The Chevy Traverse is among the most prolific three-row family crossovers on the road and there’s hardly a cul-de-sac or suburban shopping center without one.
It’s popularity is a blessing and a curse. The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse finds new bends in its sheet metal this year for a more distinctive look.
It’s a good look, and our early impressions peg it at a 6.4 overall when factoring in all the 2021 upgrades. Our score may change once we get behind the wheel and once official safety data rolls in. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
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The big change for the Traverse this year is a new nose and tail, both of which crib the Tahoe and Suburban’s good looks. The already upright Traverse now has a little more starch in its shirt and its grille and lower front bumper look sharper and sleeker. Along the body sides, there’s a deeper crease under the windows. Around back, Chevy has a horizontal strip across the liftgate and revised taillights that are narrower.
Under the hood, the Traverse is largely the same. A 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 310 horsepower is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. The combo is confident, but the all-wheel-drive system isn’t automatic—drivers have to switch in and out of all-wheel drive for traction.
The Traverse steers well and tracks down the middle of the road with comfort thanks to a four-wheel independent suspension that soaks up road imperfections well.
Up to eight can fit into the 2021 Traverse’s three rows of seats, although seven-passenger configurations are available (and more comfortable for adults).
The second row gets 38 inches of leg room, which is plenty of space for long legs, and the third row riders get 33 inches. Behind all three rows of seats, the Traverse offers 23 cubic feet of cargo storage that can expand to nearly 100 cubic feet with rows No. 2 and 3 folded.
Official crash-test data for the Traverse isn’t yet available, but standard equipment on the 2021 Traverse includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, and automatic high beams. Adaptive cruise control is available as a spend-up option.
Chevy hasn’t yet said how much the Traverse will cost when it goes on sale later this year, or what trims it’ll be available in, but we’ll update this space once that rolls in.