2009 Chevrolet Traverse 2LT AWD Review

Not all of us need the space, but a big vehicle with accommodations for seven people and lots of cargo space is necessary for some. You can't take the family on a week-long road trip with an Aveo5, and you can't haul a sofa in a Cobalt.

The Chevrolet Traverse is a capable machine that hauls plenty of stuff or plenty of people.

And yet, a big vehicle such as the Traverse is out of fashion right now, so timing isn't great for Chevrolet's new family wagon. Does it have what it takes to succeed? Can Americans and Canadians afford it?

Living room space inside
The Traverse and its Enclave, Acadia and Outlook acolytes offer one of the most spacious interiors among SUVs. Cargo space with both rows of rear seats folded totals 3,296 litres, which is more than all of the following: GM's Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade, Ford Taurus X and Expedition, Chrysler Aspen, Dodge Durango, Jeep Commander and Hummer H2.

Only the Cadillac Escalade ESV, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon XL and Ford Expedition Max can do better, and we're talking about big momma SUVs here. The Traverse was perfect for heading up to visit relatives during Christmas in New Hampshire, and come back down loaded with gifts for the spoiled kids. The only criticism in that regard is the fat rear bumper that will dirty your clothes as you reach into the cargo hold.

The cloth seats have a sturdy fabric and proved comfortable after multi-hour trips. The second-row captain's chars slide back and forth and tracks and easily fold away against the front seats to help people access the 3rd row. The 2LT trim includes rear-seat climate control and ventilation ducts are numerous in back.

Hit and miss dashboard
The Traverse makes do with rough-textured plastic on the dash and door panels, and the numerous pieces don't fit together perfectly, but overall, the final result is acceptable. The controls are well laid out and straightforward, except for two things: the windshield wiper mist function requires that you twist the left-side stalk, which means you have to let go of the wheel, and the rear window wiper is activated by a switch on the bottom of the centre stack, which doesn't seem right.

The Traverse offers one of the most spacious interiors among SUVs.