2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS Test Drive: Mid-Size Crossover With Full-Size Space

You probably have a big household and wish an equally huge car to tote them round, you may spend up for a full-size SUV or settle for minivan life. Mid-size SUVs, even the most important ones in the marketplace, merely cannot compete with the cupboard space and passenger quantity present in one thing like a Tahoe or a Sienna. Or can they?

The Chevrolet Traverse is the second largest SUV within the Chevy portfolio, sitting just under the Tahoe within the lineup. The 2024 mannequin is a bit smaller than the outgoing one on the surface, but it surely nonetheless packs more room than aggressive mid-size three-row choices.

The Traverse retains its title as probably the most capacious crossover in the marketplace, but it surely spices up the formulation with extra aggressive styling, new know-how inside, complete commonplace security tools, and a brand new four-cylinder engine derived from vehicles. Do all of those modifications make the Traverse prime of the heap in additional than simply house? We drove a 2024 Traverse RS for per week to seek out out.

Exterior: Downsized Tahoe

The outgoing Traverse had little or no taste, however this new mannequin will get injected with a sriracha bomb. Chevy ditched the “minivan with out sliding doorways” motif in alternate for a brand new design that presents itself extra like a child Tahoe. All trims get a big grille with break up headlights that include the daytime operating lights close to the highest and the primary headlights decrease on the bumper. 18-inch wheels come commonplace on the LS and LT trims, whereas the RS will get daring 22-inch black wheels. The RS additionally will get black accents, together with black Chevy bowties that make it look meaner within the college pickup line.

Consumers who wish to go off-road can go for the Z71 trim, which wraps its distinctive 18-inch wheels round thicker all-terrain tires with a one-inch suspension elevate and underbody skid plates. Floor clearance ranges from 6.8 inches on most trims to 7.8 inches on the Z71. For 2025, Chevy will add a Excessive Nation trim that blends the RS’s luxurious with a few of the Z71’s ruggedness.

Numerous fascinating colours can be found, together with our tester’s Radiant Purple Tintcoat ($495), and no-cost choices like Lakeshore Blue Metallic, Harvest Bronze Metallic, and Stardust Metallic (which seems to be pinkish-purple). Extra easy exterior hues embrace Mosaic Black Metallic, Sterling Grey Metallic, and Iridescent Pearl Tintcoat ($995). This third era Traverse really shrinks by 1.4 inches in comparison with the earlier mannequin, although the wheelbase stays the identical. It additionally shrinks a bit in peak and width regardless of having more room inside.

Inside: Huge Tech

Big screens dominate the Traverse’s inside. A 17.7-inch touchscreen makes use of Android Automotive software program with built-in Google voice command, making it straightforward to regulate numerous automobile capabilities by way of voice and even ask random questions resembling present sports activities scores. In contrast to Chevy’s current electrical autos, the Traverse nonetheless retains Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, each of that are wi-fi. Chevy additionally saved various bodily controls for quantity, temperature, fan pace, and extra. An 11-inch gauge cluster display screen sits in entrance of the driving force with the flexibility to pick from a number of layouts, together with a full Google Map view.

We would not name this probably the most premium cabin within the section, but it surely comes fairly well-equipped even on the base degree. The LS comes with fabric seats, whereas the LT can get fabric or non-obligatory Evotex. The Z71 additionally will get a selection between fabric or Evotex and provides pink accents on the dashboard. Choosing the highest RS trim brings Jet Black heated and ventilated leather-based with Torch Purple accents and extra pink accents on the sprint and doorways. Some consumers may just like the sporty contact that the pink accents add, whereas others may discover it cheesy. We sit up for the Excessive Nation trim, which ought to provide a extra luxurious inside.

Practicality: Minivan Antidote

In the event you want numerous house in your mid-size crossover, it would not get any higher than the Traverse. It boasts 97.6 cubic ft of whole storage, simply edging out the Toyota Grand Highlander for probably the most in its class. The one two autos that may match the Traverse are the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, each of that are company siblings that experience on the identical platform. There’s 57.9 cubes behind the second row, which is definitely a tenth lower than the Grand Highlander. The Traverse earns again some factors with a large 22.9 cubic ft behind the third row, a section main quantity. There’s further storage in a deep space beneath the ground.

You may get the Traverse with eight seats on the LS and LT trims, seven seats come non-obligatory on the LT and commonplace on the Z71 and RS. Every row gives an incredible quantity of house for passengers, rising over the outgoing Traverse in all however the third row. Some opponents provide more room for third row passengers, however the Traverse has its rivals outclasses in whole legroom. Talking of the third row, the RS trims provides one-touch power-folding controls in addition to buttons to decrease the captain’s chairs from the trunk.

