The 2023 Chevy Traverse Is The Un-Minivan Family Hauling Champion
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- čas přidán 7. 12. 2022
- Need a minivan but can't see your self driving one? That's exactly who the Traverse is for. On the inside you get nearly minivan room, on the outside you get SUV styling, under the hood you get a real AWD system and enough ground clearance for you to set up family camp a little farther off the beaten path.
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Man, those interior material choices are almost as unforgivable for a top trim as that center stack. Did Chevy get to leather seats and then stop?
I see these on the road everywhere in California where I live
2:12 The tow package is standard on the High Country trim. The hitch receiver was hiding behind the plastic cover in the bumper.
We just bought our 3rd Traverse, a 2023 LT model. All 3 have been VERY reliable and nothing in the market provides the same space for someone with 3 to 5 kids that a Traverse does. Our 2019 in 108k miles, averaged 22 mpg with mix highway and city.
great review as always, especially given driving on the connector in what looks like rush hour Atlanta traffic!
We almost bought a Colorado but ended up here. Kids, dog and stuff to pull occasionally. Minivans cant pull and pick ups are less practical. If you can only afford one primary vehicle, something like this makes perfect sense
Can’t remember the last time I saw one of these on the road around where I live. Yeah definitely flew under the radar and was refreshed without anyone really noticing. Despite that sounds like still a decent proposition for those who want to get as close to a minivan without actually owning one.
@@naveenthemachine sure, but gets the job done. And like I said, space is a priority for those who consider a vehicle like this (aside from maybe final transaction price).
You can't throw a rock without hitting one of these things out here in Michigan, lol
@@tednugent1100 yeah I remember seeing a ton 10+ years ago, even in California. But now living in the PNW, it seems they are few and far between. Shame really, definitely is/was a value alternative to those wanting lots of capacity.
Every other house has these where I am. When I travel, I'm relieved.
@@tednugent1100yes!
I've always loved this SUV, and not just this generation ever since it's been out out I always love the traverse.
Starting to see discounts on these now. We got $5K off an LT while Kia, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda dealers are adding addendums and have 6-18 month waiting lists. We drove or looked at nearly all the mid size SUVs and my wife liked this one best because it's so spacious and comfortable to drive. I was surprised to find I liked it too. The deal we were offered made it a no-brainer.
Nice video! Your route made me reminisce commuting to GA Tech!
Alex has been working out and switched to contacts! Like his new haircut too. Good review. Traverse should be a hit for GM.
I’ve driven and ridden in these often as well as the three stablemates and they’re very nice cars with probably the best rides and most effective impact harshness tuning in their suspensions but they are coming to the end of their lifecycles. I’d still lease one if I could get a decent deal on in one because they are great to live with and I find getting in and out of the back seat of the Hyundai/Kia offerings difficult because of the location of the B pillar. I’m looking forward to the next generation and hoping that GM is able to keep up their suspension tuning talents even going into electrification.
My wife has a current body style acadia. I know these are not the most exciting vehicles, but the 3.6 has good power, and it handles very well.
@@caseyhall9896 My wife finds the Traverse very exciting after 16 years of driving minivans. It's all relative, lol.
The "automatic headlight" button is for automatic high beams...
I have been waiting for AoA to review a Traverse for like 5 years LOL
Great review!
Excellent review! New sub! 👏
My dream Chevrolet SUV!! Great job Alex!
GM has done a decent job keeping its full-size crossovers reasonably competitive, but I roll my eyes at anyone who falls victim to the "minivan stigma" ploy. If you've rightly concluded that only a minivan will fully satisfy your automotive needs (with superior levels of efficieny, no less!), don't be cowed by the media (excluding AoA, of course!)...or by manufacturers who don't even make minivans...into buying something else. Stand up for yourself and bask in the incomparable minivan experience!
Lol. Give me a minivan that tows 5000 pounds, then I'd be happy to bask in that minivan glory :)
@@Ja8888 As a matter of fact, MB's Metris is rated to tow "up to 5000 lb," but the last time I checked, a heated steering wheel (my wife's sole demand) was not on the option list.
