One of the more popular vehicles in recent years to come out of the Chevrolet wheelhouse has been the Chevy Traverse. The mid-size crossover SUV has a decidedly distinct appeal apart from other SUVs on the market from General Motors, such as the Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon, mostly because it differs in its demographic targeting. Instead of being a full-size luxury SUV, the 2021 Chevy Traverse has instead focused on being an economical crossover utility vehicle, providing drivers with a very commendable selection of features while seating up to eight passengers, all without sacrificing an affordable price tag.
What’s New for the 2021 Chevy Traverse?
Some minor changes have been put into effect for the 2021 model year of the Traverse. This includes the addition of a 3-button universal garage door opener, complete with a programmable remote you can use from within the cabin, as well as a new traction mode selection called Driver Mode Selector.
The new Mode Selector should be useful for anyone looking to take the Traverse into muddy or wet territory or for those who have to deal with harsh seasonal rain or snow on a regular basis.
Additionally, the Driver Confidence II Package has been altered into the Chevrolet Safety Assist Package, which contains a number of useful alert and warning systems, such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, a following distance indicator, and lane keep assist with lane departure warnings. The package also includes Intellibeam headlights, which automatically modify their brightness based on road and traffic conditions.
How Many Engine Options Are There?
There’s only one powertrain option for the 2021 Chevy Traverse. It’s a 3.6-liter V6 engine rated at 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. The 3.6-liter V6 is paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission with electronically controlled overdrive and driver shift control. This engine utilizes variable valve timing and direct injection in order to maximize the efficiency of the engine’s performance output. This, in turn, helps to reduce waste, emissions, and conserve on fuel consumption.
The variable valve timing works in conjunction with the engine start/stop mechanic, which stops the engine when the car is idle, preventing any excess fuel from being used. In turn, this helps the overall fuel economy of the Traverse, so you’re paying less in the long run the more you drive the vehicle.
In total, the 2021 Chevy Traverse manages an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 18 MPG in the city and up to 27 MPG on the highway.
What Are the Trim Levels and Price Points?
The 2021 Chevy Traverse is available in seven different trims, which includes the L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS, Premier, and High Country.
The base is the L trim, which has a starting MSRP of $29,800. This is followed by the LS, which has an MSRP of $32,900. The LT Cloth is next at $35,400, followed by the LT Leather at $39,100. The RS trim will run you an MSRP of $43,700, while the Premier clocks in at $45,800, and the High Country tops out the list at $50,900.
Depending on the options, features, and accessories will also determine how much more you’ll be paying in total for a brand new 2021 Chevy Traverse. Some additional items such as front license plate brackets or various other dealer accouterments can also add to the total price, ranging from miscellaneous items such as tool kits and safety signs to trailering equipment and audio headsets.
Ultimately, the different trims determine what your starting MSRP will be, and from there, you can either add or scale back on features based on what you want from this midsize SUV.
What Are the Different Trim Features?
Many of the trim features vary based on the packages that they come equipped with, ranging from safety and tech packages to comfort and convenience packages. It’s also possible to upgrade some of the trims to include specific packages or accessories you want, which can ultimately help reduce the overall price of the Traverse by mixing and matching certain kinds of amenities to suit what you want out of the midsize crossover.
Every trim other than the L trim is available in two drivetrain configurations, which includes front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. That’s something to keep in mind depending on if you were planning on taking the Traverse off-roading.
The L trim comes with all the standard amenities, such as driver mode selection, 18-inch silver-painted aluminum wheels, rear vision camera, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control with traction control. Other features include a tire pressure monitoring system with tire fill alerts, Chevrolet Connected Services with OnStar support, LATCH safety system for children, Teen Driver technology, and six USB ports. For the utmost in comfort and entertainment, you will get the Chevrolet Infotainment System 3 with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless Bluetooth support for smart devices, keyless open and start, and tri-zone climate control.
The LS trim comes standard with everything from the L trim, but with added deep-tinted rear windows and the availability of various package options not available for the L trim.
The LT cloth trim features everything from the LS trim, but with additional standard features such as an 8-way power driver seat with lumbar support, heated power-adjustable manual-folding side mirrors with attached turn signals, fog lamps, black roof rails, SiriusXM package with a 3-month trial subscription, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power windows for the driver and passenger side.
The LT Leather trim features everything from the LT Cloth trim but with additional safety and technology add-ons. This includes lane change and side blind-zone alert, rear parking assist, rear cross-traffic alert with audible warnings, and the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus suite with an 8-inch LCD touchscreen. Also available is a power rear liftgate, remote vehicle starter, available leather-appointed seating, HD rear vision camera, 6-way power seating for the front passenger, heated front seats, and programmable remote.
For the RS trim, it comes with everything from the LT Leather trim, but automatic emergency braking and forward collision alert are standard. It also includes HD surround vision and a rear camera mirror, as well as RS exclusive accents and 20-inch dark-painted aluminum alloy wheels with glossy black window trims and a black ice front grille with the black bowtie emblems. Intellibeam headlights come standard, along with a 120-volt power outlet on the rear of the center console, an auto-heating steering wheel, following distance indicator, and a premium 10-speaker Bose audio system with a Richbass sub-woofer.
With the Premier trim, you get everything from the LT Leather trim, but with perforated leather-appointed seating in the front and second rows with ventilated driver and front passenger seats. Wireless charging for smart devices, an LED D-optic bi-functioning projector beam headlights, body-color moldings with chrome inserts along with chrome door handles and roof rails, and power-tilt telescopic steering.
As for the High Country trim, it contains everything from the Premier trim, but with power-folding third-row 60/40 split-bench seats, and a SkyScape power tilt-sliding sunroof and a rear fixed skylight. It also comes standard with adaptive cruise control with built-in automatic emergency braking, and trailering equipment that features a heavy-duty cooling system, a trailer hitch, and trailer assistance systems such as hitch view and hitch guidance, with a maximum tow rating of up to 5,000 pounds.
What Are the Traverse’s Package Options?
The 2021 Traverse has 12 different package options that vary per trim. The packages include the Chevy Safety Assist, the LT Premium Package, the Cargo Package, the Floor Liner Package, the Interior Enhancement Package, the Interior Protection Package, the Roadside Safety Package, the Midnight/Sport Edition, the Black Accent Package, the Blackout Package, the Chrome Essentials Package, and the Hit The Road Package.
Not every package is available for every trim. For instance, the package options aren’t available with the base L trim. The package options become available for all the trims starting at LS and above.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some trims have fewer packages than others because some of the packages come standard with the trim. The LT and Premier have access to the most packages, while the LS has access to only eight packages, and the RS has access to only seven because many of the other luxury packages are included as standard features for the RS.
The High Country, which is the top of the line trim for the Chevy Traverse, only has access to four packages, which includes the optional Cargo Package, Floor Liner Package, Interior Protection Package, and the Roadside Safety Package. These are all non-essential additions you can use to further customize the Traverse, but all of the necessary packages that add additional infotainment, alert systems, or technology to the traverse, are already included in the High Country trim.
Now that you have an idea of what the Traverse can do, it’s time for you to visit a Chevy dealer near you to take one out for a spin.
