The Traverse and the Acadia are two medium sized crossovers built by GM which were, up until recently, nearly identical. However, the Acadia has been heavily revised with an all new model and the Traverse was left behind. Why? Well, because the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is still under development and it is expected to be released sometime in 2017. Before the two cars were pretty much identical but things are going to change from now on. The Acadia uses a shorter platform than before by around seven inches. On the other hand, the Traverse will still be just as big as before but it will still benefit from the massive weight savings of the new platform.
2018 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE PRICE
GM will do this move in order to differentiate the two cars a bit more than before and from the looks of it, they might be quite close of doing it. The camouflaged Traverse spied a few weeks ago looks physically bigger than its GMC counterpart. However, it seems that it might be slightly more expensive instead of being cheaper and unlike the GMC which features just seven seats, the Traverse is expected to get the full eight.
This will be possible thanks to its longer wheelbase, larger overall length and it might also be slightly wider as well. The price should be around $1,000 over that of the Acadia which would put the Traverse in a class of its own, especially since eight seats crossovers are quite scarce these days.
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION
The higher price tag of the upcoming 2018 Chevrolet Traverse might also be due to the fact it is expected to feature just a single engine choice. Instead of going for a 2.5 liter naturally aspirated mill as the base unit, the Traverse might get from the start the 3.6 liter naturally aspirated V6. This would make sense considering it will be heavier than the GMC and the extra power should be well worth it over the higher fuel consumption.
The engine will very likely make 310 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, more than enough to move the medium sized crossover with haste. Instead of using an old 6 speed automatic, the Traverse, as well as the Acadia, should receive an all new 9 speed transmission which has been in development for quite some time up until recently. This will improve the fuel efficiency, allow the engine to stay in its power-band for longer and it will also give the driver more control over the car. A hybrid, even though it has been rumored, is highly unlikely at this point.
EXTERIOR
There is still no official information on the styling of the upcoming 2018 Chevrolet Traverse but it is quite easy to assume how it will look. If we take a close look at Chevrolet’s latest cars and at the latest Acadia then we can assume that the Traverse is going to get a more modern look. The grille will change to Chevrolet’s latest design language, the headlights will get slimmer while the car should now sport a more muscular design overall. All of these will make the Traverse an even more interesting choice than it previously was and it should give GM an edge on the market.
INTERIOR
As we mentioned before, instead of going for the same layout inside the cabin as in the Acadia, this time around the Traverse will be different. It will come with eight seats as standard and a generally roomier cabin thanks to its longer wheelbase. There will also be more luggage space than before and the interior will be more user-friendly. Unfortunately most of the interior is likely going to be shared with other Chevrolet products but that’s to be expected at this price-point.
