traverse’s cargo figure as a maximum: 98 cu ft with both the second and third rows folded. That is a different measurement from the row-by-row figures listed for the Tahoe and Suburban, so the three sets of numbers are not read against each other. Super Cruise hands-free driving is available on the RS and High Country through the Enhanced Driving Package.
Who should think twice: fuel is the tradeoff. At 21 to 22 MPG combined, the Traverse costs meaningfully more to run than the Equinox’s 26 to 27 MPG. If the third row would sit empty most weeks, the two-row model is the cheaper vehicle to own.
Browse Traverse inventory, or get the trim detail from the Chevy Traverse overview.
Full-Size Three-Row Families
The Tahoe and Suburban are the full-size SUVs of the group, built for families who need a third row, real trailer capacity, and cargo room behind everyone at once. They are also the only two here offered with a diesel engine, which changes the running-cost math considerably.
Chevy Tahoe
The Tahoe seats 7, 8, or 9 depending on configuration, with the 9-seat layout using a 3-across bench in all three rows. Cargo runs 25.5 cu ft behind the third row, 72.5 behind the second, and 122.7 behind the first. The LS launched at $60,700, and the ladder climbs from there through the LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country trims. Maximum trailering reaches 8,400 lb with the 2WD 5.3L, and payload tops out at 1,834 lb on that same configuration. NHTSA rates it 5 stars overall.
Fuel economy splits sharply by engine. The gas engines return 16 to 17 MPG combined, while the 3.0L diesel returns 24 MPG combined in 2WD and 22 MPG in 4WD. For a family crossing the Buckman Bridge every workday, that gap is the single biggest running-cost decision on the vehicle. Super Cruise is available on the LT, the RST, the Premier, and the High Country, and the Tahoe also offers driver-assist technology that includes Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking and HD Surround Vision.
Who should size down: at 211.3 inches long and 16 to 17 MPG on the gas engines, the Tahoe is expensive to feed and to park for a family that only occasionally fills the third row. The Traverse does most of the same seating work for roughly $20,000 less at launch and 5 more MPG.
Look through Tahoe inventory, or start with the Chevy Tahoe overview and its trim walk.
Chevy Suburban
The Suburban is the Tahoe stretched 15 inches, and every one of those inches goes to cargo. Behind its third row it holds 41.5 cu ft, a figure that grows to 93.8 cu ft measured behind the second row and to 144.5 cu ft of room behind the first, the largest figure on this page. Overall length is 226.3 inches on a 134.1-inch wheelbase.
Seating runs three rows deep. The front row comes as buckets or a 40/20/40 split-bench, the second row as a 60/40 split-folding bench or available buckets, and the third row as a 60/40 split-folding bench, so how many people the Suburban carries depends on which of those you build it with.
The LS started at $63,700 when it launched, running up through the same six-trim ladder as the Tahoe. Gas engines return 16 to 17 MPG combined and the 3.0L diesel returns 23 MPG in 2WD or 22 MPG in 4WD. Maximum payload reaches 1,759 lb, and maximum trailer weight reaches 8,200 lb with the Max Trailering Package. NHTSA rates it 5 stars overall as well.
The Suburban also carries the deepest standard safety list of the six here, covered in the next section. Super Cruise is available through the Advanced Technology Package, on the LT and RST only, which is fewer trims than the Tahoe offers it on.
Who is better off in the Tahoe: 226.3 inches is a lot of vehicle for a standard garage and a school pickup line. If the extra cargo room behind that third row is not a weekly need, the Tahoe does the same job in 15 fewer inches.
Browse Suburban inventory or see the Chevy Suburban model page.
The Safety Content That Comes Standard
Every SUV on this page includes Chevy Safety Assist as standard equipment, which is the single most useful thing to know when cross-shopping trims. It covers 6 systems:
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Front Pedestrian Braking
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Forward Collision Alert
- Following Distance Indicator
- IntelliBeam automatic high beams
Where the Equinox goes further: on every trim, it adds Blind Zone Steering Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, and a Safety Alert Seat as standard equipment. The optional Safety and Technology Package, offered on every trim, adds HD Surround Vision, Rear Pedestrian Alert, and the Rear Camera Mirror. That split matters when you compare across brands: a rival that lists blind-spot monitoring or adaptive cruise as an included feature is matching the Equinox, not beating it.
Where the Suburban goes further: on every trim from LS to High Country, it adds Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, Reverse Automatic Braking, Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking, an enhanced Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Blind Zone Steering Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Rear Pedestrian Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, a Safety Alert Seat, and HD Surround Vision. That is the deepest standard list in this group.
On crash ratings: the Traverse, Tahoe, and Suburban each carry a 5-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency that runs the tests. NHTSA rates the 2026 Trailblazer 5 stars overall for frontal crash, made up of 5 stars on the driver side and 4 on the passenger side, plus a 4-star rollover rating with no tip recorded in the rollover test. NHTSA rates the 2026 Trax 4 stars overall for frontal crash, again 5 stars on the driver side and 4 on the passenger side, with the same 4-star rollover rating and the same no-tip result. NHTSA has not published a combined overall star for every configuration, so check NHTSA.gov for the current ratings on the model you are considering.
