Good seats, dated dashboard
On a Montreal-Toronto round trip with the Traverse and a Ford Explorer, the Chevy flaunted its more comfortable and more supportive furniture. Our test vehicle was also equipped with a rear-seat DVD system that included a remote control and wireless headphones; very handy for kids or work colleagues.
The Traverse can draw little criticism for ease of entry and exit, with wide opening doors and low door sills. With a simple pull on a lever, the second-row seats fold easily up and out of the way in order to access the third row. We would definitely skip on the optional chrome side steps, however, which prevented us from exiting the vehicle gracefully.
Where the Traverse loses points is in the dashboard fit and finish department. Actually, the fit isn’t bad, but the quality of the plastics could be better. Also, the windshield wipers’ turn-signal stalk mounted switch requires you take your hand off the wheel to activate, while the rear window wiper switch is at the bottom of the centre stack, right beside the shift lever. Both not-so-good ideas.
Any why do those climate control buttons have to be so small? Big rotary knobs, one for temperature and one for fan speed, are the easiest type to use while driving; why do certain manufacturers keep installing buttons the size of our fingertips? In addition, the sound system display is small and looks dated, and setting up a Bluetooth connection with your smartphone takes time and patience. At least there’s a USB port for plugging in your choice of music.
On a Montreal-Toronto round trip with the Traverse and a Ford Explorer, the Chevy flaunted its more comfortable and more supportive furniture. Our test vehicle was also equipped with a rear-seat DVD system that included a remote control and wireless headphones; very handy for kids or work colleagues.
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| For long trips, the Traverse rewards its occupants with a good ride and comfy seats. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |
The Traverse can draw little criticism for ease of entry and exit, with wide opening doors and low door sills. With a simple pull on a lever, the second-row seats fold easily up and out of the way in order to access the third row. We would definitely skip on the optional chrome side steps, however, which prevented us from exiting the vehicle gracefully.
Where the Traverse loses points is in the dashboard fit and finish department. Actually, the fit isn’t bad, but the quality of the plastics could be better. Also, the windshield wipers’ turn-signal stalk mounted switch requires you take your hand off the wheel to activate, while the rear window wiper switch is at the bottom of the centre stack, right beside the shift lever. Both not-so-good ideas.
Any why do those climate control buttons have to be so small? Big rotary knobs, one for temperature and one for fan speed, are the easiest type to use while driving; why do certain manufacturers keep installing buttons the size of our fingertips? In addition, the sound system display is small and looks dated, and setting up a Bluetooth connection with your smartphone takes time and patience. At least there’s a USB port for plugging in your choice of music.
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| Dashboard fit and finish could be better, and some controls need improvement. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com) |