Chevrolet Equinox vs Toyota Highlander: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,900 against $43,078 for the Toyota Highlander (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). 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 $21,588 vs the LE at $34,492; 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 ($21,588) faces the Toyota Highlander LE ($34,492); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (28.4% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE (69.8% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,978) faces the PLATINUM ($51,798). 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.
| Chevrolet Equinox | Toyota Highlander | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LT (2FL) | $19,995 | 2.8% | LECheapest | $34,492 | 4.8% |
| LSCheapest | $21,588 | 5.4% | XLEMost popular | $39,478 | 69.8% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $22,661 | 28.4% | LIMITED | $44,995 | 11.6% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $25,224 | 2.9% | PLATINUMPriciest | $51,798 | 13.8% |
| 1LT | $26,839 | 27.2% | — | ||
| 2LT | $29,897 | 8.8% | — | ||
| RS | $31,120 | 10.7% | — | ||
| ACTIVEPriciest | $32,978 | 3.1% | — | ||
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
| Year | Chevrolet Equinox typical | Toyota Highlander typical | Difference | Chevrolet Equinox MPG | Toyota Highlander MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $30,605 | $50,296 | Toyota Highlander +$19,691 | 26–27 MPG | 24–35 MPG |
| 2025 | $26,900 | $43,078 | Toyota Highlander +$16,178 | 26–27 MPG | 24–35 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,300 | $39,248 | Toyota Highlander +$15,948 | 26–28 MPG | 24–36 MPG |
| 2023 | $21,552 | $36,400 | Toyota Highlander +$14,848 | 26–28 MPG | 24–36 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,047 | $33,331 | Toyota Highlander +$14,284 | 27–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2021 | $16,995 | $30,855 | Toyota Highlander +$13,860 | 27–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2020 | $15,995 | $28,617 | Toyota Highlander +$12,622 | 24–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2019 | $14,672 | $24,653 | Toyota Highlander +$9,981 | 24–32 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2018 | $12,900 | $22,627 | Toyota Highlander +$9,727 | 24–32 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2017 | $9,996 | $20,995 | Toyota Highlander +$10,999 | 18–25 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,397 | $18,493 | Toyota Highlander +$9,096 | 18–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,398 | $16,999 | Toyota Highlander +$8,601 | 19–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,757 | $15,999 | Toyota Highlander +$8,242 | 19–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2013 | $6,995 | $12,999 | Toyota Highlander +$6,004 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,725 | $11,999 | Toyota Highlander +$5,274 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2011 | $6,199 | $10,967 | Toyota Highlander +$4,768 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,156 | $9,810 | Toyota Highlander +$3,654 | 20–26 MPG | 19–26 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,832 | $8,775 | Toyota Highlander +$2,943 | 19–20 MPG | 19–26 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,062 | $8,498 | Toyota Highlander +$3,436 | 19 MPG | 19–26 MPG |
| 2007 | $4,997 | $7,141 | Toyota Highlander +$2,144 | 19–20 MPG | 19–26 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,943 | $6,495 | Toyota Highlander +$1,552 | 18–19 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 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 $26,900 versus $43,078 for the Toyota Highlander (national medians, August 2026).
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 $21,588 vs $34,492 for a Toyota Highlander LE; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,661, 28.4% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE ($39,478, 69.8% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($32,978) faces the PLATINUM ($51,798). 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.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/toyota/highlander.
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.