Overview & Reviews

Many Americans have a real need for vehicles big enough to lug Joe Six-pack, his wife, their kids and their kids' teammates on the hockey squad. A minivan would seem like an obvious choice, but these people haulers are anathema for many parents. To fill this need, manufacturers have come up with large crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse that offer the best of both worlds: a minivan's passenger and cargo capacity along with an SUV's sheet metal.

The eight-passenger Traverse shares its platform with two other current GM vehicles -- the Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia -- but it distinguishes itself by being the least expensive of the bunch. This Chevy isn't the quickest or most refined pick in the larger crossover segment, but it excels when it comes to roominess and ride quality. If these attributes are important to you, the Chevrolet Traverse may be an ideal companion.

Current Chevrolet Traverse
The Chevrolet Traverse is a full-size crossover SUV that comes in three main trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. Base LS models are pretty nicely equipped, with OnStar telematics, Bluetooth, a rearview camera and an audio system with a USB input and satellite radio. The LT trim is actually comprised of two sub-trims (LT1 and LT2) that add more amenities such as a power liftgate, triple-zone climate control and the MyLink infotainment interface. Springing for the LTZ adds upgrades like 20-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery and ventilated front seats. Options include dual sunroofs, navigation and a rear-seat entertainment system.

Under the hood is a 3.6-liter V6 wedded to a six-speed automatic with manual shift control. LS and LT trims make 281 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. The LTZ features a dual-outlet exhaust that boosts output to 288 hp and 270 lb-ft. Both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models are available.

Inside, the Traverse features a stylish two-tone color scheme with, depending on the trim, wood-tone and metallic accents. Seating in the first two rows is comfy, and the split-folding third row -- which tends to be pitifully cramped in many crossovers -- is easy to access and spacious enough for adults. We have a few minor quibbles, such as the compromised rearward visibility. But overall we find this Chevrolet to be a strong choice for those seeking a truly roomy hauler.

Used Chevrolet Traverse Models
The Chevrolet Traverse debuted for the 2009 model year. Not much changed for the next few years. These 2009-'12 models will lack some of the updates introduced for 2013, however. These changes included an exterior styling refresh, upgraded cabin materials and the new MyLink electronics interface.

User Reviews:

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  dont buy if you have car seats . . . - 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Heather Young - October 22 - 11:23 am

  If I had only sat in the back seat of this car before purchasing it I would have passed on it. The placement of the seat belts on the 2nd row captains seats is TERRIBLE. It is nearly impossible to get a car seat in and buckled. Also, the placement of the seat belt make a ride in the 2nd row captains seats uncomfortable for an adult as they are too far inside the seat and they arent flexible. Some engineer designed this without thinking about the usability. I have tried complaining to GM and they dont seem to do anything. I have complained to my service department and the manager is "trying." The service manager told me I am not the only 1 with issues about the 2nd row seats. Seriously, dont buy this car unless and until they fix the issue.

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  2010 Chevy Traverse LTZ AWD our 1st car pymnt - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Derrick E Stephens - August 28 - 5:22 pm

  Ride is good and handles fine. 3rd row seats only for kids under 5ft 5inches middle are ok for over 6ft move front seats up. Materials cheap hate the plastic 2013 up is better materials remote start great. Acceleration is good for merging and passing 288 HP gets the job done. alot Wind Noise in driver and passenger needs sound damping like Buick Enclave. AWD is Great in snow especially in Rain no slippage, tires good(bridgestone) 50thsand plus, pricey now more option in2016-17 cost lower. Backup camera and sensors worth it. Navigation ok (outdated if you dont buy cd)No real problems use your phone. Sound system good, Bose in front, non Bose in rear. DVD works great no blueray. Car feels big but not too much once you get use to it, parking its just fine, same as minivan. Gas sucks 15mpg AWD mix highway 60% cty 40% Hwy with 2 people 21-22mpg with 6 people and luggage 18mpg if cursing at 70 to 75 above 75 to80 drops to 17mpg less , if alot of city driving expect 12.5 to 13mpg. I hd rack pinion replace(warranty), water pump(normal) brakes, Headlight 4 times poor design keep blowing out fuse box issue replace relay hope it fixes it. synthetic oil is best for this car and get Mobile 1 filter to go beyond 3thousand miles I go 6 to 7 and I have went 9 thousand no problem. Deprecation is real in this car it sucks, this car is meant to ride not sit around. 6 spd Transmission has had some issue sometimes slips out of 3rd back to second but its shift control module common issue in the transmission not car (transmission is in like 5 different type of gm cars) If I shift to park and back to drive its fine. The car handles well for its size, I would buy another one and not blink. We bought with 72thsnd 2014 and in 2017 we have 135 we average 20thsnd year, no real major issue. Keep up on maintenance we did tune up on time (100thsnd), Transmission fluid change (100thsnd) Air, cabin, everything in book we are following. GM not the best cars sometimes but I like them. I have owned 2 suburbans, Buick La sabre &Regal Pontiac Transport and chrysler town and country and 8 VW Jettas and all had well over 150thsand before i got ride or wore them out. I have recommended the Chevy Traverse to everyone and the other platforms as well. Buick Enclave is exactly the same except for "Fit and Finish" & Sound Damping in the cabin and chevy price is alot cheaper

