The interior of our 2018 Chevy Traverse tester has many shades of gray. (Staff Photo by Mark Kennedy)The all-new 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has shed 350 pounds, and like all of us after a successful diet, it has reason to feel good about itself.
Chevy's mid-size Traverse, assembled in Michigan, carries up to eight passengers, although our Silver Ice Metallic tester was configured with second-row captains chairs that cut seating to seven.
With the Traverse, Chevrolet is trying to stake out the sweet spot in the SUV market by providing middle-class families with comfortable transportation with plenty of interior space to make road trips and car-pooling a snap.
The redesigned SUV is said to have about 10 percent more interior volume than the previous generation. With the seats folded flat, the Traverse has a class-leading 98.2 feet of cargo space.
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-Just the Facts: The Traverse is a three-row family SUV that slots in the Chevy line-up between the smaller Equinox and the larger Tahoe. It's sized for families with growing children and comfortably accommodates 7-8 passengers.
-Drivetrain: The engine in our tester is a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 310 horsepower and is able to launch the big, 4,500-pound SUV from zero-to-60 mph in under seven seconds. The V-6 is mated to a slick shifting nine-speed automatic transmission that is earning plaudits among automotive journalists for its smooth operation and well-spaced shift points. A four-cylinder turbo-charged engine that makes 255-horsepower is standard in lower trim models, but we recommend reaching for the V-6.
-Design/Styling: The Traverse's exterior design is handsome, if somewhat generic. The hexagonal grille makes a bold statement for the bowtie brand, and the wheelwells are gently flared for an aggressive stance. Five-spoke painted aluminum wheels are fairly pedestrian on our 3LT tester, and the plastic lower body panels may prevent paint chips but they also flag our SUV as a mid-trim model.
Inside, the Traverse has well-padded leather seats, and for families, we highly recommend the wipe-off versatility of leather upholstery. The interior color palette is several shades of gray. More contrasting colors to create visual interest would be nice.
-Where, and How Much: Both Chattanooga Chevrolet dealerships, Integrity Chevrolet on Chapman Road and Mountain View Chevrolet on 20th Street, have 2018 Traverses in stock this week. Traverse pricing ranges from $28,700 on the low end to $52,995 on the top end. Out tester, which is nicely equipped, splits the difference at $42,095.
-Things We Liked: GM's available 4G LTE hot-spot is great for data-eating families. We also cherish the standard "rear-seat reminder" that reminds parents to check the back seats lest they leave kids in a hot car.
-Why It's Good for Chattanooga Customers: The Chevy Traverse is designed for heartland customers. Its available all-wheel-drive is important to mountain dwellers who may need to climb icy roads to get home in the winter.
-What We Could Live Without: The ignition, start-stop technology is great for boosting fuel economy - 27 mpg highway, 18 mpg city - but the slight hesitation when you need a quick start is a bit unsettling.
-Also Look At: Chevy Traverse buyers may want to cross-shop the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot.