Autoblog’s First Drive of the 2024 Traverse

It was once station wagons, then minivans, but now the 3-row crossover has become the iconic family vehicle. It’s no longer just for families with four or five kids. It could be a family with two or three kids and visiting grandparents who invite everyone out to eat. It could also be a family outing where each kid brings a friend. With kids come their activities where you may find yourself transporting six soccer players, a scouting patrol, or the middle school’s saxophone section. In this case, you will probably need some cargo space as well. 

The Chevrolet Traverse has always provided generous space and seating. Still, its 2024 redesign improves the package with more power, technology, style, and safety. Autoblog reported on their first drive of the redesigned Traverse, and this McFarland Chevrolet blog post tells you what they had to say. 

Smaller Engine + Turbo = More Power

Traverse is now powered by a new 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4. It produces 18 more horsepower than the 3.6-liter V6 it replaces, for a total of 328. More impressive is the 60 more lb-ft of torque for a total of 326. The engine is combined with an 8-speed transmission, and together, they also provide greater city efficiency, with an EPA estimated city/highway/combined mpg of 20 / 27 / 23 with front-wheel drive and 19 / 24 / 21 with AWD. 

Smaller Engine = More Spacious Cabin

Technically, the Traverse is about an inch and a half shorter than the previous model. A smaller engine bay allows for a larger cabin that increases legroom by about three inches each for the first and second row. The Autoblog 6-foot author found he could set his driver’s position and then comfortably sit behind himself in both the 2nd and 3rd rows. Cargo space remains effectively unchanged, with 22.9 cubic feet behind the 3rd row. This grows to 57 cubic feet with the 3rd-row seats down and a class-leading 97.6 cubic feet with the 2nd- and 3rd-row seats folded. The Traverse retains its 5,000 lb. maximum towing capacity. 

A Major Tech and Safety Upgrade

Inside is an all-new instrument panel featuring a best-in-class standard 17.7-inch touchscreen. Google Built-in is the operating system, which includes standard Google Maps for navigation and other Google apps available for download. Also standard is wireless smartphone compatibility, while wireless charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot are available. Six standard USB ports keep everyone’s devices charged. 

As a family vehicle, the new Traverse has an even greater concentration in safety. The standard Chevy Safety Assist system includes:

• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Forward Collision Alert
• Following Distance Indicator
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• IntelliBeam® High Beam Assist
• Front Pedestrian Braking

Other standard safety systems on the Traverse include:

• Rear Park Assist
• Safety Alert Seat
• HD Rear Vision Camera
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Cross Traffic Braking
• Blind Zone Steering Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• HD Surround Vision
• Speed Limit Assist
• Traffic Sign Recognition
• Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking
• Side Bicyclist Alert
• Rear Pedestrian Alert
• Reverse Automatic Braking

As it is a long list, we will repeat that HD Surround Vision is standard on all models, which is very rare in this and most other segments. The industry-leading Super Cruise highway hands-free driving system is standard on the RS and available on the LT and Z71 trims. With over 400,000 highway miles mapped in North America and a goal of 750,000 miles by the end of this year, you will likely be surprised at the places Super Cruise will work, just as Autoblog was when they found the system operable on a simple 2-lane highway.

Styling that Manages to be More Refined and Rugged 

The 3rd-generation Traverse now has a muscular squared-off stance that more closely resembles the brand’s trucks. The front end carries on Chevrolet’s crossover design language, inspired by the Camero’s design. It is a look that fits with both the street-focused RS trim and the off-road capable Z71.

The Z71 Gets Off-Road Serious

The Z71 is a new trim level, and anyone familiar with Chevy nomenclature can guess it is the most off-road-focused. More than a mere appearance package, it features smallish 18-inch wheels wrapped in large sidewall all-terrain tires. Ground clearance is raised by 1.2 inches, and an aluminum skid plate up front and a steel plate protect vitals. 

The Z71 AWD system also includes a dual-clutch at the rear to enable torque vectoring for improved dexterity on and off the pavement. Unique dampers with hydraulic rebound control improve off-road capability. Hill Descent Control and the addition of a terrain mode assist the driver, enabling one-pedal driving to help you slowly crawl over obstructions in your path. 

Autoblog drove a Z71 on rutted dirt two-tracks and lumpy grass, where they felt comfortable keeping a 40 to 45 mph pace. They found the Z71 more than capable of handling “the sort of conditions you’d encounter on your way to a cabin or a campsite deep in the woods.” They found the terrain mode useful, as was the HD Surround Vision, which enabled them to spot obstructions to avoid. Autoblog appreciated that the camera system wasn’t limited to crawling speed, as with Toyota systems. 

Autoblog Approves

Autoblog’s first drive left a positive first impression, and we will likely see a full road test from them in the future. In the meantime, they conclude: “It drives well, it’s roomy, the tech is good, it’s far more stylish than before and its new trim levels cater to a greater variety of tastes. It’s much more worthy of your consideration than before…”

Chevrolet knows the needs of American families so the redesigned Traverse should be on the consideration list of anyone interested in a 3-row crossover. 2024 Traverse production was delayed, so models are just on their way to the McFarland Chevrolet inventory as this is written. You can contact one of our sales professionals to have them inform you when the first models arrive. Your family will thank you.