Used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS for sale 

There is no shortage of trims if you are going to buy a Chevrolet Traverse, as it boasts seven trim levels: L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS Premier, and High Country. These trims range from reasonably well-equipped to luxury standards. Most of the trims are fitted with a V-6 and a nine-speed automatic transmission, but the sport-styled RS is unique and it comes with a torque turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard on almost every model, and most have all-wheel drive (AWD) as an available upgrade. Besides price, the major differences between each trim level are the quality of interior amenities and the number of seats. Here are the features that are available with each individual trim. 

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Out of the Traverse family, the LT trim delivers a true bang for your buck. It comes with ample features that are absent on the lower trims. We would urge you to buy the All-Wheel-Drive for improved traction and better driving dynamics. The LT trim is available in the range of $35,595 to $42,195.

The 310 hp V6 engine in the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse coupled with the nine-speed automatic transmission feels very active, and you might not even notice the gear shifts as it feels very smooth and responsive. All Traverse except the RS is mated to a new 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, which is 20-hp more than last year's V-6. The RS trim receives a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and is only available in front-wheel drive.

RS has also been equipped with the same leather quality as the LT model, but it has unique styling cues and accents. The smaller engine is also mated to the same 9-speed gearbox. Both the engines are quite spirited and pull this heavy SUV with quite some might. The engines are refined, and whether you are driving in the city or on the highway, you'd be pretty excited with the performance. In fact, the new V6 engine in the Chevy is the most powerful engine of the lot.

The Traverse is the most powerful SUV in the comparison, while the Honda Pilot produces 30 horses less than the Traverse. All the vehicles have a similar engine setup and are close in terms of torque figures. While the Traverse supports a 9-speed automatic transmission, the other two vehicles have a 6-speed automatic transmission.

How quick is the 0-60 mph acceleration of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

The 2018 Traverse is a beast with strong acceleration. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine is smooth and resonant in the way it sounds under hard acceleration. The Traverse reaches 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which is pretty good for an SUV of this size.

The Explorer and the Pilot are faster to 60 mph in spite of having lesser power. 

The Pilot is quite light, and it's understood that the Pilot could be faster than the Traverse. The Explorer being heavier than the Traverse is surprisingly faster in 60 mph and quarter-mile both. The new nine-speed automatic transmission feels velvety while shifting, although downshifts may become a bit abrupt while driving fast.

How is the Braking and Handling performance of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse? 

The 2018 Traverse is blessed with a nimble and predictable handling character, thanks to the five-link rear suspension and MacPherson strut in the front. The suspension soaks up most of the bumps in the roads. In fact, one of the highlights of the Traverse has to be its ride comfort and stability even at high speeds. 

The car feels solid on the road. Also, wind noise and tire noise have been very well damped as well. Steering with all-electric assist feels responsive. Traverse body stays remarkably grounded through the curves with no wallow or roll. It's not something you'd expect from an SUV in this class, but it actually takes the corners better than most of its rivals. 

The 12.8” brake rotors at the front in tandem with 13.0” brake rotors at the rear end make the driver have generous control over the SUV. Brakes feel strong, with good pedal feedback and inspire confidence. It maintains its composure well even under hard braking. The stopping distance of 126 ft is pretty decent for an SUV. Only Ford manages to beat Chevy in the braking department with a margin of 6ft.

How much is the towing capacity of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Traverse has an impressive towing capacity as it can tug up to a maximum of 5,000 pounds. But you will need to spend an extra $650 to get Trailering Equipment installed, which also includes a heavy-duty cooling system to eliminate the risk of overheating while pulling heavy loads. All the vehicles have the same 5,000 pounds towing capacity and thus are well equipped to get all your work done efficiently. 

The 3.6-liter V-6 with a 9-speed automatic helps boost the Chevy Traverse to an EPA estimated combined rating of 21 mpg with front-wheel drive and 20 mpg with all-wheel drive. City rating although remains in the teens with the front-wheel-drive returning 18 mpg, while the rating for the four-wheel-drive drops by a point. Highway ratings are impressive with 27 mpg on front-wheel drive and 25 mpg on all-wheel drive. These ratings show a healthy improvement over the last traverse, which was rated at 15/22/18 mpg.

The Ford Explorer proves to be less efficient as it provides us with a combined lower mileage of 18-mpg. The Chevy Traverse and the Honda Pilot give us the same mileage, but the Pilot is one point lower in the highway mileage. Overall the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse wins the ultimate crown in the mileage department. 

The fit and finish of the Interiors of the Traverse are top-notch with rich-looking padding on the dashboard and average plastic finish on the lower part of the doors. Overall the interior looks fresh and reminds you of other new Chevrolet models like the Cruze. A huge infotainment screen takes center place on the dashboard, and it looks quite premium. The instrument cluster also looks pretty slick with two analog gauges and a digital screen in between. The base $31,000 trim gives you adequate satisfaction, and it gets properly fancy in the $53,000 Traverse High Country.

