From Grocery Runs to Grand Adventures: The Versatility of the 2024 Chevy Traverse

The evolving world of 3-row crossovers has been fascinating to witness over the past decade here at Jim Butler Chevy of St. Louis! We publicly ushered in the Chevy Traverse for the first time in 2009, where it smartly moved into the passing lane and left the "family truckster" segment far behind. More crossovers have edged in on the once-popular minivan space and have gravitated toward squared-off styling yo imitate the powerful body-on frame machines such as the Suburban or Tahoe.

One amazing detail that the 2024 Traverse boasts is proudly powertrain related, as there’s a smaller displacement turbo-charged 4-cylinder that is more powerful and efficient than the outgoing V6. To make things thoroughly sizzle for the coming days of summer and extra-long road trips, there’s also the addition of Super Cruise, the hands-free driving technology that allows you to kick back lavishly and enjoy the ride. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine now cranks out 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque and is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. 

We can fully understand the heaping amount of love drivers had for the legendary outgoing 3.6-liter V6, which served its purpose so well for two decades. Even though the newer engine is a bit smaller out of the gate, it still manages to pack 18 more horsepower and 60 more lb-ft of torque. Another category that’s surprisingly better when held up to the old engine is the EPA fuel rating, which sees an improvement of 2 mpg city and combined with FWD. When experienced test drivers got down to business and were seeing how the engine feels, the available torque on the low end offered up a smooth yet welcomingly-punchy character. 

Minus the potential for abundant exhaust noise, this new 4-cylinder does absolutely get the 4,972-lb Traverse hustling rapidly along with a notable swagger. Every model now comes with rear automatic braking, blind-zone steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition. Stepping up to the RS trim provides the inclusion of Super Cruise, which has embraced advances in technology such as Onstar to work its magic! Using real-time cameras and sensors, it is an additive that will make long drives much more comfortable. 

This year’s model also flaunts another thrilling addition, as the off-road ready Z71 package’s protective gear and trail-ready chops will no doubt appeal to many avid adventurers. There’s a slightly lifted suspension to contend with the ruts and other imperfections of the wayfaring path, a host of protective skid plates underneath, and a twin-clutch AWD system. You’ll also be able to navigate a smooth pass through inclement terrain thanks to a new Terrain drive mode, which lends a helping hand with the brake while you have control of the throttle for daunting inclines. 

The new Traverse’s frame is an inch wider than last year’s, offering a welcome boost in hip room in the cabin. The Autoweek.com testing crew loved the very easy third-row access available, thanks to the flipping second-row captain’s seats. Drivers have enthusiastically welcomed the infotainment screen spaces that are growing each year, and the 2024 Traverse is equipped with a 17.7-inch model that is joined with an 11-inch display. The Edmunds.com auto buffs praised the 2024 Traverse for being “the best-equipped and smoothest-driving bet for anyone with young ones to haul around!” 

2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray: Effortlessly Dominating the Road with a Touch of Patriotic Pride

While pulling out all of the stops against Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, the 2024 Chevy Corvette E-Ray boasts a thorough sense of all-American swagger. Roaring jazz clubs, cowboy ranchers navigating the red yet unforgiving Rio Grande, and generations of breadbasket high-school football teams all come to mind when drawing a comparison! We watched eagerly here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis as this amazing car’s performance has been pushed even further with the aid of electrification. 

An electric motor powers the front wheels, while the C8’s quite trusty 6.2-liter pushrod V8 handles propulsion duty out back. Invigoratingly in unison, the pair creates 655 horsepower, which means this year’s E-Ray is within 15 horsepower of the incessantly fire-breathing Z06. The convenient “Stealth” mode allows you to come and go from your residence via electric power without disturbing the neighbors. Since the C8’s enthralling launch, it has become a Car and Driver “10Best” winner and staff favorite due to its excellent power and class-leading handling.

The E-Ray now sports the same wide-body kit and front-end treatment as the high-performance Z06 model and also proudly struts onto the stage as the first all-wheel drive ‘Vette. It is available as either a coupe or convertible and adamantly wears a folding hard top. It is offered in 1LZ, 2LZ, and 3LZ trim levels with the Car and Driver team’s best recommendation being upgrading to the 2LZ version. This adds some very cool features to the mix including a 14-speaker Bose system, blind-spot monitoring, and a wireless charging pad. 

A very small 1.1kWh battery pack allows the E-Ray to travel at 45 mph on a purely electric power source in Stealth mode, which is crucial for retaining your much-needed HOA membership! With both the electric motor and V8 humming along at full steam, the E-Ray launched confidently up to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds. All-wheel drive will absolutely provide some intense winter advantages, and all-weather high-performance tires now come as standard on the E-Ray. This crew was equipped with summer rubber, and they billed the cornering grip ability as “outright heroic.” 

Acting as a sports car that truly operates with two personalities in one, it also arrives on the scene with an interior that is not too different from the Z06 or Stingray models. The coupe offers a removable roof, channeling the true Corvette spirit and boasting the space to quickly store it in the trunk. The interior design is a bit less simplistic than some out there and remains very driver-focused while offering a “Great Wall” of necessary controls. The E-Ray uses the brand-new Infotainment 3 Plus system, which proved to be easy to use while offering a razor-sharp and quick response.

Last fall, Car and Driver claimed post-test-drive that “The Corvette emerges from the petroleum age into the modern era of electrification, with a hybrid juiced to go faster, and not necessarily farther.” Big V8 horsepower and heaping amounts of low-end torque make the E-Ray a purveyor of lightning-fast performance that is all incredibly available. The Z06 possessed a very shrill and rabid personality, while the E-Ray remained sophisticated and well-polished. Braking takes place with a characteristic and powerful motion, with a pleasantly soft character at the tip-top of the process. 

The verdict here is memorable and not surprising in the least: after a few runs around the curvy and speed-demon-friendly Colorado Springs turf, the E-Ray proved to be highly evolved and consistently refined. Making the change from silky smooth to capable of brute force exists where we have always loved it: at the spirited push of the throttle.