DETROIT — Chevrolet today introduced the all-new 2018 Traverse. Wrapped in bold and refined styling, the completely redesigned Traverse offers technologies to help keep passengers of all ages and lifestyles comfortable and connected.
Traverse will deliver what is expected to be best-in-class third-row legroom, maximum cargo room and passenger volume with an enhanced roster of available active safety features.
“The all-new Traverse offers the ultimate in style and convenience for the segment, with the versatility customers need and a thoughtful, spacious design they’ll love,” said Alan Batey, president of GM North America and brand chief, Global Chevrolet. “It’s the midsize SUV designed to help keep you safe, comfortable and connected.”
When it goes on sale this fall, the 2018 Traverse will be the fourth updated crossover or SUV from Chevrolet within a year, joining the Trax, Bolt EV and 2018 Equinox, further strengthening the brand’s crossover and SUV lineup.
“Nobody in the industry offers a broader, fresher lineup of SUVs and crossovers than Chevrolet,” said Batey. “From the all-electric Bolt EV to America’s longest-running nameplate, Suburban, we’ve got something for every customer and lifestyle.”
Bold and refined
The 2018 Traverse has a new look inspired by Chevrolet’s full-size SUVs, with purposeful proportions complemented by premium cues such as chrome accents, LED signature lighting and available D-Optic LED headlamps.
Chevrolet is adding two new trim levels for the 2018 Traverse — the sporty RS and luxurious High Country — to offer customers more choices for a personalized appearance.
The new RS package includes unique, blacked-out exterior cues with a black chrome grille, black bowtie, 20-inch wheels and more.
The High Country trim features premium content and technology, including a unique interior trim featuring Loft Brown leather appointments with suede accents, 20-inch polished wheels, High Country badging, D-Optic headlamps, standard twin-clutch AWD and power-fold third row seats.
“The all-new Traverse blends Chevrolet’s characteristic SUV cues with capability and refinement,” said John Cafaro, executive director, Global Chevrolet Design. “Inside and out, it offers style with a purpose.”
With available seating for up to eight and a longer wheelbase than the current model, the Traverse has few peers when it comes to capacity and roominess. In fact, the new Traverse is expected to offer best-in-class passenger volume as well as max cargo room at 98.5 cubic feet (2,789 liters), while greater storage options and larger bins throughout the ergonomically optimized cabin are designed to enhance convenience and versatility.
Loading the Traverse is a breeze with a new Chevrolet bowtie logo lamp feature illuminating the ground to show where drivers need to place a foot to activate the available hands-free power liftgate.
A new split-folding second-row seat improves on the Traverse’s original Smart Slide® feature. The curbside seat is capable of tipping up and sliding forward, even with a forward-facing child seat in place, to provide open and easy access to the third row. Third-row legroom is expected to be the most spacious in the segment at 33.7 inches (856 mm).
Connected and protected
The 2018 Traverse offers purposeful technology designed to help keep passengers safe, comfortable and connected.
Chevrolet’s latest connectivity technologies include available 7- and 8-inch-diagonal MyLink infotainment systems designed to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as an available OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are products of Apple and Google and their terms and privacy statements apply. Requires compatible smartphone and data plan rates apply.)
Passengers will have access to USB charging ports in all three seating rows, available wireless charging and steering wheel-mounted phone and audio controls. Chevrolet’s Rear Seat Reminder feature is standard on all trim levels.
When it comes to helping to protect passengers, a comprehensive suite of available safety technologies and adaptive crash-avoidance features offers ease of use and added peace of mind, with new available features including:
- Surround Vision
- D-Optic LED headlamps (standard on High Country and Premier)
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Front Pedestrian Braking
- Forward Collision Alert
- Low and High-Speed Forward Automatic Braking.
Teen Driver is standard, allowing parents to set certain controls and review performance in order to help encourage better driving habits, even when parents are not in the vehicle.
Performance and efficiency
A new 3.6L V-6 and nine-speed automatic transmission form the standard propulsion system, expected to offer nearly 10 percent more horsepower than the current model and a GM-estimated 25 mpg highway (FWD). The combination also supports an estimated 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) trailering capacity when properly equipped.
Sporting the new RS trim, the Traverse will exclusively feature a 2.0L turbocharged engine that provides a unique driving experience, with more maximum torque than the V-6. It is also paired with the nine-speed automatic transmission.
Both engines feature new intelligent stop/start technology that determines the best times for fuel-saving engine-stop events, based on a variety of driving factors.
New Traction Mode Select is standard on all models and allows the driver to make real-time adjustments to the vehicle’s driving mode to account for varying road conditions. On available AWD models, it also allows the system to be completely disconnected from the rear axle, which helps save fuel and enhances refinement.
High Country’s exclusive Advanced AWD system employs twin-clutch technology that optimizes traction for every condition it encounters. It is engineered for optimal performance in wet, snowy and icy conditions, while also providing enhanced stability in dry conditions.
