2020 Chevrolet Traverse

 While all seven trims look appealing, we recommend you go with the LT Cloth trim. This trim paired with the Convenience and Driver Confidence package is the perfect combo for your Traverse. This trim adds an 8-way power driver's seat, second-row captain chairs, satellite radio, 18-inch aluminum wheels, fog lights, and roof rails. 

Inside, you’ll find loads of amenities ranging from advanced driver assists to the latest in Wi-Fi and onboard connectivity- Autotrader

Similar to the outgoing model, the Chevrolet Traverse is offered in seven trims, L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS, Premier, and High Country. Each trim is competitively priced to the next one. The base L trim retail as low as $29,800 while the top-end High Country trim has a starting price of $50,900. Except for the L trim level, FWD and AWD configurations are available on all models. 

Every trim level comes with a unique feature list. Besides this, Chevy also offers a few optional packages to upgrade the comfort and technological features according to the buyer's needs. The $1,795 Convenience and Driver Confidence package add an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, power tailgate, heated front seats, remote start, rear park assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. 

Also Read:

• Read our detailed review of the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV

The ride is top-notch, with tall-sidewall tires and a soft suspension soaking up bumps and impacts- Edmunds

The main powertrain change for the Chevy Traverse this year is that the turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been discontinued. The 3.6L V6 is a standard set up under the hood that is capable of mustering 310 hp and 266 lb-ft. of torque. The torquey V6 feels sturdy and eager to pump power. It is paired with a slick 9-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse can tow up to 5,000 pounds, which is great for a midsize SUV. 

Driving the Traverse feels like a normal-sized car and not an SUV. The Traverse is nimble but suffers from a little body lean around the corners. It's acceptable for a car weighing over 4000 pounds. Engineers crafted the suspension for comfort so it feels soft rather than being laser-focused on driving. The larger bumps are soaked up with ease through the softer suspension and the small bumps are backed by the seat lateral support.

From a standstill, the Traverse takes 6.5 seconds to hit the 60 MPH mark. Now, considering the size and weight of the vehicle, acceleration is really good. It further covers a quarter of a mile in 15.1 seconds and has a top speed of 130 MPH. The Traverse manages to offer decent acceleration but its heavy curb weight pays a toll on the braking performance. During the brake test, the Traverse took 126 feet to come to a smooth rest from 60 MPH. 

The Traverse is the most powerful SUV in the segment with its V6 engine but it's the Honda Pilot with the best performance stats thanks to its low stance and less curb weight. The Ford Explorer is a pinch slower than the Traverse but its towing capacity is the best in this competition. The Toyota Highlander's V6 isn't athletic enough and hence, shows slow acceleration. 

Also Read:

• Find out the expected price & features of the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Regular Cab

Among three-row crossovers, the 2020 Traverse keeps pace with its fuel economy- The Car Connection

Fuel economy for a mid-sized SUV has always been a mix-bag, still, the Chevy Traverse delivers pretty fair numbers when it comes to mileage. The MPG numbers for FWD models include 18 MPG in the city, 27 MPG on a highway, and 21 MPG combined. The combined gas mileage drops down by 1 MPG in the case of AWD models. 

 The Traverse gets different tank sizes depending on the drivetrain selected. Models with an FWD drivetrain get a 19.4-gallon fuel tank fitted while the AWD models substitute it for a larger 21.7 gallon. Therefore, a combined range of 407 miles is available in standard drivetrain whereas AWD models deliver 434 miles, owing to the large fuel tank. 

Both the Ford Explorer and the Toyota Highlander display excellent fuel efficiency and deliver the same combined range. The Honda Pilot is slightly more efficient than the Traverse leaving behind the Traverse to the last place. The Traverse also has the least mileage but 407 miles should be enough for commuting on a weekend trip. 

Also Read:

• Check out the detailed review of the 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS

If you're looking for comfortable and quiet family transport above all else, the Traverse should be on your short list- Edmunds

The interior quality of the Chevy Traverse looks upscale, there is a lot of soft textures and the Premium and High Country trim get the best of it. You get seating for 8 but Chevy gave the captain chairs option which makes that 7. The front row seats are the most comfortable as the mammoth-like boxy design delivers more cabin space than necessary. They come with heated and power adjustability on higher trims. 

Stepping in and out of the cabin is easy. The second-row seats are also comfortable with sufficient head and legroom to endure long trips. Replacing the second bench row with captain chairs opens up space in the middle which gives easy access to the third row. The third-row seats are not a pain either, a six-footer can easily squeeze back into the seats, but he won’t enjoy a long ride due to low legroom space.

The 7-inch touchscreen on lower trims and an 8-inch touchscreen on higher models is mounted at the center of the dash. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard features even for the entry-level Traverse. There is no noticeable delay with any menu either. However, you may have too, extend your reach to actually use the touch screen. The system is paired to a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system on the RS trim and up otherwise six speakers are standard. 

