Chevrolet Equinox vs Toyota Highlander: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (October 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $25,998 against $43,313 for the Toyota Highlander (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Chevrolet Equinox takes fuel economy (24 MPG combined vs 23 MPG); the Toyota Highlander leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.5★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $20,843 vs the LE at $33,749; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Head to head

Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)

A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($20,843) faces the Toyota Highlander LE ($33,749); the most common trims on the market are the 1LT (27.5% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE (63.5% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,157) faces the PLATINUM ($52,058). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.

Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · Toyota Highlander prices.

Used price by model year

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota Highlander?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Equinox is cheaper: it typically lists for $25,998 versus $43,313 for the Toyota Highlander (national medians, October 2026).

Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota Highlander?

The Chevrolet Equinox: its typical rated version returns 24 MPG combined versus 23 MPG for the Toyota Highlander (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).

Which is safer — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota Highlander?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Toyota Highlander averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.5 for the Chevrolet Equinox. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota Highlander?

NHTSA lists an average of 2.2 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 4.8 for the Toyota Highlander — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.

Which trims should I actually compare?

Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $20,843 vs $33,749 for a Toyota Highlander LE; the most common trims on the market are the 1LT ($25,888, 27.5% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE ($39,444, 63.5% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,157) faces the PLATINUM ($52,058). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.

Dig deeper

Chevrolet Equinox — live listings & specs Toyota Highlander — live listings & specs Chevrolet Equinox prices by year Toyota Highlander prices by year Chevrolet Equinox MPG by year Toyota Highlander MPG by year

See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.