We drove minivans for 16 years. Our Traverse rides and drives much better, can actually handle what it is rated to tow, gets pretty much identical mileage in the real world, and cost about the same while maintaining better resale value. It does give up interior space and versatility of course. But it does have a spare tire, something some minivans no longer have. Minivans used to be great values that could be had for thousands less and drove better than SUVs, but that's not really the case anymore with unibody CUVs. I initially wanted a Sienna AWD but couldn't even buy one without paying a huge markup and waiting over a year.
@@plmn93 Glad to hear you're satisfied with your choice. That's how EVERYONE should feel following a car/truck purchase! I have extensively driven my father-in-law's Enclave (Buick's version of the Traverse), and it's a very pleasant vehicle. It is marginally quieter than my Grand Caravan; GM's 3.6L V6 feels a bit stronger than Chrysler's Pentastar.; and the larger tires on the GM platform look better and improve handling & stability, especially on the highway. But for my wife and me, those advantages aren't sufficient to offset the practicality of an on-demand, fully-flat cargo area. In fact, the Dodge-Chrysler minivan formula has always hit our sweet spot, so when our GC reaches the 10-year/100K threshold (whichever comes second), we'll likely pony-up for a Pacifica AWD. For every aspect our lifestyle, it strikes us as the perfect road-going compromise. Cheers!
@@dano7145 Honestly I liked our 4th gen Grand Caravan better than our 5th gen T&C, which had a lot more luxury features but also rode harsher and creaked and groaned and rattled incessantly. Still, up until the past two years it served us well. The Pacifica seems to be a much more solid vehicle from what I've driven of it, but when you get into an AWD you are at CUV prices if not above. The Traverse has much less cargo space, mainly because the seats only fold down halfway instead of all the way into the floor, but the people space is pretty similar (actually a bit larger than our old T&C by volume) and it can still haul 48" wide sheets. Both have their pros and cons, nothing is perfect.
If you do go with a Pacifica, check to see that it has a spare tire. That is an option now and most I looked at didn't have it. Rare as flat tires have been for me lately, I still wouldn't want to risk relying on a can of fix-a-flat or dealing with a tow truck while hauling my family.
So what do you think? This or the Telluride/Palisade? Or should we all wait to see what the hybrid Grand Highlander will be like? Alex is guessing it'll be big.
I think that knowing Toyota the grand Highlander will be a grand disaster 😂. I wouldn’t bother waiting for that. You’re better off reviewing the Korean twins over and over again because the fact they are class leading on new levels will never get boring
I can’t wait for everyone to be disappointed with Toyota. They will screw this up badly. I just know it
I would blindly go telluride or palisade before even looking at the grand Highlander. Even if I saw it while inside a telluride or palisade, I’d just snuff and shrug it off since it’s already class leading anyway
@@naveenthemachine Toyota owners have one of the higher rates of satisfaction with their ownership. Is that what you mean?
@@ALMX5DP owner satisfaction has nothing to do with this conversation. I’m just saying that knowing Toyota, the grand Highlander will be a catastrophe. We’ll see what happens but don’t be surprised if you end up being disappointed
This suv feels so cheap and outdated. I would love to say that kia/hyundai are better but I feel it's just cosmetic. Both have more buttons than needed on the center console amd drive trains that cannot be trust. I really think people need to be willing to downsize into a crv or rav4 as I find them to be far superior vehicles.
@@naveenthemachine it has everything to do with it. If a product has a high satisfaction by its owners, that is a huge point to use for arguments about its relative success or failure.
My Dad just bought the Buick Enclave Avenir. This is Buicks version of the High Country that is Chevy's version of the same car. I drove it up from Florida to Connecticut about 5 months ago. Its a really nice car.
Isn't the Enclave quieter? Buicks are known for their "quiet tuning". Brian noted 74 decibels in the Traverse. That's 2X as loud as 70 db, which most luxury cars attain.
