This week I bring you the all-new, completely redesigned 2024 Chevy Traverse RS, a large, but officially midsized SUV meant to compete with the likes of the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-90, and Honda Pilot. Chevy really stepped up its game with this new version of Traverse, which for 15 years I have recommended to many people on the show.
Exterior
The exterior changes for 2024 to the Traverse look great in my opinion, much more modern. It features a sleek, new front fascia, distinctive lines down the sides, a built-in spoiler and dual quad exhaust. LED lights are featured in the front and rear, and this RS has the black Chevy bow tie on the grill.
Notice the design move Chevy did with a shark fin on the side rear windows. Very distinctive and unusual. The 22” wheels look terrific in black against the Lakeshore Blue paint and you might notice for 2024, the Traverse is longer, wider, and taller than previous versions.
Under the hood, it is all-new as well. Gone is the V6, and replacing it is a 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder that is turbocharged. Before you turn your nose up at the demise of the six-banger, know that this new configuration has more horsepower, more torque, and it gets better fuel economy. What’s not to love? It has 328-horses, 326 pound-feet of torque, and it’ll tow 5,000 pounds. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles, and my tester is a front-wheel drive biased all-wheel drive version, but it does come in just two-wheel drive if you prefer.
The 2024 Traverse comes with simplified trim levels. Starting at the bottom, there are the LS, LT, Z71 for off-roading, and the luxurious RS model, that I am reviewing. Gone is the High Country trim of last year. RS stands for Rally Sport in case you were wondering.
You can tell as soon as you enter the cabin that the RS is the top-of-the-line and has a premium interior. Stitching is everywhere and there are all soft touch materials. Plus, a lot of red accents really set everything off. The interior is not only super nice, it is quite functional.
The 11” gauge cluster is bright and colorful and highly configurable. You can go with a really clean look of just a digital speedometer, or you can get a screen that shows a tachometer, digital speedometer, trip information, and on the right, your audio choices. The controls to change the gauges are on the heated, power tilt and telescoping flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Another new feature, and frankly, one that was needed is a new 17.7” touchscreen that looks fantastic and is lightning-fast to operate and super-intuitive. It operated the Bose sound system, Google navigation maps, the Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, AM & FM radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The power heated and air-conditioned front seats with lumbar support are extremely comfortable, and the Traverse has a ton of headroom, even with the dual-pane moon roof overhead. The gear shifter is on the steering column which I love, and there are knobs and switches for the radio and air conditioning, a button for the drive modes, and a button to disable the start/stop system. There is a camera mirror for a better view behind you if there are people in the 3rd row.
The center console is pass-through with storage underneath. Above is a wireless phone charger, a compartment behind a door for whatever you wish to store, and a large center console that serves as a soft armrest that will hold a lot of stuff.
Moving to the second row, my review vehicle has heated but not cooled captain chairs making this a 7-passenger, but you can get a bench seat too, giving it seating for 8. Rear occupants can set their own temperature, have 2 USB-C ports, a power outlet, and both seats slide and recline. I love that the air conditioning vents for the 2nd and 3rd row occupants are in the ceiling for better cooling.
To get to the third row seat, the second row seats tilt and slide forward allowing easy access, and it is simple to operate with the push of a button. It would even work great with a child seat strapped in, without the child in it of course.
Third row legroom would accommodate two adults or three kids just fine. There are a pair of USB-C ports back there (total of six throughout). Again, headroom is not an issue in the least.
When you go around to the tailgate, it is power and works hands-free by waving your foot under the bumper. There is actually very good cargo area behind the third row seat. In fact, there is 58-cubic feet behind the 3rd row, and if you fold the 2nd row down, you get a whopping 98-cubic feet of storage with a totally flat cargo floor. Under the rear area is a huge storage area for whatever you need, and under that is a spare tire, albeit a compact one, at least it has one.
In a feature not every midsized SUV has, there are switches in rear to power-fold the 3rd row seat down and bring it back up, with the push of two buttons. You can also drop the 2nd row captain chairs from back there, but they have to be raised manually. It is a nice and very convenient setup for when cargo area is needed.
The RS comes extremely well-equipped and everything I’ve told you about comes at no charge including keyless entry and remote start. This also includes the power panoramic moon roof with a sliding cover, trailer towing package with a hitch, walk-up lighting and unlocking, all power, and adaptive cruise control.
The RS even has as standard Super Cruise, GMs fantastic semi-self-driving system, but it does require a subscription. I still think it is the best system out there so far. GM has driven and mapped out almost 750,000 miles of divided highways across America. On an approved road, you’ll get a green light on the dash. Set the cruise control, hit the Super Cruise, and the vehicle literally drives itself. If you want to change lanes, turn on your blinker and it will make sure there is enough room and will change lanes for you.
A small camera on the steering wheel monitors your eyes to make sure you are engaged, and if not, you get a verbal warning. After that, the car will start to slow down, the flashers come on, and it will safely get you off the road and Onstar will call for help. This is in case the driver is incapacitated. I’ve tested many of these systems, and still this one performs best in my opinion.
On the safety front, Traverse has it all. You get automatic parking assist, rear park assist, lane change alert, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic headlights, and forward collision alert with automatic braking.
Some features I really like include Teen Driver, so you can monitor and control your kids or a valet parker. It also has the rear seat reminder. If you open either of the back doors, when you get where you are going, it will remind you there may be something in the back seat, like a kid or a pet.
Ride and Drive
The Traverse rides and handles really well for its size, is very quiet inside, and you can choose from five different drive modes with the all-wheel system. One of those modes is for trailer towing, which keeps the gears lower for pulling loads of up to 5,000 pounds, and of course, there is Sport mode, my favorite and it changes everything.
Fuel economy is good for a 4,600-pound SUV. It is rated at 19 in town, 24 on the highway, and 21 overall.
I love pretty much everything about the Traverse. Its ride and drive are very composed, active sound deadening keeps it very quiet inside, and overall, it is just really pleasant in town and out on the highway.
Price-wise, this ultra-loaded AWD Traverse RS comes in with a sticker price of $57,495, which I consider to be a great buy based on the terrific interior, vast amount of room, and high level of standard equipment, not to mention the prices of other 3-row SUVs available that are not as nice or luxurious. If you don’t want this loaded version, LS starts at just $37,600.
To view larger photos see a slideshow on CarPro.com.