What vehicle sits up to eight people but measures only 17 feet from grille to tail lights? It’s the midsize SUV 2020 Chevy Traverse. This three-row sport utility vehicle offers the most passenger space in its class, which is really saying something. It’s a feat of automotive design to make every row of a three-row midsize SUV feel comfortable. If we’ve got your interest, buckle up and prepare to learn about this family-friendly yet bold vehicle. This preview guide will show off what’s new for 2020 and what we’ve loved all along.
What’s New This Year?
First thing’s first, the V6 engine was upgraded and just became standard across the entire lineup. Chevy added 29 horsepower to its 3.6-liter V6 engine, giving it a total of 310 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque. If those numbers mean little to you, suffice it to say that this engine provides plenty of power for everyday driving. What’s better is the fuel economy. With front-wheel drive, the 2020 Chevy Traverse gets 18 city miles and 27 highway miles per gallon. That’s about the middle of the road for this midsize SUVs, but much better than three-row large SUVs. So, plenty of space, but not a gas guzzler. Sounds pretty good to us.
The other big development is that the Chevy Infotainment 3 replaces MyLink for 2020 in the Traverse and lots of other Chevy vehicles. This is a welcome change, since the Infotainment 3 is easy to use and, in the Traverse’s case, easy to reach. The layout is bright and intuitive and easy to control in a hurry.
A few minor developments round out the improvements. The Driver Confidence package is now available on lower trims to add extra active safety features. Surround-vision camera became available on higher trims for 2020. And a Buckle-to-Drive feature was added to Teen Driver mode, meaning your kids need to click it before they can even back out of the driveway.
Why Buy the Traverse?
You mean besides the fuel efficiency, the extra passenger room, and the great engine? We also like the abundant features that start with Chevrolet's Teen Driver, rearview camera, Infotainment 3 system, 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, and six USB ports that come standard on the base Traverse. You can add a rear-seat entertainment system on the Traverse LS, a 10-speaker Bose audio system on the Traverse RS, or wireless device charging on the Traverse Premier.
We also appreciate the versatile cabin that gives you a good mix of passenger or cargo configuration options. With all the seats in use, you get a base 23 cubic feet behind the rear seats, enough for a dozen pieces of carry-on luggage. But fold down the second- and third-row seats, and you get a whopping 98.2 cubic feet of cargo space all told! As you can see, there’s plenty to love about the versatile 2020 Traverse.