2018 Chevrolet Traverse
After releasing the new 2017
GMC Acadia in Detroit this year, GM is prepping a replacement for its Chevrolet
sibling, the Traverse, that’s scheduled for a mid-2017 launch, as a 2018 model.
Our man Brett Borgard was in
stealth mode in Colorado snapping pictures of a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
prototype covered up for testing.
Whereas the new Traverse
will share its core architecture with GMC’s downsized 2017 Acadia that is about
7 inches shorter and 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor, reducing the
maximum number of seats from eight to seven, Chevy’s SUV will ride on a longer
wheelbase offering more passenger and luggage space.
The reasoning behind GM’s
decision to keep the new Traverse roughly the same size as the current model,
while at the same time, downsizing the Acadia, is to differentiate the
positioning of the two SUVs, which in their first generations, were practically
identical.
As such, the Acadia will
meet consumer demands for better fuel economy in a more compact and efficient
package, with the 2018 Traverse catering to customers looking for a roomy
three-row crossover, while also leaving a distance between it and the compact
Equinox so Chevy can slot another midsize crossover into their range.
Nevertheless, the new
Traverse should enjoy notable weight savings over the current model, just like
its platform twins, the 2017 GMC Acadia and the 2017 Cadillac XT5 that replaced
the SRX, albeit not the 700 pound loss of the former.
It’s hard to tell what
design direction Chevy is taking with the new Traverse, but the tester looks
boxier overall with a more dominant and upright front end than today’s model.
The new Acadia’s base
2.5-liter four-pot isn’t expected to be offered on the 2018 Traverse since it
will be a bigger and heavier car, with the Chevy SUV likely getting the
former’s upgraded 3.6-liter gasoline V6 producing 310 hp versus the current
model’s 288 hp 3.6L V6, fitted as standard, and connected to either a six-speed
automatic or GM’s upcoming nine-speed auto for front-wheel drive-based cars.
All wheel drive will be available as an option.
