‘09 Chevy Traverse is comfortable crossover
Print
Email
Save
Reprints
Twitter
Share
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
The Traverse, Chevrolet’s 2009 entry into a crowded crossover field, is larger than it looks.
Sleekly styled and modeled after the 2008 Malibu, the Traverse is closer to the size of an SUV than a crossover, offering lots of headroom, seating for eight and more room behind the third row than many of its competitors.
It has a new 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission that delivers 281 horsepower and 266 lb.-ft. of torque, slightly more with the optional dual exhausts.
My front-wheel drive test Traverse had more than enough spunk, and several times I inadvertently squealed the tires when pulling away from red lights. The towing capacity of the Traverse is 5,200 lbs., which is plenty for most of the boats and toys we haul around here. Mileage estimates are 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 mpg on the highway.
The Traverse comes in three models, the LS, LT and LTZ in both front- and all-wheel drive. My test vehicle, the base LS model with no options, had a standard vehicle price of $28,225, and a bottom line of $29,065.
The Traverse has a low step-in height, elongated side glass and low seats. But looks can be deceiving. The Traverse has an overall length of 205 inches, an overall width of 78.4 inches and an overall height of 72.8 inches (with roof rails.) These dimensions put the Traverse on the big side of crossovers.
On the inside, Traverse is all Chevrolet, starting with the dual-cockpit design that flows into the doors. The interior can be configured to seat seven or eight people, depending on the second row. In the eight-passenger configuration, the second row 60/40 split bench is replaced with captain’s chairs. The third row is also a 60/40 split.
The deep dashboard allows for a cleverly located storage compartment in the center of the dash in both the Traverse and its cousin the Malibu. The test Traverse had good — not great — cloth bucket seats, front and rear air conditioning, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel with controls, and an AM/FM CD player with XM Satellite Radio. There was a $75 charge for a spare tire option — it replaces a tire sealant and inflator kit. It’s hard for me to imagine a spare tire ever being an option, but more and more manufacturers are doing it.
Visibility from the driver’s seat is limited in back, so the optional rear ultrasonic parking assist and rearview camera are worth consideration.
One thing sure to please Mom and Dad is the Traverse’s safety rating. The vehicle has earned five out of five stars when it comes to frontal and side crashes for all passengers, and earned a 2009 Top Safety Pick Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That’s about as good as it gets when it comes to keeping occupants from harm in a crash. The Traverse has anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, tire pressure monitoring, six airbags including head curtains in all three rows, turn-by-turn navigation and OnStar.
Overall, the Traverse is a well-mannered family vehicle with good handling skills and an interesting design. Add in the safety marks and the low price, and the new Traverse should make itself quite comfortable in the crossover utility vehicle segment.
 | ||||
| Most Popular | Most Emailed | Hot Topics | ||