Chevy Traverse seats depend on the trim you choose. Lower trims come with a bench seat in the second row, which can carry eight people. Whereas, upper trims boast two second-row captain's chairs, limiting seating to seven. Cloth Upholstery, a third-row bench seat with a 60/40 split comes as standard. Seats are broad with good thigh support, and the available second-row captain's chair makes it easy to climb into the third row.

All the SUVs on the table offer seating space of 8 except Ford’s 7-seater Explorer. The area provided in all the SUVs in the competition is adequate enough for relaxed and comfortable journeys. Along with a decent seating area, here is the list of the interior features available in the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse:

• Leather upholstery
• Eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated second-row seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Heated steering wheel
• Power-folding third-row bench

How intuitive is the infotainment system in the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

The USB ports are thoughtfully placed, and they are plenty in numbers throughout the Traverse cabin. MyLink infotainment system is easy to use with colorful graphics on the touchscreen. While the lower trims get a 7.0-inch touchscreen, the higher trims get a bigger 8.0-inch touchscreen display.

The Traverse can easily entertain all the onboard members as well as charge multiple devices simultaneously. Along with that, the RS model has a Bose Audio System which provides high-quality rich audio. Here is the list of key infotainment features of the Traverse:

• 7.0/8.8-inch touchscreen display
• Android Auto
• Apple CarPlay
• Bose Sound System 
• Speed-Sensitive Volume Control
• Satellite Radio

How much cargo Cargo Space is available in the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

The 2018 Chevy Traverse has best in class cargo space with 98.2 cubic feet with all seats folded. It has extra cargo space than almost every other midsize three-row SUV and even some vehicles in the full-size SUV segment. So, there is definitely no comparison when it comes to cargo space. Pull down the rear seats, and you get a flush cargo floor. There is also no shortage of cubbies throughout the cabin.

With all the seats upright, the Honda Pilot has the lowest cargo space available than the Explorer, but when we fold down all the seats, the Pilot jumps ahead of the Explorer in terms of cargo spacing. But overall, all of these vehicles provide great space to carry your cargo.

The 2018 Chevy Traverse somewhat resembles the Tahoe that has lost some weight. But it is longer than the Tahoe and others in the competition, with a longer wheelbase. The wide front grille and the body-colored C-pillar give the Traverse an upscale Chevy look. Opting for the High-Country trim gets you multi-element LED headlights and more. The RS model, however, comes in an all-black scheme with a red background on all the badges.

The entire goal of Chevrolet with the Traverse was to give crossover buyers a truck-like styling experience with a rugged look. The slim wraparound taillights are nicely mated with the strong shoulder line that runs through the entire body. Higher trims on the Traverse get stylish designing on the headlight as a part of Chevrolet's D-optic design.

There is something for just about everyone's taste when it comes to wheels. The base and the LS come standard with an 18-inch wheel option, however, there is an option to go for the 20-inch wheel with the LS. Move higher in the trim, and you will have a wide array of options to choose between different 20-inch wheel line-up. Top of the trim High Country comes standard with the 20-inch polished aluminum wheel.

Traverse gets a five-star overall rating with some of the crash tests conducted on the car by NHTSA. However, the car has performed well in the crashworthiness test by IIHS. Chevrolet has always manufactured strong and reliable vehicles at the structural level and thus can handle impact forces during accidents. Traverse gets most of General Motors’ active safety features, however, many of them are available on the two highest-priced trim. Standard safety features include:

• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• Airbag system
• OnStar Basic Plan for 5 years
• OnStar Guidance Plan Limited Service Trial
• Rear Vision Camera
• Child security rear door locks
• Passenger Sensing System
• Rear seat reminder
• LATCH System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Chevrolet Traverse Vs Ford Explorer

There are similarities and differences between the two beasts, but Traverse ranks a bit higher than Explorer. Ford comes standard with a 3.5-liter V-6 with 290 horsepower, whereas Traverse gets a 3.6-liter V-6 with 310 horsepower. So clearly, Chevy has got more power along with a 9-speed transmission as compared to the Explorer's 6-speed transmission, thus bagging the badge of better SUV between the two.

Chevrolet Traverse Vs Honda Pilot

Honda Pilot has one of the most comfortable third-row seats, and choosing between the Pilot and Traverse may come down to your personal preference for styling and tech. However, Pilot feels more upscale inside, while the Traverse infotainment system is user-friendly.

Chevy also comes standard with Android and Apple CarPlay, which you will only find in higher trims in the Pilot, making us lean a bit more on the American Chevy.

Taking everything into consideration, the Traverse is a bit of a mixed bag. It neither does anything groundbreaking nor it has any fatal flaws. It is an excellent vehicle if you need to accommodate a larger group of people and still have room for shopping bags. It is a handsome looking SUV on the exterior and interior too, and it commands great road presence. It is priced very competitively in its segment, which makes the choice all the more difficult. While there is little to choose in between these vehicles, and the choice perhaps now comes down to personal preference, but the Chevrolet Traverse makes a strong case for itself and stands as a great vehicle by itself.