Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Crossovers/CUVs, Chevrolet
click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Chevy Traverse
Let's cut right to the chase. Everything about the 2009 Chevy Traverse that will be unveiled later today in Chicago is stuff we pretty much already know. As the fourth Lambda-platform crossover from General Motors, the basics have been introduced already in the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave. The Traverse is a roomy seven (or eight)-passenger crossover with a well-organized cockpit, whose details differ only slightly from its platform sibs. That's been GM's M.O. thus far, so why should the Traverse be any different? Power, like the other Lambdas, comes from the 3.6L V6, which makes 281 or 286 horsepower in the Bowtie version depending on whether the vehicle is equipped with a single or dual exhaust. GM promises "best in class" fuel economy (final numbers are still TBD), but our experience with the other Lambdas has been that they average in the mid teens duing real-world driving.
The Traverse comes in third in the looks race behind the Enclave and Acadia and ahead of the Saturn Outlook. In front, the jumbo-sized Chevy grille is the dominant element, flanked by some rather angry-looking headlamps. In profile, the Traverse has a lot of Enclave to its looks, with pronounced but less-sculpted rear haunches and similarly-shaped glass. The rear end is highlighted by some very funky-looking taillights. Other than that, you feel like you've been here before, mostly because you have. GM hasn't announced pricing yet, but there'll be LS, LT and LTZ trim levels with both 2WD and AWD available. Given that the Chevy should be competitively priced and has a large dealer network, we wonder how many sales it's going to cannibalize from its siblings -- particularly the Outlook. We'll find out this Summer when it starts appearing in showrooms.
[Source: GM]
Continue reading Chicago 2008: 2009 Chevy Traverse makes it a Lambda superfecta
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