2018 Chevrolet Traverse

2018 is the launch year of the second-generation (C1XX) Traverse. The volume LT trims use the new 310-hp 3.6L V6, and the RS debuts with the 257-hp 2.0L turbo four.

Torque from the naturally aspirated V6 is modest for a ~4,400-lb three-row next to turbocharged rivals. The 2.0T RS makes more torque but less horsepower.

The new V6 and 9-speed made the 2018 Traverse one of the quicker three-row crossovers, testing in the low-to-mid 6s. Consumer Reports measured it slower, at ~7.3 s, and the 2.0T RS takes about 7.5 s.

The V6 is smooth and linear with no turbo lag and pulls well at higher revs. It needs revs to feel strong, and the standard auto stop-start can be noticeable.

The new GM 9-speed automatic shifts smoothly in most driving but can be slow to kick down and feel busy. The electronic shifter offers little real manual control.

5,000 lbs when properly equipped is the norm for mainstream three-row crossovers. That is on par with the Highlander and Pilot and short of Durango-class ratings.

FWD is standard, but AWD is available on most V6 trims, and the High Country gets twin-clutch AWD with active torque vectoring. The 2.0T RS is FWD-only and there is no low range.

This is a pavement-oriented family crossover with about 7.5 in of ground clearance. It has no skid plates, no low range and no off-road trim; the Z71 arrived only with the 2024 redesign.

There are two engines, the 3.6L V6 and the 2.0L turbo four on the RS, both with the 9-speed. There is no electrified option, and the turbo is a niche FWD-only trim.

The new 3.6L V6 with the 9-speed automatic returns 21 MPG combined in FWD form. That is below average for gas SUVs and typical of a large non-hybrid three-row.

City is the weakest of the three EPA figures: the body is heavy and the naturally aspirated V6 has only stop-start to help its economy.

The 9-speed's tall top gear lets the V6 cruise efficiently, making highway the Traverse's best figure.

A 19.4-gallon tank and 21 MPG combined give about 400 miles per fill. That is adequate but mid-pack for the segment.

EPA's annual cost estimate for the V6 on regular gas is high. The 2.0T RS costs even more because EPA prices it on premium.

The volume V6 trims run on 87-octane regular. The niche 2.0T RS is listed by EPA on premium, a small mark against the 2018 lineup.

NHTSA rates the redesigned 2018 Traverse at 5 stars overall in both FWD and AWD form. Frontal and rollover come in at 4 stars, side at 5.

Good in driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap, original side, roof strength and head restraints, but the 2018 Traverse earned no Top Safety Pick. The Good passenger-side small overlap rating covers only vehicles built after December 2018 (an A-pillar change), so every 2018 model year build predates it, and the later updated side test came back Acceptable.

On the volume L, LS and LT trims, standard safety tech is a rear camera, Rear Seat Reminder and Teen Driver. AEB, forward collision alert and lane keep assist require a Driver Confidence package or an upper trim, and adaptive cruise is reserved for the High Country.

When fitted, AEB earns Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle prevention and Superior/Advanced for daytime pedestrians across its two systems. It is optional on the volume trims and has no nighttime pedestrian rating.

Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are standard only on upper trims and packaged on lower ones. Both are alert-only, with no rear cross-traffic braking or safe-exit alert.

Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning is optional on lower trims and standard on upper ones. It nudges the car back from the lane edge but offers no lane centering on any trim.

Adaptive cruise is offered only on the top High Country trim, so the volume LT buyer gets conventional cruise. No trim pairs it with a highway-assist system.

No 2018 Traverse offers hands-free driving. Super Cruise first came to the nameplate with the 2024 redesign.

IIHS published no headlight rating for the 2018 Traverse. Its 2020 rating covers the same generation's hardware: the HID projectors on the L through RS trims rate Poor, and only the Premier/High Country LEDs reach Acceptable. The volume trims likely perform the same.

The tall, long body gives a commanding forward view, but thick rear pillars and a small rear window leave sizeable rear-quarter blind zones. Lower trims get only a basic rear camera; Surround Vision is limited to upper trims.

IIHS's Acceptable LATCH rating for this generation officially starts with 2020, but the hardware is unchanged since the 2018 launch. Large rear doors, a usable third row and the available 8-passenger bench make fitting multiple car seats easier than in most three-row rivals.

The volume 2018 LT Cloth comes with second-row captain's chairs and seats seven. The base trims seat eight on a 60/40 bench.

Generous front headroom without the optional sunroof.

On paper the front legroom is only adequate for a vehicle this large, though the seat track suits most drivers.

Second-row headroom is at the top of the SUV band.

A roomy second row that slides to share legroom with the third row.

The 2018 redesign grew the Traverse to give one of the few mid-size three-rows where adults genuinely fit in the third row (38.2 in headroom, 33.5 in legroom). SmartSlide second-row seats make getting back there easy.

