Second Generation Chevrolet Traverse

Crossovers have become the very fabric of the American neighborhood and for Chevrolet, there is no exception. Having introduced the Traverse to the American soil nearly a decade ago, it seems that the future of the American neighborhood, much like everyone else in the world, belongs to the crossovers and with General Motors declared themselves out of the minivan race following the sharp rise of crossovers, it's no mistake to introduce the Traverse on American soil and for 2018, the Traverse has now regenerated to make this crossover...ahem...great again.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Here it is, cowboys and equestrians, your all-new Chevrolet Traverse. And by the looks of it, the new Traverse is shaping up the crossover market with its muscular styling, luxurious interior, powerful V6 engine, and loads of tech features that makes it one step ahead of the competition.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

First and foremost, let's take a look at the Traverse's design and whereas the previous model looks more like an average crossover at an average neighborhood, the new model looks rather muscular for a crossover. Think of it like the Marlboro Man dressed for office work and at every angle, all that Marlboro Man aura is flowing through its exterior design. Although some say it can be easily mistaken for its little brother, the new Equinox, with a Tahoe-inspired side view, the new Traverse looks pretty much as juicy as a dozen of Texas chicken served on a basket while at the fair. Tasty.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse interior

It's not just the muscular exterior that makes it juicy for the new Traverse but the interior is pretty large for a midsize crossover and if you go for the range-topping High Country variant, that Jet Black/Loft Brown interior is as juicy as a beef jerky for a midnight snack. Apart from the very generous seven or eight-seater capacity provided by its new Smart Slide Seating, the new Traverse's best-in-class maximum cargo space of 98.2 cu. ft. really gets the job done at work or at play, even when you use it for UBER or lyft purposes known only to yourself. Other notable features include the hands-free gesture liftgate, the secret compartment on the dashboard, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, and smartphone connectivity with Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility. With features like these, the Traverse is a very accommodating crossover fit enough for a Dallas maverick.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Okay y'all because under the hood of the new Traverse lies a 3.6L V6 engine mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox that produces a very sporty 310HP of power output, 266 lb-ft of torque, and towing capacity of up to 5,000lbs. It's the most powerful Traverse ever made and apart from showing off its muscles on the go, it's also fuel efficient thanks to its idling stop and go function that shuts off when stopped at the set of lights and then restarts when you set off, resulting to an EPA-estimated 18 MPG city/ 27 MPG highway for FWD and 17 MPG city/25 MPG highway for AWD. Later on, there will be a 2.0L turbo for those who are...ahem...liberals who are not interested to the redness of the new Traverse's muscular performance much like today's politics. So, how are those Republicans?

For AWD variants, you can check out this Traction Mode Select that allows the driver to choose four different driving modes, be it FWD on normal roads, 4X4/SNOW when today's forecast calls for slippery roads, OFFROAD, and TOW/HAUL to pull some stuff from behind when you're on a weekend trip to the beach.

In terms of safety, the Traverse comes fully prepared with a host of safety features so it may know when Murphy's Law hits the road such as Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Automatic Braking, Rear Vision Camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Park Assist, and many more, including the Teen Driver Feature.

The new Traverse starts at $29,930 and by surprise, it's more affordable to own than America's favorite crossover, the Explorer. This is another reason why Chevrolet is stacking up the competition against the rest but anyway, the Traverse knows how to play a game of top trumps against the other crossovers and what stacks up against the rest is its tech, interior, and performance, although the styling is pretty much the stuff you should never talk on the grown-up table with the others and at this rate, it's facing a harsh opportunity to leave a mark on the world stage because of today's climate. Needless to say, the new Traverse is struggle to survive at this new world order but I'm sure this crossover has the guts to gallop around the hurdles.

Photo: General Motors

Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia/Buick Enclave Minor Change

2013 Chevrolet Traverse

2013 Chevrolet Traverse interior

This Chevrolet Traverse you see is no ordinary Traverse. What this is, is a 2013 minor change model for the Chevrolet Traverse. What bothers me about its latest minor change is the front because it's now has a new and controversial front face. Seems that the trademark Chevrolet grille that has been with other Chevys of today are gone and this new face could possibly be the new chapter of Chevrolet as I know it. Even though the interior's been heavily redesigned, it's still retains a family-friendly status, meaning that if you're a soccer mom, you can use it everyday when you want to take your kids from their school, soccer practice, dance class, any busy routine the kids been following at.

