We had sat up straight and paid close attention here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis to The Drive features writer Nico Dematta when he had published an article last week about the realities of eventually becoming responsible. His younger days had unfortunately instilled a bit of loathing for the SUV segment, but he put his past opinions aside and enjoyed an extended test drive of the Chevy Traverse RS to temporarily replace his BMW 3 series.
He admittedly felt responsible and empowered and was amazed at just how practical and accomplished it was! Chevy’s full-size 3-row SUV performed on the road. The RS Model adds very cool black exterior accents to the front badge and window trim, 20-inch black wheels, and a black interior with red accents. Nico immediately noticed that the ergonomics at hand were excellent, and the gauges were simple to read. This test car was equipped with all-wheel drive, and offered up a very solid and sure-footed demeanor along with a gear lever that was reminiscent of a pickup truck’s.
The steering offers up a characteristic weight that builds gradually off-center and does not slow down through the corners. Considering its size, the body control is quite impressive, and the very comfortable seats will assure that passengers are taken care of in every way during a long journey. The Traverse also has very thick A-Pillars, with the convenience of standard surround-view parking cameras to assist with getting into tight parking spots. The brakes are the driving force behind the confidence to stop the SUV immediately when needed, with the pedal having a soft character that you can get used to right away during the stop-and-go of a daily drive.
The 3.6-liter V6 packs ample power to get the 7-seat family hauler moving right away, with a 9-speed automatic that blends ideally into the mix no matter what driving style you execute. Here is where Nico began to enjoy a fair amount of luxury, realizing all at once that this is a prime example of an SUV that goes to great lengths to make life so much easier. One of the qualities that customers now request most is the presence of enough USB and charging ports to constantly keep things juiced up, and assure that all of the passengers are entertained with videos or engaging tablet distractions during the drive.
The second-row captain’s chairs were this experienced tester’s favorite feature, as they make the rear car seats simple to use and the third row easy to access. Three kids can squeeze into the back without any problems, and the RS model is fairly loaded with features directly off the lot that will make even the choosiest customers happy. At the very economical price, this is a hefty amount of car for the money, boasting the latest in cabin technology, top-tier comfort seating, and the best quality surround-view cameras available on the market today.