The Chevy Traverse is an award winner. The SUV has been recognized for an assortment of factors, including safety, popularity, and the family-friendly design and amenities. Sure, the Traverse may have won these awards in the past, but we can only expect more of the same from the 2016 model. Based on what we know about the vehicle, we’re anticipating even more accolades in the coming year.
Are you eyeing a 2016 Chevy Traverse? Continue reading below to learn why the nameplate continues to earn some of the top awards and accolades…
NHTSA Five-Star Overall Vehicle Score
The Traverse is no stranger to receiving accolades for its safety. The vehicle earned a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Furthermore, the 2016 model earned five-star ratings for Frontal Driver safety, Frontal Passenger safety, Side Driver safety, Side Passenger safety, and Side Pole Driver safety.
These honors shouldn’t be much of a surprise, as Chevy engineers continually roll out one of the safety mid-size SUVs out there. Composed of strong metal, the Traverse will absorb the majority of an impact’s energy in the case of an accident, keeping the occupants safe. Furthermore, the industry-first Front-Center Air Bags will play an important role in preventing injury (as well as the six standard air bags), as will the Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system, which will keep your youngest occupants secure in an accident.
Of course, there are plenty of technological safety features that accompany those more common inclusions. The Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Lane Departure Warning will improve the driver’s ability and willingness to switch lanes. When a vehicle has snuck into your blindspot, you’ll be alerted via audible and visual cues, thus reducing the chance of an accident. Meanwhile, the Forward Collision Alert determines when a forward crash is inevitable, alerting the driver and subsequently applying the necessary brakes (if applicable).
Do you want more? How about the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System with Traction Control, which will assist in keeping your Traverse on its intended path. The technology will also prevent the wheels from over-spinning, reducing the chance that you skid.
Perhaps the most important feature is the OnStar system with Automatic Crash Response. If you’re in an emergency, an OnStar Advisor will contact the vehicle’s occupant to determine if emergency personnel is needed. If the occupants are unable to respond, the advisor will rely on the vehicle’s GPS to send help immediately.
Most Popular on Edmunds.com Award
The Traverse has previously been named Edmund’s Top Rated Vehicle, and it was also among the top-three most popular large crossover SUVs on the site. Of course, these accolades weren’t any surprise to anybody working for the brand.
“Today’s Chevrolet lineup is the best in the brand’s history and these awards from Edmunds.com are further proof that we are delivering the expressive designs, easy-to-use technologies, safety and performance that consumers want,” said Brian Sweeney, the United States vice president of Chevrolet.
There’s a whole lot to like about the Traverse, perhaps explaining customer’s infatuation with the mid-size SUV. There’s obviously the 3.6-liter V6 engine, a capable and dependable unit that can pump out 281/288 horsepower and 266/270 pounds-feet of torque. These specs combine to produce an incredible 5,200-pound towing capability.
“Equinox and Traverse are attracting owners of competitive vehicles, including Fords, Toyotas, and Hondas to Chevrolet showrooms,” said Alan Batey, the vice president of Chevrolet Sales and Service. “For these buyers, Equinox and Traverse offer the flexibility and fuel efficiency they have been looking for in a crossover, as well as the design, performance and value that define Chevrolet.”
Ah, design. The Traverse’s sculpted body certainly makes it one of the most stylish SUVs, and customers would presumably appreciate all of the options to customize the vehicle. There are eight different color options (my personal favorites are Tungsten Metallic and Blue Velvet Metallic), four trim options (including the fully-equipped LTZ), four wheel options (like the 20-inch painted aluminum wheels), and nine different interior upholsteries (including both cloth and leather).
Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com’s Top-10 Family Car
“No stranger to this list, the Chevy Traverse remains among the most family-friendly vehicles on the market. Practical features like seating for up to eight passengers, abundant cargo space, impressive fuel economy and a five-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) appeal to our pragmatic side, while the 2011 Chevy Traverse’s attractive exterior styling and surprisingly nimble handling help win over our emotions.”
KBB.com’s explanation of the award pretty much sums it up. The Traverse offers ample interior space, plenty of safety features (which we’ve already gone over), and enough technology to keep all of the occupants entertained. Of course, that’s what the engineers were aiming for in the first place!
“The editors of kbb.com examined many of the same features that families consider when looking for their next car, including safety, value, and efficiency,” said Rick Scheidt, the vice president of Chevrolet U.S. marketing. “These attributes have made the Suburban and Traverse perennial favorites with customers, and contributed to Chevrolet’s long history of offering the best family vehicles.”
The SUV provides 116.3-cubic-feet of maximum cargo space, and that space is limited to a still-reasonable 24.4-cubic-feet of cargo room behind the third row. The seats can be manipulated to provide the best possible interior arrangement, as the second-row captain’s chairs can be folded flat and the Smart Slide second-row seating provides easy access to the third row. Furthermore, you won’t have any issues loading or unloading your cargo, as the power-remote liftgate will assist in a lot of the heavy lifting.
You’ll never have to worry about your children complaining in the Traverse. Are they uncomfortable? They can manipulate their heated/cooled seats, and they can also set the tri-zone climate control to their ideal temperature. There’s also plenty of ways for the passengers to stay connected. The standard USB ports found throughout the interior will assure that their gadgets are always charged, and you can further entertain them with the optional rear-seat entertainment system. For connection to the internet, the vehicle’s occupants can enjoy the fast 4G LTE Wi-Fi.
That’s not all for technology. All of the vehicle’s occupants can enjoy the 6.5-inch color touch-screen, which allows the driver to access SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Pandora Internet Radio, or an advanced navigation application. Furthermore, the accompanying Chevy MyLink technology allows the driver to seamlessly integrate their phone with the Traverse, meaning they can make calls and send texts without having to take their eyes off the road.
We should expect more of the same from the 2016 Chevy Traverse. The nameplate is an annual award winner, whether it’s being recognized for its engine, safety, or family-friendly features. We’ve explained how these attributes hold up in this year’s model, and based on what we’ve seen, we’re expecting more awards in the next couple of months.
