RSS
Home
Chevy's 2009 Traverse – this crossover may grow on you
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Chevy believes the Traverse will impact the market share of the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Ford Flex, however the base model LS is the most expensive of the four. Of course, a quick check online reveals models coming with rebates of $2,250 and markdowns up to $6,000.
The Honda Pilot has less power and worse mileage. The Toyota Highlander gets slightly better mileage with a base price of $25,705. The Ford Flex is almost as much at $28, 495 and gets slightly better mileage.
When our test model first arrived, our initial impression was the Traverse didn’t seem to have the same finish as the Malibu – this misgiving would rapidly fade over the week to come.
The 2009 Chevy Traverse drives just like an oversize car only better. On the top-of-the-line LTZ, 20-inch machined aluminum wheels and all-wheel-drive create tracking as sure-footed as any Volvo or Range Rover. That’s a good thing in Colorado especially during the seasonal cloudbursts we’ve had lately that dump rain on the roads in sheets and buckets.
This stylish workhorse features a 3.6-liter direct-injected V6 power plant that develops 281 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and a corresponding 253 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,500 rpm. With all that power it still manages to deliver a combined mileage rating of roughly 20 mpg – slightly more or less depending on whether it’s a front wheel or all wheel drive vehicle.
That’s not bad for a car with a curb weight of 4,925 lbs. Of course the Traverse’s heavyweight status contributes to its stability on the road – it’s easier to hydroplane a lighter vehicle with smaller tires than a heavy vehicle with big tires.
The ease with which the seats fold completely flat is impressive and the second row features slide-and-recline captain’s chairs. With seats down, the Traverse offers a whopping 117 cubic feet of cargo space – plenty to handle whatever your mainstream or sideline endeavors require.
The 2009 Traverse gets a rating of five-stars across the board for front and side impacts, including both driver and passengers. It gets an average rating for particulates and emissions, also not bad for a vehicle this size.
We drove the crossover up North Turkey Creek Road and found its only drawback is on tight mountain curves. It has a curb-to-curb turning radius of just over 40 ft. It crawled along the serpentine highway laboriously – while something like a Mini-Cooper would have lapped the curves up like a thirsty dog. However you cannot haul eight people in a Mini- Cooper – at least not legally.
The rest of the time the Traverse was a true pleasure to drive, even in driving rain. One of its standout features is a towing capacity of 5,200 lbs – an area where it holds it own against the competition. For more information visit 2009-Chevy-Traverse.com
Beyond that it’s a matter of taste, but we feel the Traverse is well worth a look. Take it for a test drive and see what it says to you.
Happy Motoring!
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
