First Drive Review
In the 20 or so years that minivans were the preferred transportation device for many families, General Motors never produced one that was worth a hoot. A good chunk of the company’s lost market share during those bad old days came from this failure to deliver what the market wanted. Fortunately for GM, current shoppers looking for roomy family transport are gravitating to large, carlike SUVs.
Minivan Masquerading as an SUV
GM was ready with a fresh family of SUVs as this trend was taking off. There were four of them—the Saturn Outlook, the GMC Acadia, the Buick Enclave, and the Chevrolet Traverse—all spawned from the Lambda platform. (The Outlook, like all who wore the Saturn badge, is now dead.) Although the Traverse was the last to be introduced—as a 2009 model—it is the most affordable and has been the bestseller, with more than 400,000 units moved since its introduction.
In the category of three-row crossovers, however, the Traverse has never achieved sales leadership. When we tested it shortly after its introduction in late 2008, we liked its vast interior space, well-controlled ride motions, and solid structure. But the Traverse’s large size—more than a foot longer than some competitors—begot mucho mass.
As a result, despite sharp steering, the Traverse didn’t deliver the responsive handling that characterized the best in the segment. Despite having the most powerful engine in the class, it felt sluggish, due to a since-abandoned transmission shift strategy that dumped unsuspecting drivers in fifth or sixth gear at school zone speeds. Further, it delivered the worst observed fuel mileage in its only comparison test appearance, where it finished fifth out of six. (The crossover class has moved further onward and upward, too, as that comparo’s winner finished third of three in its most recent showdown.) And unlike its Buick Enclave sister ship, the Traverse was finished inside with rude, hard-plastic surfaces and ill-fitting trim misaligned from dash to door panels.
Nip Here, Tuck There
For 2013, the Traverse gets a major face lift, and several of these problems are addressed. The clean-shaven liftgate of the 2012 Traverse has now been replaced with a more-conventional-looking rear hatch sporting a proper license-plate holder. Size and (unfortunately) weight have not changed, as most customers seem happy with the Traverse’s space and utility. But Chevy has upgraded the interior with a new soft-touch dashboard and door uppers.
