Why Growing Families Choose the Chevy Traverse

If you’re looking for the perfect family vehicle, it’s hard to beat today’s full-size, three-row SUVs. Designed with maximizing space, comfort, and convenience in mind, full-size SUVs have come to dominate a sector of the market once ruled by minivans, station wagons, and the like. Of course, not all full-size SUVs are created equal, with some offering a lot more family-friendly focus than others. Within the competitive category, the Chevy Traverse stands out thanks to its spacious cabin, impressive fuel economy, and low starting price.

While the SUV’s long list of attributes speaks for itself, it’s always good to have some numbers to back up what drivers already know. The SUV has been flying off the lot in recent years, with well over 125,000 units moved in 2021 alone, but online Chevy Traverse sales have become an increasingly popular option for drivers looking to upgrade the family ride without spending hours, or even days, bouncing between dealerships in search of the perfect model. So what have drivers so excited about this full-size offering from one of America’s most storied automakers? Join us as we take a look at some factors that set the Traverse apart and make it an ideal choice as a go-to family vehicle.

Ample Cargo Space

Full-size SUVs are often measured by one factor above all else: interior cargo and passenger space. This is especially true for those looking for a roomy family vehicle. In addition to having enough seating for parents and kids alike, many need to provide enough storage for all the groceries, sports equipment, and whatever else a busy family requires to get through the week. By this measure, the Traverse is a true standout in its class, boasting some of the best interior cargo space of any full-size SUV.

In fact, as far as pure cargo capacity is concerned, no other SUV can touch the Chevy Traverse. Recent models from years such as 2021 and 2022 provide a generous 23 cu.ft. of cargo space when all three rows of seats are in use. This is enough space to stow as many as six carry-on suitcases, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Fold down the third-row seat, and that cargo space expands to almost 58 cu.ft., giving busy families more than enough room to accommodate large, bulky items while still being able to fit five passengers comfortably. Those looking for maximum cargo capacity will enjoy up to 98.2 cu.ft. of space with both the second and third rows folded; an impressive stat that makes the Traverse the clear frontrunner in its class where interior space is concerned.

While this sort of space dramatically ups the Traverse’s utility, the SUV’s less heralded storage options set the model apart. Sure, having almost 100 cu.ft. of space can come in handy from time to time, but for most families, the Traverse’s smaller storage options really up the convenience factor. Case in point: the Chevy Traverse features more first-row cubby storage space than any other full-size SUV in the class, giving drivers and first-row passengers plenty of handy, nearby storage options that put all your on-the-go essentials close at hand.

Spacious Seating for All on Board

With the ability to accommodate up to eight passengers, the Traverse has plenty of space for the whole family and maybe even a couple of friends to boot. Not only that, but Chevy’s full-size SUV also emphasizes passenger comfort with roomy, well-designed seats that provide all the support you need to maximize comfort on longer rides. The full-size SUV can be optioned with second-row captain chairs, providing a more comfortable seating option for grown-up passengers and improving ease of access to the third-row seats.

The first-row seats offer the most spacious option for drivers and passengers alike, with 41.3 inches of headroom, 41 inches of legroom, and 62.1 inches of shoulder space. Those figures are slightly downsized on the second row, where passengers will enjoy 40 inches of headroom and 38.4 inches of legroom, but should still be more than enough for all but the lankiest riders. Of course, the back seat is often the make-or-break factor in this breed of three-row SUVs. Some automakers cram the third row in as more of an afterthought, providing a cramped, almost unusable seating option that’s impractical once the kids start to grow up. Chevy has made an effort to avoid this issue with the Traverse, providing passengers with a relatively roomy third-row that boasts 33.5 inches of legroom.

While this type of legroom is well-appreciated, another problem common to three-row SUVs like the Traverse is getting back there in the first place. Automakers have long addressed this issue with second-row seats that pivot forward to allow passengers to scramble into the back, but this rather inelegant solution often requires an almost Olympic level of flexibility.

Chevy has addressed this long-standing flaw by introducing its new Smart Slide seats. Instead of simply pivoting forward, the entire second-row seat is anchored in a track that allows it to slide forward at a touch. Best of all, the Smart Slide seats are designed to remember the precise position they were in before they were moved forward, sliding back into place while maintaining the prior amount of legroom in the second and third rows. It might not seem like much, but it’s little features like that which show just how much time, attention, and real-world testing Chevy put into the Traverse.

Exceptional Fuel Economy

When it comes to what’s under the hood, drivers exploring the full-size, three-row SUV segment are often more concerned with fuel economy than pure power. The Traverse doesn’t require drivers to weigh this trade-off, as recent models are equipped with a powerful 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 310 hp. Given the Traverse’s curb weight of 4,310 lbs, this isn’t exactly going to put you in contention to win any drag races, but it’s an impressive showing in the category, especially when paired with the SUV’s 9-speed automatic transmission. The combination allows the Traverse to speed from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and complete a quarter-mile in just 15.1 while reaching a speed of 94 mph.

That said, fuel economy is still key when talking about a daily driver that can accommodate the whole family, and the Traverse also earns high marks in this category. The SUV is among the best in its class in terms of fuel economy, with some impressive figures that will provide some valuable peace of mind in a time when unpredictable gas prices seem to be the norm.

The ability to achieve north of 20 MPG on the highway has long been the litmus test for fuel efficiency in full-size SUVs, and the Traverse passes said test with flying colors. Models equipped with front-wheel drive have been EPA-tested at around 18 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway, while all-wheel drive models deliver 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. The comparable numbers between the FWD and AWD models are a bit of an anomaly in the class, where drivers are normally asked to sacrifice anywhere from 3-5 MPG when opting for more traction, so it’s nice that Chevy has managed to keep the two versions so close in terms of fuel economy.

So how does the Traverse achieve these impressive fuel efficiency numbers? While some credit has to go to the engineering team that designed the 3.6-liter V6, that’s not the whole story. The 9-speed automatic transmission is an important part of the equation, providing more shift points that ensure maximum efficiency. The SUV also has an almost-seamless automatic start/stop function which conserves fuel by deactivating the engine while stopped at a red light or mired in heavy traffic.

Lastly, Traction Mode Select allows drivers to tweak the Travese’s driving characteristics when faced with challenging surfaces or maximize efficiency for highway driving. On models equipped with AWD, the system can also be fully disconnected from the rear axle, effectively turning an AWD Traverse into a FWD version with all the fuel-saving benefits that come with it.

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