@@sprague49 - this version of the Traverse I would bet is equal to the Buick Enclave Avenir because its the top of the line High Country. I had never noticed the 20mph louder engine. That 3.6 liter even on my 2017 Equinox is quite quiet evwn with 100k on the odometer.
It's almost perfect. Just needs sliding doors on the rear
How does its size compare to the new Pilot? Thanks for the great review Brian! I sure wish more vehicles had 4-way lumbar though. Disappointing to not see it on this top-trim Traverse. How much more does a supplier charge for a 4-way lumbar seat vs 2-way if everything else was equal? Also surprised to see this having 5 inches less leg space than the shorter Kia twins... where did that extra length go to? Cargo space I assume? Lastly, what's with the speedo going to 170 mph? It surely doesn't have Z-rated tires does it? Come on already! I'm not Chevy bashing, I have a Suburban that I like; most of my complaints apply to most every other mid-size 3-row mainstream brand vehicles.
On paper I was sure the Pilot was the way we were going to go. But its seats are low to the floor. At 6'3" the only seat I can comfortably sit in is the driver's seat, since it's the only one below an Elite with height adjust. It also had more road noise and a harsher ride than the Traverse. My wife said it drove like a truck and dismissed it quickly. It didn't help that the dealer wanted $3K over sticker and estimated the wait would be months long. We were able to drive a Traverse off the lot for $8K less than a comparable Pilot. I like Hondas but I'll gladly put up with a boring interior for that kind of savings. Don't look too far into spec sheet numbers, manufacturers tend to game those. In person the Traverse easily felt the roomiest of any of them. Drive them yourself and make your own determination.
So I did some measuring. The Pilot cargo area is 6" shorter, 4" narrower, and 1" shorter at the minimum dimensions. Yet Honda claims more volume. Maybe they have it or maybe they are gaming the numbers, either way the Traverse appears to have significantly more usable space. It feels like it too.
These are designed to a much lower price point than msrp. They’re designed for 20% off msrp and GM employee discounts. This car at $50,000 is almost laughable.
Has the reliability of the 3.6L improved at all for 2023?
No
Same timing chain issues but can’t expect less from Garbage Motors
Compared to what? The LFX fixed all the issues in 2012. The LLT was still used until the model changeover, but now all new 3.6s no longer have timing chain issues
@@reyperez3424 thanks for the heads up
Having driven a Traverse, it's a nice minivan. But the un-minivan is my Durango.
Traverse isn't a minivan though...
Doesn't the GM 3.6 have a really bad reputation for timing chain issues or is this a totally revamped 3.6? What about trans issues and dash actuators on the Traverses? I like the idea of the size and features, but don't want something that is going to go back to the dealer 3, 4, 5 times a year.
The GM like this with the 3.6 engine has that annoying and distinct engine whine sound. One guy on my street had the 2015 Traverse which is the same as this car and could always hear him coming and going b/c of the engine whine
Believe it or not, GM does actually revise their engines and fix things. The LFY is an updated LFX, which already had all the timing chain fixes implemented since at least 2012. Unfortunately, the problematic LLT was still used in the Traverse/Acadia/Enclave up until the model changeover in 2016/2017. The new model engines are very reliable and smooth running.
@@keithf8649 Thanks. When did the LFY debut, and was the new LFY used in passenger sedans like the Lacrosse and XTS?
@@3stinkos The LFY debuted in the 2018 Enclave and Traverse, and is only used in those models. It is tuned for a broader torque band in lower midrange compared to other 3.6 versions, with the torque peak at 2800 compared to 4800-5300 on typical LFX applications such as the Lacrosse and XTS you mention. Other currently produced 3.6 equipped models are using the "LGX" code engine, which is actually a different block with bigger bore spacing for a larger displacement, and also featuring cylinder deactivation.
