Second Generation Chevrolet Traverse

Crossovers have become the very fabric of the American neighborhood and for Chevrolet, there is no exception. Having introduced the Traverse to the American soil nearly a decade ago, it seems that the future of the American neighborhood, much like everyone else in the world, belongs to the crossovers and with General Motors declared themselves out of the minivan race following the sharp rise of crossovers, it's no mistake to introduce the Traverse on American soil and for 2018, the Traverse has now regenerated to make this crossover...ahem...great again.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Here it is, cowboys and equestrians, your all-new Chevrolet Traverse. And by the looks of it, the new Traverse is shaping up the crossover market with its muscular styling, luxurious interior, powerful V6 engine, and loads of tech features that makes it one step ahead of the competition.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

First and foremost, let's take a look at the Traverse's design and whereas the previous model looks more like an average crossover at an average neighborhood, the new model looks rather muscular for a crossover. Think of it like the Marlboro Man dressed for office work and at every angle, all that Marlboro Man aura is flowing through its exterior design. Although some say it can be easily mistaken for its little brother, the new Equinox, with a Tahoe-inspired side view, the new Traverse looks pretty much as juicy as a dozen of Texas chicken served on a basket while at the fair. Tasty.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse interior

It's not just the muscular exterior that makes it juicy for the new Traverse but the interior is pretty large for a midsize crossover and if you go for the range-topping High Country variant, that Jet Black/Loft Brown interior is as juicy as a beef jerky for a midnight snack. Apart from the very generous seven or eight-seater capacity provided by its new Smart Slide Seating, the new Traverse's best-in-class maximum cargo space of 98.2 cu. ft. really gets the job done at work or at play, even when you use it for UBER or lyft purposes known only to yourself. Other notable features include the hands-free gesture liftgate, the secret compartment on the dashboard, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, and smartphone connectivity with Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility. With features like these, the Traverse is a very accommodating crossover fit enough for a Dallas maverick.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Okay y'all because under the hood of the new Traverse lies a 3.6L V6 engine mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox that produces a very sporty 310HP of power output, 266 lb-ft of torque, and towing capacity of up to 5,000lbs. It's the most powerful Traverse ever made and apart from showing off its muscles on the go, it's also fuel efficient thanks to its idling stop and go function that shuts off when stopped at the set of lights and then restarts when you set off, resulting to an EPA-estimated 18 MPG city/ 27 MPG highway for FWD and 17 MPG city/25 MPG highway for AWD. Later on, there will be a 2.0L turbo for those who are...ahem...liberals who are not interested to the redness of the new Traverse's muscular performance much like today's politics. So, how are those Republicans?

For AWD variants, you can check out this Traction Mode Select that allows the driver to choose four different driving modes, be it FWD on normal roads, 4X4/SNOW when today's forecast calls for slippery roads, OFFROAD, and TOW/HAUL to pull some stuff from behind when you're on a weekend trip to the beach.

In terms of safety, the Traverse comes fully prepared with a host of safety features so it may know when Murphy's Law hits the road such as Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Automatic Braking, Rear Vision Camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Park Assist, and many more, including the Teen Driver Feature.

The new Traverse starts at $29,930 and by surprise, it's more affordable to own than America's favorite crossover, the Explorer. This is another reason why Chevrolet is stacking up the competition against the rest but anyway, the Traverse knows how to play a game of top trumps against the other crossovers and what stacks up against the rest is its tech, interior, and performance, although the styling is pretty much the stuff you should never talk on the grown-up table with the others and at this rate, it's facing a harsh opportunity to leave a mark on the world stage because of today's climate. Needless to say, the new Traverse is struggle to survive at this new world order but I'm sure this crossover has the guts to gallop around the hurdles.

Photo: General Motors