2025 Chevrolet Traverse Road Test and Review

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

When the Chevrolet Traverse first hit the market in 2009, Chevy was one of the last major brands to launch a three-row crossover SUV. The Traverse went for a simple but effective advantage – size. And 16 years later, the 2025 Traverse is still bigger than the competition. That makes it a natural choice for someone who wants as much cargo room as possible – without the snooze factor of a minivan or the extra bulk and expense of a truck-based full-size SUV like the Chevrolet Tahoe. 

After it entered its third generation last year, the 2025 Chevrolet Traverse also wears more truck-like styling than its rivals. It boasts General Motors’ hands-free Super Cruise driving assistant. And its turbocharged four-cylinder engine promises more power yet better gas mileage than most rivals. We just spent a week testing the latest Traverse to learn about its pros and cons. Keep reading our full review to see how it stacks up against other three-row crossovers and see if it’s the right big SUV for you. 

Model Lineup Shifts Upscale

The third-generation Traverse arrived last year with a base LS model that cost a budget-friendly $37,600. But for 2025, Chevrolet decided to automatically upgrade everyone to the LT – which starts at $40,700. That’s a steeper entry point, even for a three-row crossover. But it means that more popular amenities are now standard on every Traverse, including a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a wireless smartphone charger, and second-row captain’s chairs. Other standard features include heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, GPS navigation, a hands-free power liftgate, push-button starting, front and rear automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. 

You can also load up the LT with just about all the Traverse’s available options. These include a 12-speaker stereo instead of the standard six speakers, 20-inch wheels instead of the standard 18-inchers, leatherette upholstery instead of cloth, a panoramic moonroof, Super Cruise, and a surround-view parking camera. 

You can also take the Traverse in any of three different directions. Chevy offers the off-road-themed Z71 trim level, the sportier-looking RS like our test vehicle, and the new-for-2025 deluxe High Country. The latter two unlock some exclusive luxury amenities like genuine leather, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a power-folding third-row seat, and a power-adjustable passenger seat. But they cost $53,000 and up. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

A Long Box With Some Flair

As we mentioned, at 205 inches long, the Traverse covers more ground than competing crossovers. That presents a tricky situation for stylists. First, the Traverse is big for the purposes of being roomy, so it has to be kind of boxy. But it’s also a long box. As a result, the first two generations of Traverse were pretty dull to look at. 

These days, the three-row crossover enjoys some more design flair. First, its upright front end with high, slim headlights looks like a Chevy truck – not a minivan with swing-out doors. Boldly shaped LED taillights split off in two directions (one part wrapping around the side of the vehicle, one curving down toward the bumper). And the unusually shaped side windows give the Traverse a sporty touch – and a cue that distinguishes it from its corporate cousins, the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Dashboard by Google

Inside, the Traverse’s dashboard is dominated by a pair of screens – a huge 17.7-inch touchscreen that bumps against an 11-inch digital gauge cluster. The central infotainment screen is powered by Google, and it also supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. The system generally works well, and many key functions receive physical buttons and knobs rather than forcing you into the screen for everything. Like several other recent Chevrolets, however, you do need to use the screen to control the headlights. At one point, our test vehicle’s screen took a couple of minutes to switch on after we started driving, but it was otherwise cooperative during our week with the Traverse. 

We didn’t find the Traverse to look and feel as expensive as the GMC Acadia (which has a handsomely blocky dashboard) or the Buick Enclave (whose curvier cabin flows more gracefully than the Chevy’s). On the other hand, the Traverse is less expensive than its cousins. Our RS test vehicle is also dressed up with red accents on the dashboard, door panels, and seats. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Three Usable Rows of Seats

We mentioned that the Traverse is longer than its rivals, and a key benefit to that is its interior space. The Traverse has seating for up to eight passengers in three usable rows of seats. As we mentioned, the comfortable front seats are heated on every 2025 Traverse, and drivers always get a power-adjustable seat and a heated steering wheel. 

In the second row, captain’s chairs are standard equipment on all trim levels. With two people in the second row and three in the third, the Traverse seats seven passengers. The LT is also available with a second-row bench seat that fits an eighth passenger, though you can’t get the bench on upper trim levels like on several competitors. On the other hand, some other rivals top out at seven passengers with a second-row bench seat and just six seats with second-row captain’s chairs. 