A large cargo hold that still leaves a usable 23 cu ft with all three rows up.

Maximum cargo volume approaches minivan levels and was best-in-class for mid-size crossovers at launch.

A hidden under-floor cargo bin and a concealed storage shelf behind the touchscreen are genuinely useful. The rest of the storage is at class norms.

The seats are comfortable in all three rows, though the cushions are somewhat flat. The volume LT Cloth has cloth upholstery and an 8-way power driver seat.

The soft, absorbent ride is the Traverse's hallmark, though the body can float and lean over undulations.

Generally hushed at highway speeds with modest road noise. Active Noise Cancellation is fitted on V6 models.

Tri-zone automatic climate is standard. Heated front seats start at LT Leather, while ventilated seats, heated rear seats and the heated wheel are Premier/High Country only (the wheel became automatic only for 2019).

2018 is the launch year of the second-generation (C1XX) Traverse. The new FWD-only L trim was the price leader, priced just under $30k before destination.

The LT Cloth is the volume trim and AWD is the majority mix, the same basis as the 2019–2026 scorecards. Its $34,945 MSRP plus about $2,000 for AWD and $945 destination comes to about $37.9k.

This uses the same 3.6L LFY V6 and 9-speed drivetrain as the 2019 scorecard. As the first year of a new generation it carries slightly higher early-build repair exposure, so the estimate sits a little above the 2019 figure of about $5.5k.

The 2018 reached year 5 in 2023, while used-car prices were still elevated, so it held slightly more value than the nameplate average. Heavy fleet exposure still leaves it behind Toyota and Honda three-rows.

Chevrolet's New Vehicle Limited Warranty is at the industry minimum.

GM's powertrain coverage is at the industry minimum, well short of Hyundai/Kia's 10 years / 100,000 miles.

For the 2018 model year, Chevrolet Complete Care included one complimentary oil change and tire rotation in the first year, plus 5-yr/60,000-mi roadside assistance, courtesy transportation and an OnStar/Connected Services trial. That trails ToyotaCare's 2 years / 25,000 miles.

$37,890 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (48% retained, or about $18,187) leaves about $19,703 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,700 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $25,403 in total.

2018 is the launch year of the second-generation (2018–2023) C1XX Traverse, a full redesign. J.D. Power rates its owner-reported quality only 'Average' at 74/100, below the 81 the 2019 earned, and Consumer Reports rates the 2018 less reliable than other vehicles of its model year. Both sources lean negative, so it lands below the segment median.

Chevrolet sits in the lower-middle of Consumer Reports' brand-reliability rankings and near the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. It is neither a top-five brand nor a consistent bottom-third one.

MY2018 has only 2 NHTSA campaigns, both shared with sister models and both fixed by inspection or a bolt-on part: a side-curtain airbag weld-nut inspection and the GM-wide start/stop accumulator endcap. That is typical recall activity. The launch-year 9T65 shift-quality TSBs keep it mid-band.

Volume LT trims use the 310-hp LFY 3.6L V6 from GM's long-running High Feature V6 family, which has a large high-mileage population. It is paired with the 9T65 nine-speed automatic in its first model year, which drew harsh- and delayed-shift TSBs and owner reports of jerky shifting and some failures. The launch-year transmission holds it just below the 2019 figure.

The redesigned cabin is roomy and logically laid out, but hard plastics cover the dash and door panels on volume LT trims, behind rivals such as the Honda Pilot and VW Atlas. Only the High Country and Premier trims feel upscale.

This was the first year of the new body at Lansing Delta Township, and J.D. Power's owner-reported quality is only average at 74/100. Owners report rattles, including the corroding exhaust flex-collector bracket, and the curtain-airbag weld-nut recall points to an assembly-process escape. It stays mid-band.

Chevrolet has about 3,000 US dealers, GM's densest network, with strong rural coverage. J.D. Power's Customer Service Index puts its service satisfaction around the mass-market average.

The C1XX platform, 3.6L V6 and 9T65 transmission are shared with the Acadia, Enclave, Blazer and XT5, so OEM and aftermarket parts are cheap, plentiful and familiar to independent shops. Average annual repair costs run near the midsize-SUV norm.

The volume LT Cloth uses the 7-inch Chevrolet MyLink screen. The 8-inch screen with navigation comes on upper trims.

Chevrolet MyLink is simple and keeps physical knobs and buttons, but the small screen and dated graphics trail rivals. Infotainment 3 replaced it only for 2020.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every trim, but only wired. Wireless projection arrived with the 2022 refresh.

Built-in navigation comes only with the 8-inch system on upper trims, so most owners rely on phone projection and basic voice commands.

The volume trims get an adequate six-speaker system; a 10-speaker Bose system comes on upper trims.

Analog gauges flank a small driver information display: monochrome on lower trims and a 4.2-inch colour screen on upper trims. No full-digital cluster is offered.