Cabin look very high country! Out of
modernization
Brian is a stickler for rear wipers *and* is an Android user? I think I'm in love 😍
These are rare. It's because Chevy can't make enough. They are popular in the NYC area for sure but this chip shortage is ridiculous
They're selling over 100K of them per year. Much more available than Tellurides, Highlanders, and Pilots right now.
Everyone is proly buying the so superior Korea twins! 1999 interior finishes and style..Thx and soreyQ
Still waiting for you to do an Expedition platinum vs Yukon Denali
i like you but you’re voice doesn’t put me to sleep like alex’s does. his voice is calming for me
Side mirrors mounted on the door should be standard on all vehicles in 2022.
Is this built on the old Buick Enclave chassis?
This platform and the Buick Enclave are the same and are the same in wheelbase. The GMC Arcadia and Cadillac XT6 are built on same chassis but have a shorter wheelbase.
That whole interior looks very 2011ish. I'm wondering if manufactures aren't even trying to keep up with Hyundai/Kia.
Wish these big minivan competing crossovers would give some sliding door options
I'd LOVE that
Then it would just be.... a minivan
@@mujjuman exactly people don't think.
@@mujjuman Minivans don't tow 5000 pounds, most don't have AWD, and none have ground clearance.
@@plmn93 Very true. If you need a vehicle that does all of that, then just get.... a crossover like this Chevy Traverse. If specifically need a minivan to do all of the above then get a.... Toyota Sienna.
I really like the exterior of the current model Traverse. The interior for a top end trim is a bit underwhelming I'd probably recommend getting a lower price trim. But, overall seems like a decent alternative to a minivan
I was cheering for the Traverse until I seen all the Safety Chevy makes you pay Extra for
The one thing I hate about the Traverse is that the headlights are way too low to the point where they look like fog lights.
I agree, I'm not a fan either but I think thats the whole point of this "trendy" new design
I like it. Keeping them low allows them to be brighter without blinding oncoming drivers. As opposed to my F-150 that has terrible night visibility while also blinding oncoming drivers because the low beams are mounted so high. Now that the IIHS is holding companies accountable after decades of poor headlight design, I hope to see more like this.
Brian! 😍
How is 18 miles a gallon a B+?
It ping pongs between the lanes because Chevy doesn't offer lane centering (with the exception of super cruise). They only offer lane departure mitigation, which does not actively center the car between the lanes.
I played around with a Telluride that had lane centering. Pretty cool, but not nearly good enough for me to trust it. And if I can't trust it, it's little more than a gimmicky party trick.
Just sounds like someone can't drive to me
How you can give commentary while driving in traffic on the Downtown Connector, I’ll never know…
Just traded a 2013 Odyssey for a 2023 Premier Redline. Was hesitant at first to go with Chevrolet after owning (still) several Toyotas, and being disappointed in the Odyssey's overall material quality. It is primarily for my wife, but I do drive it on longer trips and I must say it has completely won me over with the ride quality and overall driveability. We drove the Palisade, Telluride, Grand Cherokee, and Atlas and none of those had the pop that the Traverse has, especially when it is needed on the highway for passing. My primary vehicle is a 2015 4Runner with 150k miles and the expectation of adding another 150k. I hope our Traverse follows suit.
We looked at everything but an Atlas (bad history with VW) and drove most of them. My wife liked the Traverse best and I was surprised I liked it too. I don't expect to get 300K out of it, though. We usually sell at around 100K.
Love this, but that interior needs a major update...plz Chevy update the interior
Most of these manufacturers need to find better ways to improve the fuel economy. 20 mpg for 2023 is simply barbaric and antiquated. A hybrid this day and age just makes sense imo.
Many hybrids (that aren't phev) are also rather pathetic on economy. In this day and age, engines should be doing well into the 40s and 50s in mpg. I feel that big oil has kept their thumb on any real progress in ICE efficiency. Now, their plan is biting them in the ass with countries banning them for BEVs.
Toyota dealers are asking for a $3K addendum for the Highlander Hybrid and up to a year wait. We got $5K off our Traverse and drove it home the same day. The Highlander made no sense whatsoever.