Efficiency: Truck Energy

Whereas most of the Traverse’s opponents nonetheless provide a V6 engine, Chevy determined to downsize to a turbocharged four-cylinder. It is a 2.5-liter unit that is associated to the two.7-liter four-cylinder used within the Colorado and Silverado. You possibly can inform this engine is from a truck from the second you stand up to hurry, because the noise, vibration, and harshness all really feel very truck-like. It is unclear whether or not it is the engine itself or the eight-speed computerized transmission that is accountable right here, however even informal driving forces the four-pot to steadily rev past 3,000 rpm, emitting a tough growl that does not sound nice. We hopped out of the Traverse and right into a Ford Bronco for our subsequent check car, and the smaller, much less highly effective EcoBoost engine sounded quieter and extra refined than the Traverse’s engine.

It might not be our favourite engine, but it surely does impress on paper in comparison with the outgoing 3.6-liter V6. Horsepower will increase from 310 to 328 hp, whereas torque jumps from 266 to 326 lb-ft. The elevated output ought to theoretically enhance the Traverse’s acceleration instances, however we examined the automobile at 7.41 seconds to 60 mph, slower than the 6.8-second GM-estimated time for the earlier mannequin.

Gas financial system has improved, if solely barely. You possibly can anticipate to see 20/27/23 MPG metropolis/freeway/mixed from the front-wheel-drive variants, which is barely higher than the outgoing V6 (18/26/21). All-wheel-drive is offered on each trim (commonplace on Z71) and drops the gas financial system to 19/24/21 (17/25/20 on the outdated V6). We achieved 24.1 MPG on the freeway and 21.5 MPG general. We hope Chevy will provide a hybrid within the close to future, as GM says it’s going to introduce them by 2027.

Driving Impressions: Tremendous Cruiser

Except for the loud engine, the driving expertise within the Traverse is quite nice. It delivers a cushty experience even with the most important wheels, although we discovered the Z71 to be a bit softer because of its further sidewall. There is a first rate quantity of highway noise at freeway speeds, but it surely’s quiet sufficient to have a dialog with rear passengers. Nothing in regards to the dealing with could be described as excellent – the steering and brakes are each imprecise – however scalpel-like drive and dealing with aren’t the purpose of a three-row household car like this.

The Traverse’s key promoting level is Tremendous Cruise, GM’s hands-free driving help software program. It is out there on all however the base trim, and comes commonplace on the RS. We drove the Traverse from Central Florida to Miami, and the system labored effectively almost all the time. There have been a couple of deactivations in building zones and through tough storms, but it surely labored completely for many of the four-hour drive. Tremendous Cruise can now overtake slower visitors robotically, then transfer again into the center lane. On one or two events, a fast-moving automobile might need been reduce off by the system merging within the left lane, so we needed to cancel the automated lane change. This characteristic can be turned off utterly, which means lane modifications will solely happen while you use the flip indicators. Tremendous Cruise is excellent on lengthy highway journeys as a result of you’ll arrive on the vacation spot feeling extra relaxed having finished much less work holding the automobile in its lane. Outdoors the GM household, the Ford Explorer is the one different car on this class to supply hands-free driving.

Households can even relaxation assured realizing that the Traverse packs a heap of ordinary security options which might be non-obligatory in most opponents:

• Adaptive cruise management
• Lane hold help
• 360-degree digital camera system
• Site visitors signal recognition
• Facet bicyclist alert
• Computerized emergency braking
• Reverse computerized emergency braking

Pricing & Verdict: Massive Worth

The Traverse could also be among the many greatest autos in its section, but it surely’s not overly costly. Pricing for the bottom LS trim begins at $37,600 (not together with a $1,395 vacation spot price). Including AWD prices $2,000, which can be value it relying on the place you reside. The LT is a fair $40,000, rolling in niceties resembling a wi-fi charger, heated entrance seats, a heated steering wheel, distant begin, and extra. We predict the Z71 looks as if good worth for $46,400 (AWD comes commonplace) for its rugged styling and functionality, good degree of ordinary tools, and out there Tremendous Cruise. The RS trim we examined begins to get expensive at $54,200, although it does come totally loaded and requires no main additions in addition to AWD.

* MSRP excludes choices and vacation spot

Different autos on this section, together with GM’s personal Acadia and Enclave, value greater than the Chevy Traverse. The Kia Telluride undercuts it barely and has a nicer inside, however fails to supply as a lot house. The Nissan Pathfinder and Subaru Ascent are additionally a bit cheaper however, likewise, cannot match the Chevy’s dimension and storage. The 2024 Traverse is much from good with the engine being its primary detriment. Consumers who do not thoughts a little bit of engine noise within the background will discover so much to like right here, together with hands-free driving, a horny value, a number of commonplace security, and extra storage than the competitors. If that appears like a successful recipe to you, the Traverse may be a terrific household experience.