The balance that needs to be achieved in the SUV world is amazing. We have a myriad of vehicles that claim to be SUVs that simply have a bit of a higher ride height or more cargo space than the sedans on the market. What these other SUVs lack Chevrolet has put into the Traverse. The Traverse sits high up, similar to its big brother the Tahoe, but gives you more maneuverability with a smaller build and shorter wheelbase to be an SUV with the position you want to be in when you look for a great vehicle.
Not only is the Traverse situated perfectly, it offers you 5,200 pounds of towing capacity and room for up to eight people to ride inside while still offering a generous amount of cargo space so you can take the whole team to the game along with all the gear needed. This is an SUV that makes use of AWD the way it should be by being competent on the trails and for 2017 Chevrolet has renamed the LTZ to the Premier trim and lowered the price of the base LS trim.
Under the hood you’ll only find one engine, regardless of the Traverse model you choose. This engine is a 3.6-liter V6 which uses direct injection and variable valve timing to give you both power and fuel efficiency. Attached to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission the engine produces 281 horsepower or 288 if the dual exhaust is chosen and 266 lb.-ft. of torque, which is increased to 270 with the dual exhaust. This is one vehicle where the fuel mileage is the same regardless of the setup, giving you 15 city/22 hwy mpg in both FWD and AWD models to make it much easier to choose the AWD versions.
When you choose the LS model you will have keyless entry, a rearview camera, Bluetooth phone connectivity, an audio system with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment center, UB ports in the front and rear of the vehicle and the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot capability. Moving up to the LT brings you a power driver’s seat, a leather wrapped steering wheel, rear parking assistance and a power liftgate. The Premier trim offers you leather upholstery, the dual exhaust system, a Bose premium audio system, a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, blind spot monitoring and forward collision alerts.
Looking to the options on this SUV you will be able to add AWD, a navigation system, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, a power liftgate, a ten-speaker Bose audio system, a rear seat DVD system, a dual panel sunroof, the Chevrolet MyLink Touch telematics system, hands free phone connectivity, voice recognition commands and the OnStar subscription for a 3 month/3 gigabyte trial period. Adding these features allows you to build on some of the lower trims or add the extra emphasis you want to give you a Traverse that feels more like a luxury SUV than you would ever expect.
As for the pricing, the Travers is one of the most affordable SUVs of its size on the market. The base price starts at $29,595 on the 1SM trim and moves up to the $32,195 for the full LS with no options added. The 1LT will cost $24,995 and the 2LT asks for $37,545 to start with while the Premier will start you out at $42,940. The AWD is $2,000 more for any model and adding a group of options at the highest trim can bring you over the $50,000 mark. This gives you a great price range to work with to have a Traverse that fits your budget.
Why the Traverse? Simply put this is an SUV that allows you to fully experience what SUV driving is all about without giving anything up. With other models you have to give us size to gain drivability, with others you have to give up the ride in order to get the size you want. With the Traverse you don’t have to settle, you can haul, carry, drive and enjoy this SUV in all weather and on every road and even most trails you’ll come across. This is the SUV you want to have to take care of your family for a very long time.
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