The 2018–2023 C1XX Traverse predates GM's Vehicle Intelligence Platform, so it gets limited OnStar/infotainment updates and no whole-vehicle OTA.

The myChevrolet app handles remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle location, but most functions need a paid OnStar plan after the trial, and there is no phone-as-key.

USB ports are spread across all three rows, but wireless charging is Premier/High Country only and the 120-V outlet comes on leather trims.

Remote start is available on most trims, but keyless open, push-button start and the power liftgate come on upper trims. The hands-free liftgate is Premier/High Country only, and there is no phone-as-key.

A rear camera is standard and rear park assist arrives at LT Leather. Surround Vision and the Rear Camera Mirror come on upper trims, and there is no automated parking.

No 2018 Traverse trim offers a head-up display.

Big rear doors, SmartSlide second-row seats that tip forward, an adult-usable third row and huge cargo space make family logistics easy.

A 5-star NHTSA rating helps, but AEB, lane keeping and blind-spot alerts are optional on the trims families buy. There is no IIHS award, and every 2018 build predates the December 2018 passenger-side small-overlap fix.

Roomy seating in all three rows, tri-zone climate, USB ports in every row and 23 cu ft behind the third row suit long trips. Heated rear seats and wireless charging are upper-trim only.

The smooth V6 and compliant ride make it easy in traffic. Its size, occasional 9-speed hesitation and non-defeatable auto stop/start detract.

At around 21 MPG combined it is thirsty even among three-row crossovers.

At about 204 in long with a 39-ft turning circle and limited rear-quarter visibility, it is a handful in tight lots. Surround Vision is upper-trim only.

A 5,000-lb tow rating with the trailering package plus a cavernous cargo hold handle light-to-moderate work.

The proven 3.6L V6 helps, but this is a family crossover with a 9-speed of mixed reputation, and 2018 was the first year of the generation.

Cargo tie-downs, a flat load floor, roof rails and a 120-V outlet on upper trims are present, but there are few work-oriented provisions or upfit options.

A quiet, comfortable highway cruiser with roughly 400 miles of range. Adaptive cruise is High Country-only and there is no lane centering to reduce fatigue.

Available AWD (twin-clutch on High Country), about 7.5 in of ground clearance and a 5,000-lb tow rating handle gravel roads and campers. No off-road trim was offered.

Class-leading volume, flat-folding second and third rows, an under-floor bin, roof rails and an available hitch.

Handling is secure and predictable, but the Traverse feels its size and leans in quick corners. It is less agile than the Mazda CX-9.

The steering is light and accurate enough, but numb.

Stopping power is adequate for a 4,400-lb crossover, with a progressive pedal. Instrumented stops are mid-pack for the class.

The 310-hp V6 is smooth and strong, but the 9-speed can be slow to kick down and the auto stop/start cannot be switched off.

The V6 sounds refined and inoffensive under load, with little vibration through the controls.

A 39-ft turning circle is typical of a large three-row.

A commanding seating position and logical physical controls make it easy to drive. Rear-quarter visibility is limited, and the power column and memory settings are reserved for top trims.

Quick enough thanks to the V6, but appliance-like overall: a comfortable family hauler rather than a driver's car.

The redesigned 2018 made a 7-inch MyLink touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and a rear camera standard. Automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring were optional or limited to upper trims.

About $30.9k for an L and about $37.9k for the volume LT Cloth AWD bought one of the roomiest three-row cabins and a 310-hp V6, before the Telluride and Palisade arrived. Thin standard driver aids, a short warranty and ~48% five-year retention keep it short of standout value.

Seven trims (L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, RS, Premier, High Country) ran from about $30.9k to $53k. FWD or AWD was available on all but the L, with 7- or 8-passenger seating and two engines: the RS used a 2.0L turbo four and the other trims the 3.6L V6.

Launch-year demand was strong. Calendar-2018 sales rose about 19% to 146,534, close to the nameplate record of 147,122 set in 2019, putting it among the top sellers in the segment.

Chevrolet is a neutral mainstream brand: it can be serviced anywhere but lacks Toyota's or Honda's loyalty halo, and heavy fleet exposure shows up in weak residuals.

As a newly redesigned, high-demand model, the 2018 got lighter launch-year incentives than the outgoing 2017. GM's cash allowances, employee-pricing events and low-APR offers still reached it in a well-stocked pre-shortage market.

2018 is the first year of the all-new second generation on GM's C1XX platform, with a new V6, a 9-speed automatic and current infotainment. It sat a little below cutting-edge on driver-assist tech and was outclassed by the 2020 Telluride and Palisade within two years.

Reviewers praised the huge cabin, adult-usable third row, class-leading cargo room and smooth V6, but noted handling less composed than the Pilot and CX-9 and a plain interior. It won U.S. News' Best 3-Row SUV for Families but no major comparison tests.