No discussion of tow ratings?...and the hitch is installed.
Talking about un-minivans, when are you going to review the fully redesigned 2023 Dodge Journey? Which is no longer a minivan.
Great review. But no Durango V6 comparison? How you can compare it to Palisade? That is another league.
This refresh is definitely an outsider among competitors. So many choices to choose from. Why to choose Traverse? AWD? But the review doesn’t contain the price comparison. Not clear if this Traverse has at least one chance 😢
And no towing comparison, no minivan comparison. Hmmmm
Compared to the Palisade the traverse is larger and drives and rides better. It's also available and Chevy dealers are dealing discounts instead of adding addendums.
Don't like the 19 or 20 inch wheels in SUVs. Tire size should be 17 or 18 at the most.
How much does this vehicle cost?
He said under 55,000
Is this the same GM engine that likes to grenade itself because of timing issues?
No, that was the older version. This is basically the same one from the Impala, which has been reliable.
The timing chain issue was a bad supplier. Anything after 2011 or so is clear of the timing chain issue. I have a 2017 V6 Equinox with the same engine as this Traverse. I have had 100k trouble free miles to date.
@David Dill that's good to know because so many people been telling me don't get it but I think they're going off the old version
2022 or 2023 ?
I was considering this for the improved fuel economy but its not as spacious as a Suburban/Escalade ESV and cant tow as much either. Even the smaller Tahoe is more roomy. I get 11.9mpg on the highway in my Escalade ESV in the winter lmao
The warranty alone makes it Telluride and Palisade all day!
You will need the warranty with the Korean twins. They are not good cars. When something does break they won’t cover it.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q you’ll need that warranty with the GM as well, only problem is it’s too short
I suppose if you dont mind getting the engine replaced a few times, sure
@@D0NTsmokeCRACK The 3.6 is bulletproof.
Hyundai and Kia are notorious for weaseling their way out of warranty repairs. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Brian on autos
Where’s Alex!?
Any time a reviewer complains about analog gauges I find myself saying “who cares?”
What’s the benefit of a digital representation of an analog gauge vs having an analog gauge? I’d venture that most people mess around with that when they first get a vehicle, and then settle in to a screen that shows them the same basic info as they’re used to seeing.
It's cheaper for manufacturers to program a Chinese LCD than to design and manufacture physical gauges. Yet they can sell the LCDs for more money because people are conditioned to believe they are premium.
I don’t take the time to video review cars, but if I did, I’d spend the extra 5 minutes and run it through the car wash beforehand…
Since when is a Durango so much bigger than a telluride
What's up with the trendy new design where headlights are made to look like foglights and the DRLs are made to look like headlights lol
@@EmmyJune212008 I hope so too
Headlights can perform better down low without blinding oncoming drivers with glare. I hope it catches on. These work worlds better than the ones on my F-150, whose low beams are about as high up as they could possibly put them.
A 170 MPH speedo. Just ridiculous. The truck is probably drag limited at about 125. The tires are speed rated about the same.
It easily passes 125. Stock tires are rated for 130.
That 'Buckle to Drive' thing is idiotic. Every time I stop to check my mailbox I would have to put my seatbelt on just to pull the car forward the remaining 40 feet into my driveway or if I was just moving the car around my property for whatever reason. It would be a deal-breaker if they hadn't included the ability to disable it.
Now can anyone think this is better looking than a minivan. It looks just like a minivan that’s been raised an inch.😂
So which is it? The headline says 2023 but the introduction speech says 2022? What gives?
Are we being punked?
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
That’s not Alex
Off topic but you are such a cutie
But it's dusty !
CarWizard says avoid this car
9:32 fake Alcantara! There is no such thing as fake Alcantara. Alcantara is fake suede leather.😂
Oddly there is as Alcantara is a brand, so faux suede made by other companies is an imitation of the original :)
@@AAutoBuyersGuide So is an imitation of an imitation.😂
Thanks for the clarification.
