2018 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT 3LZ

[regfootball]

DRIVEN

2018 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT 3LZ (will verify) No MSRP on the label

HIGHS

Mini Suburban feel

Mini Suburban crossover style

Spacious and well laid out interior.  Spacious front and second rows, particularly in GIRTH.

Cargo space behind third row is more useful than previous version.  More space and additional depth below cargo cover.

Ridiculously simple dashboard design comes off as elegant and easy to use, using the same bits as all the other newest Chevy's (window switches, gauges, etc.)

Sliding door cubby with touchscreen is actually not gimmicky and is a ridiculously useful center storage cubby.

Very quiet inside.  Very smooth ride and smooth on the road....in a trucky car kind of way.  You can have many conversations in this vehicle.

AWD system is flexible.  You can just leave it in FWD and it has other modes to help in snow, etc.

Luxurious console and armrests.

Genuine improvements to the seating management and access.  Tilt forward second row, and second row slides to help third row leg room when need be.

Surfaces that look bare and plastic in photos are in fact soft and feel good to the touch in person.  Combined with the soft leather it all feels really good.

Looking out through the windshield, it's wide and open.  Combined with the much lowered dashboard, equates to a way different feel than the previous version.  There are no obstructions to seeing the acres and acres of corn ahead.  

Far more of a useful size than the downsized Acadia.  With pretty much all the same bits.

Nice steering feel.  Suspension goes about its business and is fairly well tuned for overall comfort.

Overall, refinement.  Particularly compared to the previous and now ancient feeling version.

LOWS

I think the third row at best is only the size of the previous version.  I think it seems as if it is smaller, although i did not climb back there.  They say it seats 3 back there but I am skeptical.  The only way you get the leg room to be awesome is to slide the middle row forward some.

I think the cargo floor is higher, and subsequently the overall cargo space may not be as tall (although i would measure it to verify if that is true or not).

Because of the lower dashboard and such, the tilt wheel seems to have limited range.

Engine could really benefit from more torque, even if it revs willingly.  It's slow to respond, not as evident as it was in the Acadia but I do think the tranny is not programmed to shift aggressively.  This allows you to cruise nicely on the highway but it doesn't feel sprite from in town stoplight to stoplight.

Some folks may think the interior is sparsely designed or plain.  I don't really think so considering the soft touch surfaces, but i can understand that there is not a lot of bling inside.  It's not uber chic like the CX-9.

Since it shares bits with the other new Chevy's, i think that is great....but i think small Malibu gauges could really stand to be upsized in a large SUV.

I saw the cloth interior, and well, it looks ok for cloth but for the price point the look of the cloth is out of place.  I saw the ash grey interior in leather as well and the impression is not as good in the lighter color compared to the black (my test had the black interior).

Someone let me know if there is a version of this that has athletic handling and ride.  I think the trucky car feel is actually spot on for the majority of the segment but after awhile I could see wanting a version of this with more agility.

Carpet trimmings in the trunk area, like the Equinox, seems a bit thin and cheap.

GMC needs an Acadia XL to go with this right pronto since this makes the regular and new Acadia seem compromised.

Three row pricing in general is getting ridiculous.  To get leather plus AWD here, the pricing indeed starts to get kinda crazy.

SUMMARY.

Not a hot rod, and not chic, but pretty much a bullseye to what i believe people are expecting here.  So let me just call it an A; or maybe an A- with reservations on the tamer powertrain feel.

I've tested some of the competitors here and most notable of those are the CX-9 and Atlas.  You'd have to drug me to get into a Highlander, and I've yet to drive a Honda Pilot.  I'm still familiar with the Explorer.

The Traverse just feels newer and more advanced beyond the Explorer.  Maybe its due to the Explorer being ancient, but the Traverse doesn't have the tight second row of the Explorer, and it seems to drive and run better.

The CX-9 had size issues but for me, the biggest issue with the CX-9 was the 4 cylinder turbo motor.  It was billed as THE solution for that vehicle and to me it was not suitable.  It wasn't responsive enough, and therefore smooth enough to operate.  For my likes, the Traverse would suit me better with the 6 cylinder and the more spacious interior.

The Atlas is where I see some inroads into this 3 row market.  Car mags like C/D have praised it except for its engine.  You can find my test drive of it on this part of the forum as well.  In fact i think the car books probably read some of my comments because they are consistent all around.  The Atlas and Traverse both provide well for the basics of the segment which is space, seating flexibility, smooth and quiet ride.  Things I liked about the Atlas, I like about the Traverse also.  I think some folks may think a loaded up Atlas has a nicer interior than the Traverse.  For me, i would drive them both again and it would mostly be a tossup but the nicer touchscreen and available 4g would probably kick it over the top for me for the Traverse.

So the Traverse is majorly improved, and should be right in the thick of things in terms of competitiveness. Well done GM.

Will probably need to take a new Acadia out again for a spin, i might have been slightly harsh on it last time.

 

Edited July 28, 2017 by regfootball

[ykX]

Thanks for the review.  Seems to me that you liked it but didn't love it.

[regfootball]

i think its pretty well done.  I did like it, but overall vehicles in this class are hard to love because they are so big and heavy, and it means they are less nimble and slower.  I do love their utility and comfort.  The old Traverse was decent but has a certain sloppiness about it.  But keep in mind the Lambdas have been in the market for 10 years.

I'll wait for the Enclave too.  Traverse wise its fine as is but some more power, a bit nicer interior, quicker reflexes, would be good before i LOVE it.

Edited August 1, 2017 by regfootball

[David]

10 hours ago, regfootball said:

i think its pretty well done.  I did like it, but overall vehicles in this class are hard to love because they are so big and heavy, and it means they are less nimble and slower.  I do love their utility and comfort.  The old Traverse was decent but has a certain sloppiness about it.  But keep in mind the Lambdas have been in the market for 10 years.

I'll wait for the Enclave too.  Traverse wise its fine as is but some more power, a bit nicer interior, quicker reflexes, would be good before i LOVE it.

Do you think it would be better if they had an SS version using the TT V6?

[A Horse With No Name]

5 hours ago, dfelt said:

Do you think it would be better if they had an SS version using the TT V6?

I like what you are thinking...

[regfootball]

9 hours ago, dfelt said:

Do you think it would be better if they had an SS version using the TT V6?

ABSOLUTELY

[regfootball]

had another 18 traverse test drive this weekend.  A FWD LS.  Good basic runabout.  The all black interior and cheap cloth and oddly shaped seats are demerits, but for the price and the good performance of the engine etc, i still find it to be a very good choice.

I can see those who make the case that say, a CX-9 interior is nicer.  Perhaps but very few of the CX-9's have to sell in less loaded trims than the Chevy does.

A also saw one of the local dealers has the 2.0t 4 cyl RS FWD version en route.......

Edited November 13, 2017 by regfootball