As we mentioned, the Traverse’s third row is one of the more usable you’ll find in many SUVs or crossovers. Still, a few rivals are even better despite being slightly smaller on the outside. We had to move the Chevy’s second-row seats well forward to fit inside, and the tiny windows provided a poor view out. We also wish the Traverse offered second-row windowshades. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Cargo-Carrying Leader

The Traverse’s size advantage is even clearer when it comes to cargo. It fits 22.3 cubic feet of luggage space behind its third row, 56.6 cubic feet with the third row folded flat, and 97.6 cubic feet behind the front seats. That’s the most cargo room of any crossover SUV (except for the Traverse’s own cousins). The Volkswagen Atlas and Toyota Grand Highlander aren’t far behind, but the GM crossovers leave the rest of the competition in the dust – particularly when you’re folding down all the seats. Only a minivan or a much pricier full-size SUV like the Chevrolet Tahoe has more cargo room. 

The Traverse is also rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds, which is about average for a three-row crossover. One nice perk is that every Traverse is equipped with a tow package. Most crossovers keep this as an optional upgrade, which not only adds to the cost but also makes it harder to find a towing-ready vehicle in a dealer’s inventory. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Economical Turbo Engine

While the first two Traverse generations came with big V6 engines, the latest model uses a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Turbo fours have become popular for letting you squeeze out some more miles per gallon while you’re driving gently while still letting you dig down for maximum power when you want it. On this front, the Traverse delivers. 

In EPA testing, the front-wheel-drive Traverse gets 20 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined, while all-wheel-drive models get 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined on regular-grade fuel. And we beat that estimate to average 22 mpg during our week with an AWD Traverse. That’s not best-in-class efficiency, but it’s better than some smaller, less powerful rivals. Every 2025 Traverse makes a healthy 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. 

The Traverse’s powertrain weakness is engine noise. Even for a four-cylinder, this engine is rough and raspy – making it sound overworked even when it has power to spare. We suspect some prospective owners would happily trade a couple of mpg and a few horsepower for a smooth, relaxed V6. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Easy to Drive

Engine aside, the Traverse is an easy crossover to drive. It has a smooth, comfortable ride and easy, natural handling. You don’t feel like you’re driving the biggest car in its class. Only its wide 39-foot-turning radius betrays its girth; we’re glad that even the base LT lets you buy the handy surround-view parking camera to guide you through tight maneuvers. 

Also available on all trim levels is the Super Cruise hands-free driver aid. This system lets you take your hands off the wheel while your Traverse handles acceleration, braking, and even automatic lane changes on more than 750,000 miles of North American roadways. You have to keep your eyes on the road (the system will shut off if you don’t), and you’re responsible for swerving sharply to avoid a collision, but it’s a welcome assistant on the tedium of long drives. The only Traverse competitor with a similar hands-free driving aid is the smaller Ford Explorer, whose BlueCruise system works on only 130,000 miles of roads. Our test Traverse’s steering wheel jiggled oddly while we used Super Cruise, but the system otherwise worked smoothly. 

The Traverse also earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Traverse vs. the Competition

When you’re looking for one of the roomiest possible crossovers, the Traverse’s top rivals are the Honda Pilot, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Volkswagen Atlas. All of them are comfortable and drive well. The Pilot has the least cargo space and the smallest dashboard screen of this trio; the Atlas has the most confounding dashboard controls and is the only one that doesn’t seat eight passengers; and the Grand Highlander costs the most. On the other hand, the Honda has the quietest engine (the only V6), the Toyota has the best gas mileage (especially with its optional gas-electric hybrid powertrain), and the VW costs the least. 

When size isn’t paramount, you can also consider a host of slightly smaller but otherwise appealing three-row crossovers. These include the quiet, luxuriously finished, and aggressively priced Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride; the agile and powerful Ford Explorer and Mazda CX-90; and the off-road-ready Jeep Grand Cherokee L. And if you really don’t need tons of space, the boxy yet posh Hyundai Santa Fe and the rugged-looking Kia Sorento offer incredible value.  

Lastly, if you like everything about the Traverse except for its looks, you can consider paying extra for a GMC Acadia or Buick Enclave. They have fancier interiors as well as more traditionally upscale exterior designs. But they cost more and aren’t available with eight-passenger seating. 

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Chevrolet Traverse competes in a crowded market segment. But among all the available alternatives, none of them matches its cargo capacity, the size of its touchscreen, or the capability of its hands-free driving system. 

If you’re looking for the lowest price, the fanciest interior decor, or the quietest engine, you’ll likely gravitate toward one of the Traverse’s competitors. But with impressive space, power, fuel efficiency, safety, and technology, the big Chevy has a lot to offer. 

2024 Chevrolet Traverse RS ・ Photo by Brady Holt