Back in June, the wife and I purchased a 7 passenger 2011 Chevy Traverse LT. Yesterday we rolled over 8000 miles and was considering my impressions of the vehicle so far when I decided to write a review. Not as an automotive journalist but just as an owner who knows a little about cars.
We bought the Traverse as a daily family hauler. After having our second child last year we found that we had outgrown our previous car. About the time we started looking for a replacement my wife and a friend of her's went on a day trip and she had the opportunity to drive her friend's 2010 Traverse for about 70 miles. When she got home that evening she had a lot of good things to say. She really liked that it had the kind of room we needed but it didn't feel like she was driving a truck. With that, I started doing some research and we made our purchase.
Our driving is a mix of in town and interstate and the Traverse does very well in both environments. It is no Lotus but it handles surprisingly well for a large vehicle and the ride is very smooth. Overall, it feels like you are driving a large high riding sedan. The seats, while obviously designed for someone considerably wider than I am, are comfortable and the interior is well laid out and nicely appointed. That is coming from a guy that is very picky about interiors. Everything feels solid and sturdy, much more than could have been said for my 2002 Camaro SS. The 3.6 liter direct injection V6 delivers 288hp, more than enough to get up to speed or overtake lollygaggers. Power delivery is smooth and responsive and I have yet to be in a situation where it felt underpowered.
In October we took a 2000 mile road trip to Louisiana that we have taken many times in many different vehicles. Driving that much in a week will always take a toll, but it was much less taxing this go round. The seats provided enough support that I could run 6 hours straight without having to stop and stretch my back. The range on a single tank also impressed me. On our first leg we left our home approximately 20 miles east of Louisville Ky. with a full tank and I didn't stop until I was about 40 miles west of Memphis Tn. and well into Arkansas. We covered over 450 miles in one shot and even then the gas light was not on. I filled up there and rolled into Shreveport, La. with about 1/4 tank.
Overall, we are very happy with the vehicle and would definitely recommend the Traverse to a friend. It is a very nice vehicle. Keep up the good work GM!