Fresh off last year's total redesign, Chevrolet's largest crossover comes to the rescue of families who need all the space they can get. With seating for eight and class-leading cargo space, the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse deserves its ubiquitous presence on the American crossover scene.
What's New for 2019
Aside from minor equipment revisions, the Traverse is unchanged for 2019.
Choosing Your Chevrolet Traverse
The Traverse's main virtue has always been interior room. It really can accommodate eight adults spread across three rows, or seven with the optional second-row captain's chairs. With a full crew aboard, the Traverse handles up to 23 cubic feet of cargo. This capability grows to 58.1 cubic feet with the second row folded, and a whopping 98.2 cubic feet with all seats out of the way. A 10-inch deep storage well hides under the floor.
Most models carry a 3.6-liter V6 engine that delivers 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This engine is EPA-rated at 18 miles per gallon city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 combined with front-wheel drive, or 17/25/20 mpg (city/highway/combined) with all-wheel drive. The sporty RS trim gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Available only with front-wheel drive, the 2.0-liter is rated 20/26/22 mpg.
The Traverse covers a lot of market territory across its seven trim levels:
CarsDirect Tip
The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse L exists mainly for advertising purposes and isn't usually stocked by dealers. The LS is the real base model, but it's still too stingy on equipment for most families. The LT provides the best balance of features and price, and can be scaled up without going overboard. For buyers who want all the safety technology Chevy has to offer, only the Premiere or High Country will do.
Still hot off a 2017 upgrade, the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse hits the road with style and plenty of substance. It’s a family hauler, built to carry up to eight passengers in comfort. Its workmanlike attitude is well placed in a competitive class, and while it’s not perfect, the Traverse isn’t hard to like.
Best Value
You won’t find many base-spec Traverses on dealership lots, and that’s not a bad thing. Given that nearly all models share the same heart – a willing 310-horsepower V6 – choosing a trim comes down to the right blend of features and value. In our opinion, even the LS trim is too spartan.
Instead, we’d skip up to the Traverse LT Cloth, which includes a few welcome creature comforts like an eight-way power driver’s seat, heated side mirrors, fog lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It still allows access to safety tech, but won’t inflate prices into luxury SUV territory. All-wheel drive is available, but it’s a primitive system that we wouldn’t recommend unless your climate requires it. Parking sensors, however, are all but a necessity with the Traverse’s bulk.
Ours would look like this:
Model: 2019 Chevrolet Traverse LT Cloth
Engine: 3.6-liter V6
Output: 310 hp / 266 lb-ft
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive
MPG: 18 City / 27 Hwy
Options:Convenience and Driver Confidence Package ($1,795, eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, 4.2-inch driver information display, heated front seats, universal home remote, remote start, power liftgate, lane change alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking assist)
Base Price: $36,495 (including a $1,195 destination fee)
Best Value Price:$38,290
Performance
Chevy technically offers two engines with the Traverse, but one is a bit of a mystery. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is only available on a single trim in front-wheel drive, and it’s no sportier and barely more efficient. Most buyers will get the V6, and that’s a good thing. It has power aplenty, and the nine-speed transmission is a willing companion. The ride matches the cabin’s comfort with a modern suspension that absorbs most turbulence.
On the downside, the two gas engines are the only options, without a plug-in, hybrid, or diesel in sight. Efficiency is poor, and the Traverse achieves a maximum of just 22 miles per gallon combined. Like the people-carrier it is, the Traverse also pitches heavily in the corners. It’s a comfortable drive, but not an exciting one.
Style
The Traverse shares plenty of design cues with Chevy’s line of trucks, lending a utilitarian edge to the SUV’s sharp but graceful shape. A newly taller grille is balanced by slim headlights and taillights, and the overall impression is a cut above most family crossovers. Inside, the cabin can be either leather-clad luxury or wash-ready plastic, but it’s always well put together. Best of all, there’s plenty of space for both passengers and cargo. All three rows will fit adults, and useful storage spaces abound. Behind the seats is a generous 23 cubic feet of space, which will expand up to a staggering 98 cubic feet with the rear rows removed.
Base trims of the Traverse are reasonably priced, but the options list gets pricey in a hurry. To make matters worse, some useful active safety features (like automatic emergency braking) are confined to the expensive upper trims. The Traverse has achieved good crash ratings so far, but other brands are more liberal with their safety technology, and we wish Chevy had followed their lead.
The Best and Worst Things
The Traverse checks all the right boxes for an all-around family vehicle...except for one: accessible modern safety tech.
Right For? Wrong For?
The Traverse is great for big families with big needs. It has USB chargers for every row, more cupholders than a movie theater, and a third row fit for people over 13. Plenty of customizability means that most families can find a sweet spot.
The Traverse still suffers a little from its old-fashioned package. Many crossovers deliver more of a complete package nowadays, including better efficiency, technology, and driving dynamics. Buyers who don’t need quite so much space can find more sophisticated options elsewhere.
The Bottom Line
Aside from a few quibbles with the powertrain and the options list, the 2019 Chevy Traverse is a polished package. It’s not premium enough to compete with the luxury badges, but it has a sense of identity and utility. A strong engine, a stylish exterior, and a capacious cabin add up to a car the whole family can enjoy.
Read Less
Specs & Features
Highlights
Overall Crash Safety Rating
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
Engine - Cylinders/Horsepower/Torque
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
3.6L V-6 / 310 HP / 266 ft.lbs.
Transmission
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
9-spd Driver Shift Control w/OD
Drive Type
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
Front-wheel
Fuel Economy - City/Highway/Combined
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
18 / 27 / 22 Mpg
Passenger Capacity
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
8
Bumper to Bumper Warranty
This Safety Rating comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which evaluates how this vehicle performs in crash tests. NHTSA conducts frontal, side and rollover tests because these types account for the majority of crashes on America's roadways. This Overall Crash Safety Rating combines scores for these three crash tests.
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