I drove the $55,000 Chevrolet Traverse. It's a roomy family SUV with cool tech that's held back by a noisy engine

Business Insider

18-05-2025

The Michigan-made Chevy Traverse starts at $40,700.
My range-topping Traverse High Country test car starts at $53,800 in front wheel drive guise.
Shipping fees pushed the as-tested price for my High Country FWD to $55,295.
The Traverse is handsomely styled with design elements inspired by Chevrolet's Silverado pickup.
Like other recently introduced Chevy SUVs, the Traverse draws upon the brand's popular pickup trucks for its rugged, squared off looks. It's a much welcome departure from the previous generation's rounded, less defined aesthetic.
At 17 feet long and 6.6 feet wide, the Traverse is one of the largest offerings in the segment.
It's three inches longer and 1.5 inches wider than the Grand Highlander and four inches longer and 1.5 inches wider than the Pilot.
Chevy's new turbo four produces a stout 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque, making it one of the most powerful standard engines in the segment.
The four-cylinder offers a modest 18 horsepower improvement over the outgoing V6 and a significant 60 additional lb-ft of torque.
My front wheel drive test car boasts EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, which is a 2 mpg improvement over the comparable previous generation Traverse with a V6.
The Traverse's driving experience was spoiled by excessive engine noise and a drivetrain tuned to save fuel.
The Traverse has the potential to be a pleasant driving family SUV.
Sadly, the big Chevy is let down by the way its drivetrain is tuned. A big reason for downsizing from the V6 to the turbo four was to take advantage of its superior fuel economy, but there's also the added benefit produced by forced induction engines.
Unfortunately, the Traverse's drivetrain prioritizes efficiency and doesn't really let the punchy motor shine. In its default "Tour" driving mode, the throttle feels laggy and slow to respond. There's often an unnerving delay between the time you step on the gas and the arrival of power. Things are a bit more responsive in sport mode, but still far from "sporty."
According to Car and Driver, the turbo Traverse can do 0-60 in a respectable 7.3 seconds, which is half a second slower than the old V6-powered version.
And then there's the engine noise. Under hard acceleration, the decided lack of sound-deadening material means the pint-size powerplant makes an unacceptably harsh racket. Even when cruising along, a disconcerting amount of engine noise manages to find its way into the cabin.
The Traverse's cabin is roomy and attractively designed, but is plagued by poor material and build quailty.
Climb inside the Traverse and you'll find a modern and extremely spacious cabin. Ergonomics are solid and almost all of the controls and button are where they should be with the only glaring exception being the drive mode selector buried on a panel low down between the steering wheel and driver's door.
My biggest gripe with the cabin is the lackluster material and build quality. The plastics used in the front dash and center console look and feel cheap. In addition, the pieces also don't feel very well put together. Lightly nudge the center console, and visible gaps appear in the seams where the various sections are clipped together. The two sections that comprise the front and rear of the housing for the large infotainment screen pinch easily and feel like they're a broken plastic clip away from separating.
The Traverse's suite of driver assistance and infotainment tech is truly impressive.
The massive 17.7-inch central infotainment touchscreen and 11-inch digital instrument display are not only impressive to look at but the Google-based infotainment system is also highly responsive and easy to navigate.
In addition to the standard driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, the Traverse can also be optioned with GM's outstanding Super Cruise system, which allows for hands-free highway driving.
The Traverse comes standard with second-row captain's chairs, although lower trims can be had with a bench seat as well.
The heated Sky Cool Gray leather captain's chairs were comfortable and stylish.
The Traverse's third row is quite possibly the roomiest I've come across and could actually be comfortable for the average adult.
Beyond the impressive 32.1 inches of legroom, the seats are also mounted high enough so that your knees are not pushing up against your chest.
With 22.9 cubic feet behind the third row seats, the Traverse is one of the best cargo haulers in the segment.
My verdict: The Chevrolet Traverse is rough around the edges but remains a compelling family SUV with cool tech, a cavernous interior, and delivers solid value.
Chevy's family hauler comes with loads of advanced assistance and infotainment tech, a punchy turbo engine, room for the whole family and all of their stuff, as well as cool pickup-truck styling.
In addition, the $40,000 starting price and extensive array of standard features make it a solid value proposition.
But the Traverse still needs extra sound insulation, some drivetrain tuning, and a higher-quality interior.