If you talk about core practicality, the Traverse is one of the best in the segment. Trunk space of 23 cu-ft. is offered, which is the best in its class. This space increases to 57.8 cu-ft. if the third-row seats are folded. Maximum cargo space of 98.2 cu-ft. is available once the second-row seats are also folded. Get all your clothes, bags, and extra supplies for the future, and still, there will be more space to use. Some main Traverse's cabin highlights are:

• Power tilt & telescopic leather heated steering wheel
• Power front leather, heated seats
• Heated rear seats
• Second-row captain chairs
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Cloth & leather upholstery
• Remote engine start
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Hands-free power tailgate
• 7 & 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 10-speaker Bose premium audio system
• Wireless charging
• Rear-seat entertainment system

Chevy got the Traverse’s styling exactly right- Kelly Blue Book

Chevrolet built a rugged beast in a gentleman’s skin, the Traverse’s design is true to its big and bold styling. The grille design looks simple with horizontal bars. The High Country trim has a special grille that has chrome on the inside bars whereas the other trims get a blacked-out grille. The fine lines on the hood and the sides look sharp shredding the bulky SUV looks. The body design delivers more headroom and compliments the humongous look, so that works out for the Traverse. Only the Premier and High Country trims feature LED headlamps whereas other trims settle for HID projector lamps.

 Fog lamps are available from the LT Cloth trim onwards. As far as wheels are concerned, only the base two trims come with 18-inch alloys while the rest of the lineup gets 20-inch wheels. The longer wheelbase gives it a better chance to endure rocky pavements with ease. However, the wider turning radius makes it difficult to park in tight spaces. There is no other SUV in the mid-size segment bigger than the Traverse, henceforth no competition here. The rear design of the Traverse resembles the Tahoe and Equinox. A chrome strip runs in the middle and on either side are LED taillights.

The low ground clearance of the Honda Pilot equals better handling and agility. The Toyota Highlander's wheelbase is significantly shorter than the Traverse. This speaks for its cramped third row. The Ford Explorer's short overall length can be an advantage while parking in tight spaces. Some main Traverse's exterior features are given below:

• LED automatic high-beam headlights
• LED DRLs
• LED taillights
• Fog lamps
• Door courtesy lights
• Auto-dimming exterior mirrors
• Chrome roof rails
• Chrome grille with active grille shutters
• Chrome door handles
• Dual exhaust chrome tips
• Rear roofline spoiler
• Chrome window trim
• 18 & 20-inch wheels

Unfortunately, most driver-assistance features are only available on the two highest-priced trims- CarAndDriver

The Chevy Traverse doesn't fall short in terms of safety. NHTSA gave the Traverse a full 5-star rating for its response in all crash tests. Similarly, in all six crash tests conducted by IIHS, the Traverse earned a 'Good' rating. It also received a 'Superior' rating for the front crash prevention but its headlights were rated 'Acceptable'. 

As far as safety features are concerned, this year a new feature called buckle to drive was added to Chevy's Teen Driver. This feature gives a reminder to buckle up before heading on the road. The Traverse comes with limited driver-assist features but an optional Driver Confidence II package is available for $625 that adds some of them. These include:

• Teen Driver
• Rearview camera
• Rear-seat reminder
• Surround-view camera
• Adaptive cruise control
• Rear parking sensors
• Lane keep assist
• Forward collision warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Forward automatic emergency braking
• Front pedestrian braking
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane departure warning

2020 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2020 Ford Explorer

Although similarly powered, the Traverse retails at a lesser price than the Ford Explorer. Both the SUVs are competitive in terms of performance but the Explorer leads with a better towing capacity and fuel efficiency. The Explorer feels roomier on the inside but it seats only seven people and its cargo space is also on the lower side. Safety-conscious buyers will prefer the Explorer as it bundles more standard driver aids than the Traverse.

2020 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2020 Honda Pilot

The Honda Pilot has a higher initial price than the Traverse. Despite making less power, its agility is really good and delivers a laid-back driving experience. The Pilot is also slightly better in matters of fuel economy. Both the SUVs are spacious but the Pilot's cabin feels a bit more classy. The Pilot also has an edge in terms of cargo capacity but losses to the Traverse with regards to infotainment equipment. The Pilot takes a bold step by offering more standard active safety features. 

2020 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2020 Toyota Highlander

The Toyota Highlander is considerably expensive than the Traverse. The Highlander's V6 isn't punchier in terms of performance but is more efficient than the Traverse. One of the main drawbacks of the Highlander is its cramped third-row while its cargo room is also less than the Traverse. However, the key winning point of the Highlander is its long list of standard driver-assist features. On the other hand, the traverse offers just three standard safety features. 

The bigger it is the better it gets; seems like GM truly believes in the notion with the Chevy Traverse. Being the roomiest SUV in the midsize segment, the  Traverse is one hell of a buy. You get a sonorous V6 engine as standard, acceptable efficiency, and more space than you can make use of. Some would appreciate the sweet simplistic body along with the upscale interior but would like more trailering and ergonomic numbers. Overall, the Traverse competes well and is a more sensible choice when you consider the price and the amounts of features you get.