Capability Meets the Carpool Lane: Chevy Transforms the Family-Friendly Traverse for 2024

After more than two decades of production, the Chevy Traverse earned a coveted spot on the shortlists of millions of busy families. Why? This crossover ticked all the boxes—practicality, affordability, reliability—making it an easy decision for busy parents looking for an SUV with three rows but wasn’t half a football field long. Chevy ushers in an all-new, completely redesigned Traverse for the 2024 model year, and this third-gen crossover broadens its appeal in a big way.
 
The newest Traverse offers active families a reason to google “Chevy dealer near me” and check out a crossover that, once upon a time, couldn’t keep up with backcountry campers and weekend ski bums who take the road less traveled. This year, however, the Traverse gets the Z71 trim. Chevy’s Z71 badge appears on many of its more rugged vehicles, like the Silverado 1500 and the mammoth Suburban, and it signifies an off-road-ready version that’s at home both on- and off-road.

With the new 2024 Traverse, Chevy recognizes that having kids and craving adventure aren’t mutually exclusive. Thanks to a diverse trim lineup and major upgrades to the exterior, cabin environment, and in-vehicle tech, the Traverse is poised to draw an even larger pool of interested buyers. Chevy keeps the price of the base Traverse LS affordable for budget-conscious buyers but pulls out all the stops for the all-new Z71 and top-of-the-line RS. If your SUV wish list goes beyond finding a spacious rig for tackling everyday kid business, the all-new, third-gen Traverse might just be for you.

A Shift Back to the SUV’s Roots

With this newest Traverse design, Chevy revives the SUV ideal, harkening back to the genesis of the body style that transformed American driveways. The SUV offered families an alternative to the stodgy minivan; the earliest models were equipped with truck-like capabilities and often rode on pickup truck platforms. For soccer moms and dads, the opportunity to add a little grit to their daily routines was irresistible.  
 
Prior to the 1990s, SUVs weren’t really SUVs; there was the Jeep CJ—now known as the Wrangler—and a handful of other vehicles with similar body styles and capabilities, but it wasn’t until models like the Chevy Blazer and the Ford Explorer hit the scene that carmakers began flirting with the idea of an entirely new segment. Other manufacturers followed, and by 2015, SUVs were outselling sedans.  
 
Over the years that followed, SUVs morphed into crossovers, sharing platforms with sedans and offering buyers a smoother car-like ride. Even Chevy offered more elegant, rounded crossover designs in response to buyer demand and to meet stringent federal emissions and fuel economy regulations. The sleeker, more rounded body style contributed to better aerodynamics—but soon, the market was flooded with lookalikes, creating a vanilla-flavored pool of choices that some drivers found dull.
 
Chevy’s decision to revamp its crossover lineup to embrace “old school” SUV design started with the redesigned Blazer and Trailblazer, then the subcompact Trax. Following suit with the family-oriented Traverse is no accident; Chevy envisions a lineup of more rugged SUVs that escape the cookie-cutter trend that has plagued the SUV category for years. But it’s not all about looks; as the 2024 Traverse demonstrates, Chevy’s plan includes equipping this new generation of SUVs with more capability.

Highlights of the Third-Generation Traverse

While the headline of Chevy’s recent Traverse overhaul is the all-new Z71 trim, buyers who aren’t as interested in capability have plenty of reasons to check out the latest version of Chevy’s popular three-row crossover. Available in four trims, including the affordable base LS, the 2024 Traverse takes on a more aggressive curb profile, abandoning the previous generation’s tamer, more rounded lines. Chevy intends to give the Traverse a more truck-like look, setting it apart from the competition.
 
The 2024 Traverse comes with a powerful 2.5L Turbo engine that delivers a potent 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque, with the latter contributing to excellent low-speed power that facilitates a max towing capability of 5,000 lbs. All-wheel drive is available across the four trims, making the Traverse a great choice for in-town drivers who appreciate extra traction on bad weather days. Chevy equips the Traverse with standard LED headlights and taillights and offers buyers the choice of seven exterior paint colors that range from understated (like Iridescent Pearl Tricoat) to standout (like the flashy Radiant Red Tintcoat).
 
As for in-vehicle tech, all 2024 Traverse trims come with a class-leading 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is twice as large as the screen in the outgoing second-gen Traverse. The kids won’t bicker over whose turn it is to charge their device, thanks to the six standard USB ports scattered throughout the cabin. Meanwhile, their sports gear and overstuffed backpacks will fit nicely in the Traverse’s cargo area, which measures a best-in-class 98 cu.ft.
 
In the cabin, the LS offers seating for eight, and the LT, Z71, and RS swap out the middle-row bench seat for a pair of captain’s chairs, providing seating for seven. Present in the cabin are multiple storage cubbies and cupholders, along with a large center console between the driver and front passenger for stowing the family’s detritus out of sight. Car and Driver calls the 2024 Traverse a “spacious option in the midsize SUV segment” and lauds Chevy for pricing it affordably despite the many upgrades seen across its trim range.

The Z71: Rugged Vibes for Adventure Seekers

Like other Z71 appearances in the Chevy lineup, the 2024 Traverse Z71 puts the focus on off-road capability. This all-new Traverse trim includes standard all-wheel drive and a specially tuned off-road suspension, along with an extra inch of ground clearance and a wider stance. A set of all-terrain tires are mounted to 18-inch wheels with a trim-exclusive design, and Chevy modifies the front end with a pair of bright red tow hooks, a skid plate, and a special fascia designed to better clear uneven surfaces.
 
The improved handling and control from the Traverse Z71’s higher ground clearance and wider track will serve families that venture off-road. Special dampers in the suspension feature hydraulic rebound control, a system that offsets rougher terrain by smoothing out the ride. Tech features like the HD Surround Vision camera offer real-time views of the surrounding area, helping guide the way through tighter, trickier terrain.
 
The Traverse’s twin-clutch all-wheel drive system is tweaked for the Z71 trim; with a clutch on each axle shaft, these work together to deliver optimal torque and traction. The result for drivers is more control in all driving situations, including maintaining traction, limiting slip during cornering, and maintaining contact with the road surface when conditions are slippery. The system offers benefits both on- and off-road, delivering true capability like you’d expect with a 4×4 pickup.

Go Exploring in the 2024 Chevy Traverse

If your plans include purchasing an SUV for your brood, but the array of offerings looks a little bland, consider test-driving the 2024 Traverse. Even if you don’t need the off-roading capability of the Z71 trim, the rest of the lineup shares the same powerful engine and three-row seating configuration, and trims like the top-of-the-line RS add leather seating, Bose audio systems, and a standard power sunroof, as well as an option to add Chevy’s Super Cruise hands-free cruise control system.
 
Chevy goes on the offensive in the SUV wars with the release of the redesigned 2024 Traverse, and buyers looking to exit the trap of “SUV sameness” stand to benefit the most. Reimagine your family SUV with a ute that looks as capable as it handles; check out the all-new Traverse.

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