Over the last couple of decades, what is often referred to by marketers as the mid-size, three-row crossover has become an increasingly important segment in the U.S. automotive market. After the minivan reached its peak in the 1990s and began a steady decline, families increasingly opted for these larger car-based SUVs. This was despite the fact that in many respects they were functionally inferior to minivans for carrying human cargo. Chevrolet is just now launching the third-generation of its entry into this segment, the 2024 Traverse, and we’ve had our first chance to drive it.
Like a number of other descriptors such as “first-ever” and “best-in-class,” “all-new” is a term often misused and abused by marketers. But in the case of the new Traverse, all-new is pretty close to accurate. There are some non-visible bits that may be carried over but most of the important bits including the design are definitely new.
That starts with the design that has gotten progressively more truck-like through its three generations. That means the new generation has a more square-jawed, rugged stance than ever before. The front end looks much more like the body-on-frame Traverse with a bold, upright grille. The back end has elements of the smaller crossovers in the lineup including the split taillamps. The C-pillar is a new look with a triangular bit of sheetmetal that extends about two-thirds of the up from the beltline to the roof and the same look has been replicated for the new gas-powered Equinox.
It’s always been a bit odd for Chevrolet to refer to the Traverse as a midsize SUV since in the first two generations it was actually slightly longer than the full-size Tahoe. The current generation Tahoe has grown several inches longer it is about 2-inches wider, but the Traverse has always been at the upper end of the three-row crossover segment dimensionally.
While Chevrolet calls the Traverse all-new, it does ride on an updated version of the same platform as the last generation. The wheelbase is still about 121-inches (the same as the Tahoe) and overall length is actually down slightly from 205.9-inches to 204.5-inches. While the architecture is the same, only the roof panel is carried over. Most other bits have been modified.
This starts with the new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that replaces the 3.6-liter V6 across the board. It shares some architectural elements with the 2.7-liter used in the trucks, but only a few ancillary components are common with the larger engine. Now turned sideways, the block and head are different and most ancillary components are now electrified including the intake camshaft phaser and the coolant pump. This reduces the parasitic loads on the engine and improves the responsiveness of the variable valve timing. The 2.5-liter is more powerful than both the old V6 and the 2.7-liter with 328-hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. That also makes it the most powerful in the segment apart from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 in the Explorer ST. All 2024 Traverses use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The trim combinations have been simplified for 2024 with the LS and LT anchoring the lineup with the Z71 and RS at the top. The Z71 is new to the Traverse lineup and follows the trend of having a more rugged, off-road oriented variant like the Honda Pilot Trailsport and Ford Explorer Timberline.
Chevrolet is under no illusions that the Traverse Z71 is a rock crawler to compete with the Wrangler or Bronco. For that they direct customers to the Colorado ZR2 or GMC Canyon AT4X. But that doesn’t mean the Traverse Z71 is strictly a mall-crawling poser. It rides on 18-inch wheels with Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires that provide extra ground clearance along with the unique springs. There are two skid plates, an aluminum plate under the bumper and a beefier steel plate under the drivetrain. There’s also a dual clutch AWD system to vector torque to whichever rear wheel has more traction.
There are tow hooks in the front bumper and special dampers hydraulic jounce stops. The dampers in both the Z71 and RS models are passive but feature special valving that increasing the damping rate as the travel increases to minimize the chance of slamming to the ends.
We had the chance to drive the Z71 off-road, on a trail that wouldn’t challenge the Wrangler or Boronco, but was tough enough to be interesting. The Z71 is meant to get you and your family or friends down a tough two-track to a vacation cabin. There are no locking differentials or low-range transfer case. But the off-road mode allows for more wheel slip to help climb over loose terrain and smaller rocks.
There is also a terrain mode that provides for one pedal driving. It’s not the sort of trail control that Ford offers that holds your speed while you focus on steering, but lifting off the accelerator will slow you to a stop, just like an EV so you don’t need to go back and forth between gas and brake. The surround cameras can also be kept on at speeds up to about 25 mph to aid in maneuvering what is a fairly large vehicle. There was surprisingly little head toss on the rougher terrain.
On road, the Z71 provides a fairly compliant ride thanks in part to the taller sidewalls on those all-terrain tires. However, as expected, those same tires feel more squirmy than the tires on the RS.
The RS as the name implies is meant to be the sportier feeling street vehicle. It rides on 22-inch, gloss black, alloy wheels that combine with the black fascia and trim to give a slightly sinister appearance. The black theme extends inside and is combined with red accents on the seats, dashboard and door panels.
While we don’t agree with all of GM’s recent product planning decisions, we do applaud that they have opted to keep a mix of physical controls for audio and climate control along with the large screens. Speaking of screens, the Traverse uses the same 17.7-inch center touchscreen found in the Blazer EV along with the 11-inch instrument display. That cluster display also has a hood to minimize the potential for glare. The infotainment system is the same Android Automotive setup with Google services found in all newer GM vehicles except the Trax and Buick Envista and it worked flawlessly in the Traverse. Users can log into their Google accounts and download a variety of messaging, media streaming and other apps to use.
Super Cruise is included standard on the RS and is optional on the Z71 and LT. Three years of connectivity services to support the infotainment and Super Cruise and then after that, customers will need to pay for a subscription.
We tried Super Cruise on both the Z71 and RS and it worked as well as it does on all other GM vehicles. This remains the best hands-free driving assist system on the market, but it’s important to remember that it’s not self-driving, you must keep your eyes on the road and be prepared to grab the wheel and the brake pedal at any time.
The current generation of Super Cruise is capable of operating on more then 400,000 miles of roads in North America and that now includes divided highways, but also two and four-lane rural highways. It worked surprisingly well on some twisty Georgia roads, maintaining the lane and dropping speed as needed to get around tighter curves. However, since the system doesn’t respond to traffic signals, it’s not recommended to use it in towns or anywhere sightlines are limited.
Overall, the Traverse was surprisingly quiet on the road with little wind or road noise transmitted into the cabin, even with the all-terrain tires on the Z71. The new engine provides plenty of performance for all normal driving conditions. When accelerating hard, the engine can be heard, but it’s not too offensive and certainly nothing like listening to Toyota hybrid revving its CVT. We didn’t get to do any towing so it’s unclear how well the Traverse would do with a 5,000-lb trailer hooked up.
The only real complaint we had about the Traverse is that the front seats aren’t all that comfortable or supportive. As always, that’s a very subjective evaluation that every prospective customer should evaluate for themselves since every body is different.
Overall, the 2024 is a very capable competitor in the upper midsize three-row crossover class which is now populated by some very impressive performers. It should be on the consideration list for someone looking for a modern family hauler that doesn’t want a van. The front-wheel drive LS starts at $38,995 with the AWD-only Z71 going for $47,795 and the AWD RS for $57,595. The 2024 Chevrolet Traverse is shipping to dealers now.
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