2014 Chevy Traverse LS FWD

[regfootball]

on its way bear with me

 

DRIVEN

 

slightly used 2014 Chevy Traverse LS FWD, not sure the MSRP

 

HIGHS

 

Snappy powertrain.  Transmission shifts quick and finds the right gear, engine doesn't really have too much of a flat spot and revs nicely in this rig.

Good passing power.

Good driving position, passenger too.  Good view out the front and not much hood to look over.

Comfortable front row seats.  Nice and wide for AMURCHAN butts.

Feels decently carlike, for its size.  Definitely not trucky like a Trailblazer.

Steering that is neither too slow or too fast.  And feels not too bad.

Ride and bumps are nicely absorbed yet there is still a little feel.

Not noisy inside.

Clear gauges and mostly otherwise easy to use controls.

Interesting dash design.

Good ground clearance.

Accommodates third row passengers better than most.

Some may like the second row sliding seating.

Plentiful cargo area.

 

LOWS

 

Sure i had the LS trim in gray but man it felt cheap inside.  Cheap Chevy plastic all over.  Thin steering wheel.

Can I add cheap burlappy seat fabric while I am at it?

SMALL MIRRORS.  On an SUV, unforgivable.

Radio unit, IMO should be up higher in the center stack, especially for touch screen or nav operations.

Engine a bit raspy, depending on how hard you push it.

Second row seating is tight.  Seat bottoms are low, and footspace under the front seat is tough to come by.  Rather curious considering its a tall vehicle.  Blame the super high floor for ground clearance.

Second row sliding seat mechanics feel flimsy, take too much effort to operate, and overall don't seem like they will hold up over time.

Rear doors are kind of narrow. Tough for loading kids in car seats and squeezing into the third row.

Steering wheel only comes up so high and is not adjustable fore and aft.

This is a 'sitting on' vehicle, rather than 'sitting in'....and i sort of like 'sitting in'.

Lots of Deja Vu here, even though the package is good, its feeling a bit old.

Missing some wow factor.  No passion for this thing really.

Repeat : cheap interior (yes i know it is an LS)

 

SUMMARY

 

Really the best way to sum up the Traverse (and all the Lambadas)  is to say there are reasons they are so successful.  They hit the basics many were looking for in the three row crossover segment quite well.  A nice combination of ample room and space, but in a maneuverable package.  The powertrain has enough juice to pull the load, and feels sporty and car like in the process.  The styling has been a hit, and has weathered time very well (even if it is showing its age a bit).  

 

Interestingly too, they hold their value well, which can be rare for GM products sometimes.

 

I can't really say anything scathing about the Traverse, aside from my impression of the cheap interior on the LS.  Also, to me, the touchscreen location being low on the center stack is something I dislike.  But the rest of the vehicle is pretty solid.  There is lots to like.  It just doesn't feel like anything amazing or special........

 

I think some of the interior miscues and such, I will stick on a B+.  I suppose if I had a leather LTZ with the captains chairs, maybe that would sweeten the pot for me.  But these vehicles are expensive to start with.  An LTZ gets pricey.  At those higher prices, it had better blow me away.  I may have to go sample a nice AWD LTZ for comparison.

 

I am surprised there has never really been an optional powertrain on these things.  A twin turbo v6 like Fords would be perfect, well at least for say the Acadia Denali or some of the Enclaves.

 

Sidebar: I am actually shopping, we might buy something soon, so in this case its a real review for a possible purchase.  Where I am at as far as that goes.....I feel like if i ended up with one, i would like it OK.....but I am not in love or blown away with the idea of owning one.  To be honest, its lacking some personality.  That said, i think they are very good vehicles with a nice dose of carlike behavior, and I would recommend them to lots of people.  A good basic middle class people mover. Perhaps the Acadia version would be more my flavor.

Edited October 13, 2014 by regfootball