- Highs: Roomy interior, a performance leader among its peers, V-6 is efficient, too.
- Lows: Desirable options add up quickly, poor rearward visibility, the interior has some chintzy bits.
- Verdict: A spacious hauler that can be adapted to the needs of most any family.
Overview
In
a people-hauling class, the Traverse stands out by virtue of its roomy
interior. It's nearly as comfortable, in fact, as the minivans we
recommend but that no one buys. The Traverse has one of the roomiest
third-row seats of any of its competitors, and the second row is more
spacious than some of the first rows of those competitors. In our
testing, the Traverse's V-6 engine proved powerful and fuel efficient.
Its ride is comfortable over rough pavement, while the options list
includes the upscale features such as an excellent infotainment system
with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.
2020 Chevrolet Traverse
What's New for 2020?
Exterior
paint colors Black Currant, Havana Brown, and Pepperdust drop from the
choices and Black Cherry joins the list. The turbocharged four-cylinder
drops from the bottom of the options list, leaving the 310-hp 3.6-liter
V-6 as the only engine choice. The Traverse also gets Chevy's latest
infotainment system, with HD backup and 360-degree cameras and a camera
view to aid in trailer hook-up.
Pricing and Suggestion
- L: $30,995
- LS: $34,095
- LT Cloth: $36,595
- RS: $44,795
- Premier: $46,995
- High Country: $52,095
As
with many of its competitors, the Traverse can be optioned as anything
from a budget shuttle to a luxury coach. With so much space for
stretching out, every Traverse feels a little luxurious, but we like to
go whole hog. By the time you go for leather and all-wheel drive (a
$2000 option), you might as well step up to big leagues. Settling for
the Premier saves you $5100 versus the High Country but still nets
(heated) middle-row captain's chairs, a Bose 10-speaker audio system,
wireless phone charging in the center console, all of the driver-assistance technology
that you could want, and a bunch of shiny exterior bits. We would
promptly paint over those shiny bits with the Redline package, because
we dig the black wheels with the red stripes on them, but you could save
yourself an easy $1845 by passing on that one. We chose all-wheel drive
for all-weather capability, so we'll spec the heavy rubber floor mats
of the Interior Protection package for $270. That edges us to $51,710,
but gets us a capable and mean-looking family bus.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
A
potent V-6 engine gives the Traverse its legs, and a slick-shifting
nine-speed automatic transmission changes gears unobtrusively. The
3.6-liter V-6 pulls strongly and the Traverse is on the quicker end of its class.
The cabin is so quiet that you need to steal a glance at the tachometer
to ensure the engine is running while at a stoplight. Speaking of
which, the Traverse features what is perhaps the most seamless automatic
stop/start feature we've tested.
When parking
or maneuvering at low speed, the Traverse feels every bit its size. Pick
up the pace, however, and the big Chevy feels smaller than it
is—poised, if not overtly athletic. Steering effort is low, but the
system is precise and makes aiming the big SUV easy. The Traverse's
suspension is tuned for a good balance between handling and ride
comfort.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse in Display
All-New 2020 Chevy Traverse
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
Judge
the Traverse by its class-average EPA-estimated fuel-economy numbers,
and you'd be doing so with only half the information. In our real-world
testing, the all-wheel-drive Traverse High Country with the V-6
delivered 27 mpg, the best highway fuel consumption among its key
competitors.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The
Traverse provides spacious accommodations for seven or eight
passengers, including a third row sized for adults. Chevrolet's six-tier
model lineup allows the Traverse to reach a broad swath of the market
and appeal to a wide range of buyers. The materials in the top-level
High Country are handsome but fall slightly short of expectations given
that version's lofty price.
Drop all of the
Traverse's folding seats and it becomes a cargo-hauling champ with more
space than any of its rivals. Six carry-on suitcases fit behind the
third row, which means it wins at carrying both people and their
luggage. It offers the most first-row cubby storage in its class as
well.
Infotainment and Connectivity
A
bounty of USB ports is thoughtfully placed throughout the Traverse's
cabin, and its infotainment system is simple to use, with colorful
graphics, a high-mounted touchscreen, and standard Apple CarPlay and
Android Auto capability. An infotainment system that responds quickly to
user inputs seals the deal for the tech-savvy Traverse.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
The current generation of the Traverse received a five-star rating
from the National Highway Transportation Administration but hasn't yet
been tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Unfortunately, most driver-assistance features are only available on the
two highest-priced trims (some rivals offer these features as
standard). Key safety features include:
- Available blind-spot monitoring
- Available forward-collision warning
- Available lane-keep assist
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
The
only thing that distinguishes the Traverse from its peers is the one
free maintenance visit. Otherwise, the warranty coverage offered by
Chevrolet is average for the segment.
- Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit