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  Bad Tires - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Concern driver - July 28 - 5:46 am

  We just purchased a Traverse. We are extremely happy with the vehicle, but last night while driving in the interstate one of the tires split in half while going 70 miles per hour. We are extremely concern with the quality of the factory tires in this vehicle.The tire was melting as I was exchanging it. To replace a tire is one of the most challenging task you will perform. The tools included are not the best for the job. Our main concern is the safety of our family and we are not sure with the tires on the vehicle. It remind us of 8 years ago when Firestone had to replace a lot of tires because of safety reasons, just after few lives were lost. Chevy, please look into this matter.

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  The Traverse, my first. - 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Angela Amend - July 27 - 9:31 am

  MPG isnt great but I knew that going before hand.

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  Great car with a few problems - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Chevyforlife - June 30 - 9:13 pm

  Have owned car for 3 months, very stylish outside. Have LT1 version, interior seats are very nice though a bit uncomfortable especially for your lower back. No carpet in the back seats, basically a big floor mat latched down. I get 20.2 MPG. My biggest problem with the car is the location of the oil filter. I have changed oil on dozens of vehicles (new and old) but never had to change the filter from the top of the engine. There is not enough room to place a filter wrench on the filter, it took 3 hrs for 3 men to unloose the initial high torqued filter by hand. When the filter was loosened it went all over other components located underneath the filter. Otherwise a great car and roomy.

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  Not a horrible SUV - 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Meathead1986 - April 9 - 8:32 am

  Ive always been a Ford guy so impressing me is hard with the way most GM products work. This thing packs a pretty decent bang for buck as we tested an explorer, Santa fe, and pathfinder. If the deal would have gone right wed honestly have the pathfinder as that had the most overall refined feel and features for the price. As the dealership that had it was horrible we found the traverse as a happy medium with the lt2 package. Sound from the radio is amazing and between that and the quiet cabin it really drowns out the subpar engine as it winds up to use every ounce of power it has to get moving. Im not kidding when I say this thing lacks power... its really bad and I find myself 2nd guessing myself passing quite a bit. Inside the cabin is quite roomy with a couple quirks that dont ruin your experience. For instance, when you turn the car off with Bluetooth audio on youd expect it to be the first thing that comes up when you get back in the vehicle. This isnt the case at all and its slightly annoying. Also the cup holders in the middle part of the cabin are right on the door (w/captains chairs). Not sure if the bench is the same but this is a disaster with children slamming doors on road trips. Last thing is the auto windows. Theyre only auto down... not up. Not sure who thought of this but having to roll this thing up and down 5 days a week to show an ID at a gate makes this very irritating. It really seems small but makes a huge difference. Other than that features on this are very good and it seems very well put together and kid proof. Cargo space is very lacking with all seats up but if you can fold a seat this really opens up the area. If you cant Id suggest a full size SUV and not a crossover. Visibility out of the front and behind you is adequate but there is a huge blind spot on the vehicle thats caused me to buy bubble mirrors. Gas mileage is about the same as our old F150 with low 20s for mixed driving so we can afford it. Others may find this bad and Id agree and suggest the fix is an engine that wont work as hard to get this thing moving (drive the explorer with the ecoboostto see what I mean). The vehicle handles turns and bumps extremely well with what youd expect from this body style of car with the standard dead feel in the wheel. So far there are very few manufactures that can really put feel into their cars and give then soul so this isnt a killer for me. Over all we like it and were pleased with the purchase and look forward to having this thing for some time.