Chevrolet Equinox vs Toyota Highlander: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,973 against $42,874 for the Toyota Highlander (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Chevrolet Equinox takes fuel economy (25 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 $21,998 vs the LE at $35,298; 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 ($21,998) faces the Toyota Highlander LE ($35,298); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE (73.0% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the PLATINUM ($51,045). 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 |
| LSCheapest | $21,998 | 6.0% | LECheapest | $35,298 | 5.2% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $22,980 | 29.1% | XLEMost popular | $39,469 | 73.0% |
| RS (3LT) | $24,995 | 3.0% | LIMITED | $45,394 | 9.5% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $25,500 | 3.4% | PLATINUMPriciest | $51,045 | 12.3% |
| 1LT | $26,991 | 27.7% | — | ||
| 2LT | $30,839 | 7.3% | — | ||
| RS | $32,031 | 10.5% | — | ||
| ACTIVEPriciest | $33,509 | 3.2% | — | ||
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 | $31,348 | $51,682 | Toyota Highlander +$20,334 | 26–27 MPG | 24–35 MPG |
| 2025 | $26,973 | $42,874 | Toyota Highlander +$15,901 | 26–27 MPG | 24–35 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,590 | $39,128 | Toyota Highlander +$15,538 | 26–28 MPG | 24–36 MPG |
| 2023 | $22,072 | $36,999 | Toyota Highlander +$14,927 | 26–28 MPG | 24–36 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,895 | $33,998 | Toyota Highlander +$14,103 | 27–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2021 | $17,716 | $31,025 | Toyota Highlander +$13,309 | 27–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2020 | $16,899 | $28,948 | Toyota Highlander +$12,049 | 24–28 MPG | 23–36 MPG |
| 2019 | $15,149 | $25,000 | Toyota Highlander +$9,851 | 24–32 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2018 | $13,449 | $22,968 | Toyota Highlander +$9,519 | 24–32 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2017 | $10,495 | $21,237 | Toyota Highlander +$10,742 | 18–25 MPG | 22–29 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,495 | $18,999 | Toyota Highlander +$9,504 | 18–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,488 | $16,999 | Toyota Highlander +$8,511 | 19–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,995 | $16,195 | Toyota Highlander +$8,200 | 19–26 MPG | 20–28 MPG |
| 2013 | $7,000 | $12,997 | Toyota Highlander +$5,997 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2012 | $6,995 | $12,299 | Toyota Highlander +$5,304 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2011 | $6,499 | $10,998 | Toyota Highlander +$4,499 | 19–26 MPG | 19–28 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,995 | $9,965 | Toyota Highlander +$3,970 | 20–26 MPG | 19–26 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,723 | $6,820 | Toyota Highlander +$2,097 | 18–19 MPG | 19–27 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 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 $26,973 versus $42,874 for the Toyota Highlander (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota Highlander?
The Chevrolet Equinox: its typical rated version returns 25 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 2.3 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 5.0 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 $21,998 vs $35,298 for a Toyota Highlander LE; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,980, 29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE ($39,469, 73.0% of Toyota Highlander listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the PLATINUM ($51,045). 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.