2018 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS
Overview
| Model: | Chevrolet Traverse |
| Body style / driveline: | crossover SUV / front-engine; front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive |
| Construction: | body-frame integral |
| EPA vehicle class: | sport utility vehicle |
| Manufacturing location: | Lansing Delta Township |
| Key competitors: | Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee |
Propulsion Systems
| Engine: | 3.6L V-6 VVT DI | Available Ecotec 2.0L Turbocharged I-4 |
| Displacement (cu in / cc): |
223 / 3649 | 122 / 1998 |
| Bore & stroke (in / mm): | 3.74 x 3.37 / 95 x 85.8 | 3.39 x 3.39 / 86 x 86 |
| Block material: | cast aluminum w/ cast-in-place iron bore liners | cast aluminum w/ cast-in-place iron bore liners |
| Cylinder head material: | cast aluminum | cast aluminum |
| Valvetrain: | DOHC, four valves per cylinder, continuous VVT | DOHC, four valves per cylinder, continuous VVT |
| Fuel delivery: | high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control | high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control |
| GM-est. Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm): |
305 / 227 @ 6800 (est.) | 255 / 190 @ 5500 (est.) |
| GM-est. Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm): |
260 / 351 @ 2800 (est.) | 295 / 400 @ 3000 (est.) |
| GM-estimated fuel economy (city / hwy): | 18 / 25 (FWD) | 20 / 23 (FWD) |
| Transmission: | Hydra-Matic 9T50 nine-speed automatic | Hydra-Matic 9T50 nine-speed automatic |
Chassis / Suspension
| Suspension (front): | MacPherson strut independent with hydraulic control arm ride bushing and hollow stabilizer bar |
| Suspension (rear): | Five-link independent with auxiliary spring aids and hollow stabilizer bar |
| Steering type: | electric variable-effort power steering with Active Return Assist |
| Turning circle (ft / m): | 39 / 11.9 |
| Brakes: | four-wheel-disc, variable brake system with power assist; Duralife brake rotors and low-drag brake calipers |
| Wheel size and type: | 18-in. aluminum 20-in. aluminum |
| Tires: | P255/65R18 all-season P255/55R20 all-season |
Dimensions
Exterior
| Wheelbase (in / mm): | 120.9 / 3071 |
| Overall length (in / mm): |
204.3 / 5189 |
| Overall width (in / mm): | 78.6 / 1996 |
| Overall height (in / mm): |
70.7 / 1795 |
| Track (in / mm): | 67.3 / 1709 (front) 67 / 1702 (rear) |
| Curb weight (lb / kg): | 4362 / 1978 (base) |
Interior
| Seating capacity: | up to eight passengers, depending on the model/configuration |
| Headroom (in / mm): |
front: 41.3 / 1049 (without sunroof) 2nd row: 40 / 1016 (without sunroof) 3rd row: 38.2 / 970 |
| Legroom (in / mm): |
front: 41 / 1042 2nd row: 39 / 990 3rd row: 33.7 / 856 |
| Shoulder room (in / mm): |
front: 62.1 / 1577 2nd row: 62.2 / 1580 3rd row: 57.5 / 1460 |
| Hip room (in / mm): |
front: 58.1 / 1475 2nd row: 56.9 / 1445 3rd row: 48.5 / 1232 |
| Cargo volume (cu. ft. / L): |
23 / 651 (behind third row) 58.1 /1645 (behind second row, third row folded) 98.5 / 2789 (second and third rows folded) |
DETROIT — With turbocharged performance and aggressive, blacked-out styling cues, the 2018 Traverse RS injects a distinctive dose of fun-to-drive sportiness into the midsize SUV segment.
Based on the redesigned 2018 Traverse, which offers best-in-class maximum cargo room (98.2 cubic feet1), more technologies than the previous model and an enhanced roster of available active safety features, the Traverse RS is part of an expanded six-trim lineup focused on capability, convenience and choice.
“The 2018 Traverse offers a full product lineup positioned to effectively compete across the segment,” said Steve Majoros, Chevrolet marketing director for Cars and Crossovers. “By offering customers more choice with higher-end entries like the RS, which has a more street-inspired look, and top-of-the-line High Country, Chevrolet now offers a comfortable and connected Traverse for every lifestyle.”
The RS’s unique styling elements include a black grille, black window trim, black roof rails and black bowtie emblems, along with 20-inch aluminum wheels featuring a Dark Android finish.
The RS is also the first Traverse model to offer turbocharged performance, delivering a spirited driving experience that is unique within the lineup. A power-dense, direct-injected Ecotec 2.0L turbo engine generates up to 257 horsepower (192 kW) and 295 lb-ft of torque (400 Nm). Ninety percent of the peak torque is available at only 2,100 rpm, for a confident feeling of power on demand at all speeds.
A nine-speed automatic transmission is matched with the engine, contributing to EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway.
Additional standard content on the Traverse RS includes:
- HID headlamps and LED daytime running lamps
- Upper and lower active aero shutters
- Chevrolet MyLink radio with 8-inch diagonal color touchscreen and navigation
- OnStar® 4G LTE and available built-in Wi-Fi® hotspot (3-month/3GB data trial)2
- Multicolor driver information center display
- Jet Black leather-appointed seating surfaces
- Heated front seats
- Universal Home Remote
- Tri-zone automatic climate control
- Bose premium 10-speaker audio system
- Power liftgate
- Keyless Open with extended-range Remote Keyless Entry
- Remote start
- Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert3
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert3
- Rear Park Assist3
- Surround Vision3
- Rear Camera Mirror3
- Rear Seat Reminder4
- Teen Driver3
The Traverse RS is on sale now with an MSRP of $43,095. The price includes the destination charge but excludes tax, title and other dealer fees.
1With second- and third-row seats folded flat. Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution.
2Requires a compatible mobile device, active OnStar service and data plan. 4G LTE service available in select markets. Visit onstar.com for coverage map, details and system limitations. Data plan provided by AT&T.
3Read the vehicle’s owner’s manual for important safety or driver assistance feature limitations and information.
4Does not detect people or items. Always check rear seat before exiting.