Chevrolet Traverse review

It’s the Chevrolet Traverse, the three-row SUV that sort of looks like the Camaro but bigger.

Wasn’t that the Equinox?

Nah, that’s the smaller SUV.

Blazer?

Nope, that’s the *other* smaller SUV.

Trax!

No, that’s… look, Chevy’s got one look, and it's the face of its dead sports car. Don’t make this any weirder than it already is.

As we were saying, the Traverse is the second-largest utility vehicle in the Chevrolet line-up, sitting right below the Tahoe, which is more closely related to the GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade and thus already more interesting to talk about.

That doesn’t bode well…

Alright, spoiler alert: the Traverse doesn’t spark joy in the hearts of its drivers or passengers, but it’s a well put-together family vehicle that almost does everything right save for a major oversight.

The engine?

Ah, you’ve been here before. Chevrolet chose to fit the Traverse with a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine and pair it with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The total output amounts to 328hp and 326lb ft of torque. Impressive… if the Traverse was a hatchback. Regrettably, it is not, so this powertrain, whether it's turning all wheels or just the ones at the front, undermines all that’s genuinely good about this vehicle.

What are the good things?

Super spacious, for sure. In fact it’s quite well-regarded in that aspect and even Chevrolet is quick to highlight that, though we suspect this might be due to the few notable features to talk about. Still, not only does the second row offer plenty of elbow room, the third row is surprisingly functional as well.

In terms of technology and convenience, the Traverse has all the creature comforts nailed down. Starting with a bold 17.7-inch touchscreen that houses just about every function. The screen does demand a lot of attention but the bare minimum of buttons and knobs are present, and GM’s current UI is more user-friendly than most. That and the digital driver display make for a solid, commanding cockpit.

What about driving it?

It gets the job done, though it’s a bit frustrating. The rattly four-cylinder makes a heck of a racket when pushed to do more than it’s comfortable with, which is basically everything, and just acts as a frequent reminder of how ill-fitted it is to the utility vehicle.

When the Chevy is finally at road-going speed, the suspension wallows like a waterbed which means it’s more of a question of ‘when’ your passengers will get nauseous rather than ‘if’ they will. Touchy brakes don’t help much in that regard, and any hope that other drive modes might claw back some kudos are dashed immediately.

The Traverse fares better on the highway, as the suspension and engine have little to fight against, and thus is fine for freeway jaunts. Things are made better by the inclusion of the Super Cruise hands-free drive assist plus a number of safety features to provide peace of mind. You might be miserable, but at least you’ll feel safe.

The Chevrolet Traverse feels like a vehicle with stifled potential. It could have a more substantial powertrain and a couple of specialty variants for improved performance, but it doesn’t. The single engine option is woeful by any measure and the slightly more rugged Z71 model doesn’t bring enough to the table to make a significant difference.

As such, despite the aggressive facelift and spiffed-up interior, it remains an affordable also-ran updated primarily for those who are already Traverse customers looking to lease an upgrade. Given its spaciousness and competitive asking price, it’s easy to understand why Chevrolet owners would want to stick with it. We just see little reason to hop in one given the other options on the table.