Optional content is what varies from one build to the next, so check the window sticker of the vehicle you drive for the packages fitted to that particular one.
Where to Start in Northeast Florida
Narrow to a size class first, then drive two models in it back to back. Seats and cargo get decided on paper; ride, sightlines, and third-row access get decided from the driver’s seat. Gordon Chevrolet sits on Blanding Blvd in Orange Park, and we serve families across Northeast Florida from Clay County to the Jacksonville metro.
Gordon Chevrolet is the Home of No Bull Pricing: competitive prices, no huge add-on stickers or equipment packages, no gimmicks or games, and trades wanted but not required.
Start with the full new Chevy lineup, check current deals on the new vehicle specials page, or begin a payment plan through our finance center.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Traverse seats up to 8 in LT trim, which uses a second-row bench; its other three trims use second-row captain’s chairs and seat 7. The Tahoe goes further, seating up to 9 in a 3-across layout across all three rows. Compare the Chevy Traverse overview and the Chevy Tahoe overview.
The Suburban, at 144.5 cu ft measured behind the first row, ahead of the Tahoe’s 122.7 cu ft on that same basis. With every seat filled, the Suburban holds 41.5 cu ft of space behind the third-row seat and the Tahoe holds 25.5 cu ft. None of those figures compare to a two-row SUV’s seats-folded number, which is measured differently. See the Chevy Suburban model page or browse Suburban inventory.
Of the SUVs covered here, the front-wheel-drive gas Trailblazer posts the best EPA combined rating at 31 MPG, with its Flex Fuel version at 30 MPG. The Trax follows at 29 MPG as a gas model and 30 MPG as a Flex Fuel model, and the front-wheel-drive Equinox rates 27 MPG. Among the three-row models, the diesel Tahoe leads at 24 MPG combined in 2WD. Details are on the Chevy Trailblazer overview.
It is the biggest running-cost lever either vehicle has. The gas engines return 16 to 17 MPG combined, while the 3.0L diesel returns 24 MPG in a 2WD Tahoe and 22 MPG in 4WD, or 23 MPG in a 2WD Suburban and 22 MPG in 4WD. For a household putting long daily highway miles on the vehicle, that gap is worth working through carefully; for one that mostly runs short local errands, it matters far less. Compare the engines on the Tahoe overview.
The Tahoe leads this lineup at up to 8,400 lb on its maximum trailering rating with the 2WD 5.3L, just ahead of the Suburban’s 8,200 lb with the Max Trailering Package. Among the smaller SUVs, the Traverse tows the most at 5,000 lb standard, well ahead of the Equinox’s 1,500 lb with all-wheel drive and the Trailblazer’s 1,000 lb with an accessory hitch. Full ratings sit on the Tahoe overview and the Traverse overview.
Among the three-row models it is the Suburban, which carries its expanded driver-assist list on every trim from LS to High Country. Among the two-row models it is the Equinox, which adds four aids to Chevy Safety Assist on all three of its trims. All six SUVs share the 6-system Chevy Safety Assist baseline on every trim, so the question is really how far past that baseline a model starts. See the Equinox overview for its trim walk.
Three of the six carry the hands-free system. The Traverse has it on the High Country and RS through the Enhanced Driving Package, the Tahoe on the LT, RST, Premier, and High Country, and the Suburban on the LT and RST through the Advanced Technology Package. Browse Traverse inventory or Tahoe inventory to see how those trims are equipped.
Length, mostly, and what that length is for. The Suburban measures 226.3 inches to the Tahoe’s 211.3, and the extra goes to cargo: 41.5 cu ft against 25.5, both measured behind the third row. The Tahoe LS launched at $60,700 and the Suburban LS at $63,700. Towing runs the other way, with maximum trailering of 8,400 lb for the Tahoe against 8,200 lb for the Suburban with its Max Trailering Package fitted, and on fuel the Tahoe’s diesel rates 24 MPG combined in 2WD to the Suburban’s 23 MPG. Browse Tahoe inventory or Suburban inventory.
Nothing about the terrain here forces it. The roads are flat and ice never enters the picture, so front-wheel drive stays firmly on the table, and it is both the cheaper and the thriftier choice: the front-drive Trailblazer rates 31 MPG combined where the all-wheel-drive version rates 27 MPG, and the Equinox splits 27 MPG to 26 MPG the same way. Where all-wheel drive earns its keep is towing, since it lifts the Equinox’s rating to 1,500 lb from 800 lb. One model settles the question for you: the Trax is front-wheel drive only. The Chevy Equinox overview has the trim walk if you want to weigh the two drivetrains.