If you have kids in the back, one feature that really made it more family-oriented was its optional rear entertainment system. Load a DVD of their favorite cartoon and that really shut your kids up while watching their favorite cartoons, something spongy, something imaginary, something Einstein-y, something something something kid-friendly. That sounds fine but for me, this is somewhat cool if you're a posh mom who can't cope with something like economic eggs, hire cars, agency nannys or expired yogurts. AGA SAGA, I was referring to...Oops, sorry folks but still, it's a posh Chevy for the posh mums who can't cope with major disasters, not nature-related but social-related.

Under the front is a 3.6L V6 engine that promises about an EPA-estimated 17 MPG city/24 highway on FWD models, 288HP of power on the high-end LTZ model, and absolutely no sense of humor at all. The only thing you'll be hearing is the sound of your mum's sermon.

2013 GMC Acadia

2013 GMC Acadia interior

However, if you're not an AGA SAGA kind of posh mum or if you're some sort of a dad who spends the rest of his time cheering on his favorite NFL team, the 2013 GMC Acadia might be the best pick for that kind of person, sure it's a Chevy Traverse underneath it, has the same V6 engine from the Traverse and...wait a minute. Something's different with this latest Acadia. 

You see 7 years ago, the Acadia seem to look like an average American full-size crossover but for the 2013 model, something's different with this Acadia. Seems like this model has some bits and parts from the defunct Saturn Outlook, which was made in the same platform as the GMC Acadia's. Well, with Saturn already out in the picture in 2009, the same year that GM declares the death of Pontiac, seems that the components of the once dead Saturn Outlook was been recycled and put some GMC badges on it. Repurposing parts from the discontinued Saturn Outlook to refresh the GMC Acadia?! It's somewhat some kind of Six Million Dollar Man or Lady Cassandra or something something something uh...forget about it.

Pricing's a bit timey-wimey but somewhat wibbly-wobbly because the base model of the Traverse, the LS FWD, costs $30,870 while the base model of the GMC Acadia, the SLE-1 FWD model, cost you $35,440. Seriously, seems that if you're a soccer/posh mom who is always paying attention to the kids, the Traverse is a better bet but if you're a dad who loves watching too much NFL or NBA, or NCAA, or anything sports you've seen in stadiums or in TV sets, seems that the Acadia is a good choice for that typical kind of parent. Well, dads spend more cash than moms on everything only dads want to have fun rather than the whole family. Moms always use their money on grocery-related stuff. However, what if you're not fall into these kind of persons? What if you're a playboy? You're a diplomat? Or something of an upperclassman? A bachelor perhaps? Bachelorette? Hmmm...

2013 Buick Enclave

2013 Buick Enclave interior

This new Buick Enclave is more expensive than the Traverse and the Acadia, even though it also comes with the same V6 engine you get from these two. However, unlike the Traverse and the Acadia, the new Enclave is an upperclassman's favorite because some say, it looks like a preferable alternative to luxury SUVs made from the Germans and Japanese. Since it's a Buick, it's hard to explain if this new Enclave looks better than its rivals when placed on a comparative comparison.

With a well-crafted interior and a well-crafted face, this new model tries to change its course when it comes to its quirky brilliance. Guess I was wrong about the Traverse being targeted for posh moms, perhaps this is the good choice for posh mums who are a bit AGA SAGA for their lives but sadly, with the starting price of $38,445, this is more expensive than the Traverse so who will buy it? There's only one answer, seniors! Kinda awkward for me to say that but every time I see someone driving Buicks, I can only see people who are middle-aged or senior-aged driving this so, this new Enclave wasn't worth to be a decent candidate as a posh mom's car.

To sum up then, posh mums won't be picking one of these three because posh mums want something that is more family-friendly but more on features. These three though...they're not enough to be posh. Hmmm...what would posh people want and do not want?

Photo: General Motors

The Traverse has arrived

2009 Chevrolet Traverse

The arrival of the Chevrolet Traverse in the Philippines really throw the curve for TCCCI and this is the first full-size crossover from Chevrolet since it was released in North America at late 2008. Surprisingly though, it's too late to bring it after 2 years since its North American debut but see if we care...

This car is powered by a 3.6L V6 engine that produces 288HP of power and 366Nm of torque. With the 6-speed automatic, the Traverse can go as much as 10.2km/L in terms of fuel economy. Prices start at 3,088,888 Philippine Pesos for the FF variant and 3,488,888 Philippine Pesos for the 4WD variant. This car was assembled at Delta Township, Michigan.

Scoop: http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/chevrolet-traverse-hits-philippine-showrooms