GOOD, NOT GREAT
The Traverse has its attractions, but it also has its flaws in the warranty, safety categories
Hey, somebody must be average. ¶ As an educator, I marvel at the logic of politicians who promise to have every kid reading above average, a notion that makes no sense in math — the mean would shift — and even less in the other two R’s. ¶ I spent the better part of two years trying to construct a definition of literacy acceptable to Dr. Barry Nutter at Texas A&M University-Texarkana and 15 more years in the classroom applying what I had learned. I also taught math, which requires more perseverance than genius, and I can assure you that learning to read and write well, let us stipulate well, are stunningly complex processes.
So, too, is designing and building an automobile, a process that involves years of time, billions of dollars, and thousands of engineers, designers, and craftspeople. Some teams attain soaring heights of sophistication and excellence, some dish out products like a cook with a cigarette butt dangling from his lips as he slings corn beef hash. Some land in the middle, doing most things right, a few well, and nothing remarkably poorly.
The good
This leads us to the Chevrolet Traverse, a roomy and competent, middle-of-the-pack, midsize SUV. Starting around $32,000 — a shade high for the field — the Traverse gets high marks for a robust and fuel-efficient powertrain, a comfortable ride, and a quiet cabin that is the largest in class.
Beautiful Blonde and I enjoyed tooling around in the Traverse. The SUV feels strong. The fit-and-finish are above average, and passengers are well insulated from the outside world, which is easily seen through the optional two-panel power sunroof.
Handling is not athletic, the steering feel is light, but the Traverse feels well-planted. For its size, it is nimble in town. On the highway is where it shines. Poised and solid, it eats up the miles.
Sort of a baby Suburban, the Traverse can comfortably accommodate seven or eight people, depending on whether one chooses a middle bench seat or captain’s chairs. Some interior materials feel plasticky, but the design has a pleasing flow and there is a consistency to the color palette. Cupholders, storage bins, and USB ports are sprinkled throughout the cabin.
The seats are comfortable, and dashes, gauges, and switches are intuitive to use.
On the outside, Chevy last year designed the Traverse to include styling cues from the ruggedly handsome Tahoe. On the inside, with all the room and people-friendly features, it has sort of a minivan vibe.
I mean that in a nice way. Speaking as a guy who hauled baseball teams all over creation, this is a great vehicle if you regularly transport children, yours, and others. Pitcher rides shotgun. Shortstop and catcher in the middle. Outfielders in the back. Trust me.
Traverse comes in seven trim lines, but all are powered by a double-overhead-cam, 24-valve, direct-injection, 3.6-liter V-6
connected to a 9-speed transmission. With 310 hp and 266 ft-lb of torque, the Traverse is a stallion in a field of geldings.
Zero to 60 comes in 6.5 seconds, which is fast for a midsize SUV. Highway acceleration is quick: 50-80 is about five seconds. Top speed is governor limited to 130 mph, which is faster than you need to go.
We average close to 27 mpg in combined driving, which is quite good for a vehicle this size. It may not be all that good, however. The news this week is that Russia, Saudi Arabia, and American oil companies are withholding production, which may drive fuel prices past $4 a gallon.
A similarly priced Highlander Hybrid gets 35 mpg and, because the electric motor reduces wear on the gas engine, it will last longer. I have a 13-year-old Highlander Hybrid that gets 34 mpg.
The not-so-good
While it gets A’s and B’s for power and comfort, the Traverse gets C’s and D’s for its warranty and safety gear.
Our $53,000-plus tester came with dynamic cruise
control, available only on models costing $45,000 or more. That is a real no-no in the third decade of the 21st century when, at these prices, a proper car should be able to keep itself in its lane and a safe distance behind vehicles ahead.
The Traverse’s Korean and Japanese competitors make this technology standard on even entry-level models, and for good reason: it saves lives. Dynamic cruise control avoids the most common collisions, nose-andtail. Lane-keep assist avoids the deadliest, rollovers and head-ons. The latter alone reduces traffic casualties by about 40 percent, according to multiple studies.
American manufacturers jack up the prices of driver-assist technology to boost profits and because they can: Most consumers are still unaware of this technology. It is unconscionable. Modern cars are built to last 15-20 years and through multiple owners. That means 15-20 years from now, peo
ple will be injured or killed needlessly.
We also worry about the Traverse’s less-than-generous warranties: three years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and five years/60,000-mile powertrain. The top-rated midsize SUV, the Kia Telluride, by comparison, offers transferrable 5 years/60,000 miles basic and 10-year/100,000mile powertrain.
This is especially salient for Traverse, which has a history of engine and transmission issues. One had hoped the new transmission might help, but in December GM initiated a program to repair or replace an undisclosed number of the transmissions.
According to GMauthority. blog, owners have reported various problems, including fifth through ninth gears being locked out at times, transmission slip and/or flare-up between the first and second gear upshift, high-pitched noise when decelerating, slippage of the torque converter, a transmission fluid leak and a flashing ‘D’ on the PRNDL display.
The verdict
There is much to like about the Traverse and, with Chevy offering a mild mid-year refreshen billed as a 2022 model, some bargains on 2021 models might be found. Then again, with chip shortages reducing supply and COVID relief checks increasing demand, bargains on new and used cars are hard to find.
Right now, Chevy is offering $2,000 cashback on Traverses.
I would shop for one with a complete driver-assist suite, and this one time I would recommend a transferrable warranty. Given that and a good bargain, the Traverse is a solid B.