The Traverse is GM's maximum-space-for-minimum-money play, genuinely the roomiest three-row at this price, with a third row adults don't hate. The catch: pre-2024 models earned a brutal reputation for 9-speed transmissions that slip and fail between 40k and 60k miles, a pattern too consistent to ignore, while the 2024 redesign's turbo-4 is already drawing early complaints about powertrain and electrical issues in its first year. If you need cavernous space on a budget and plan to trade before 100k, it delivers; if you're keeping it long-term, the Pilot and Highlander cost more for a reason.
Nissan's plush two-row crossover rides like a luxury SUV but carries a ticking time bomb under the hood: the CVT transmission grenades itself between 60k-120k miles with alarming regularity, even when religiously maintained. The 2015-2024 models charm owners with their V6 power and living-room comfort until that $4k-8k replacement bill arrives. The all-new 2025 ditched the V6 for a turbo-4 nobody wanted, added buggy tech, and promptly sat unsold on dealer lots with massive incentives. If you're buying used, budget for a CVT replacement as a when-not-if expense. If you're considering the redesign, you're beta-testing Nissan's desperation play. Skip this unless you're leasing short-term or love gambling on transmissions.