We were going to totally cheat and just say: "Take everything that we said about the all-new GMC Acadia and all-wheel drive, and you have the Traverse AWD Premier that we recently sampled."
But that’s not quite the case. While both SUVs are based on the same mid-sized platform, there are differences: The Traverse gets a longer wheelbase. Look at the rear doors, and you can see that extra length. Plus, the Traverse gets a nine-speed automatic transmission.
As the name suggests, our Traverse Premier was pretty darn loaded. In fact, it’s nearly the top spec. The Premier comes standard with the V6 engine (and nine-speed transmission) plus lots of chrome, leather and electronics. The second row gets captains chairs, too, because why shouldn’t they?
Our vehicle’s sole option was a $1400 dual sky scape sunroof, bringing the final tally to $49,695.
The engine feels smooth. That nine-speed auto is even smoother. The ride is smooth, too.
Seats felt comfortable. For a non-small vehicle, it doesn’t drive too big. You notice the size when parking, though, because it’s hard to argue with physics.
Our tester emitted a few squeaks. One came from behind me; the other from above. I’m going to assume/hope that the dealer can take care of things.
I didn’t find this one exciting to drive, but it did well during a blinding rainstorm on the interstate. No weirdness. No loss of confidence. If you’re trucking your crew somewhere, perhaps that’s all that’s really important.
View all comments on the GRM forums
You'll need to log in to post.