This thing will last 70k miles before its starts falling apart.
These will easily go 200K with regular oil and filter changes. From new you'll want to change the timing chains, sprockets, guides, and water pump at the 100K mark. And don't rev it out after every takeoff. It's not an M3.
55k and the ugliest/outdated interior in the segment! It already looks 10 years old inside.
I love my 2018 Chevy Traverse AWD 3LT. I love the way it drives, and it doesn't disappoint in my experience. Best-looking body style for my taste. It just looks very sporty yet very practicality. I don't like the newer model. It just looks weird and funky.
I have to laugh at the average contemporary customer for a family vehicle. This traverse is totally mediocre, gets 20 mpg combined, and can’t really do any noteworthy “SUV” stuff; the sienna is less expensive, has AWD, gets 36 mpg, does every practical thing better than this, and will probably sell fewer units, just because it’s a minivan
Can the sienna tow 5000 pounds?
@@Ja8888 how many traverse owners are actually towing 5k lbs? Towing at the limit in this would be miserable too.
And 5k~15k dealer markup, 2~6 months wait... Yes it's super mediocre, but you are not the only smart guy on earth either
@@shangqiwu2090 lol paying dealer markups is on you. We waited 3 months for our Sienna to avoid paying $10k adm.
@@ShaiyanHossain Hello Sienna fan boy, like I said, you waited 3 months to get it after all... Your reply seemingly supports that comment...
For the price of this High Country version, it sure doesn’t look very nice. Too much hard plastic and cheap looking. Ugh. Too bad Chevy!
Forced seatbelt usage? While I agree that it's safer to use your seatbelt, I'm not okay with someone making me use it. I'm claustrophobic and sometimes, especially when I'm wearing multiple layers in the winter, I just cannot stand to wear my seatbelt.
This doesn't really change anything for me though. My first purchase with a new vehicle is usually a seat belt extender to shut up the annoying beeping noises that remind me to fasten my seat belt.
The Chevy Traverse engineers paid no attention to driver or passenger visibility. As far as I'm concerned we can stop right there. You can't see out. It's garbage.
Methinks the 3.6 engine is problematic.
Methinks your outdated information is problematic
Stay away from front wheel drive GM CUVs. They are nothing but maintenance trouble. Stay away. Get a Pilot instead.
Pilot is just as bad, transmission problems plus modern Honda quality and reliability isn’t even that good anymore, just get a Toyota instead
Nope😼
Already looks old
Great. Another 50K + dinosaur for American families. This is really an outdated car and only the price keeps getting updated. They are asking near 55K for it. Maybe lower trims make sense at about 35K ? I think only idiots would pay 20K more in additional car features like leather seats. People don't have leather seats for their homes that is worth 20K so why would they pay 20K for car leather seats or a more loud radio? The engine is the same across the trims. This is a family car or a rental grade car . Makes no sense to nearly double the car price for the extra features. You and all the other car reviewers should always ask them to give you the basic trim and not the most loaded ones .
3.6 powerplant is a ticking timebomb for engine failure.
But at same time, auto repair shop loves those engine$$$$
timely oil changes is the key here. if the timing chain is dodgy change it before it causes issue. Would I buy it? No. There is many better choices.
The 3.6 is bulletproof. The timing chain issue was fixed years ago.
He's just quoting Car Wizard, who was talking about earlier versions. If you can be anything, at least try to be original.
These cheap plastics interior parts for that price range is a total disgrace. GM 3.6 V6 is the engine to avoid based on mechanic reviews.
Nice review though, bad vehicle.
Wrong 3.6, the old one had timing chain problems which have been fixed.
had a 2016 LT V6 and it was garbage!!! front suspension noize!!! was stolen when the GM tech left it running during a test drive at a gas station,once found 1000 miles away it never ran the same,so i dumped it for a tahoe and got rid of the lemon...Hope these 2023-24 models are better
Why can’t you wash the car before filming? Very unprofessional.