Chevrolet Traverse

by Ken Decoteau

Introducing the first product which should be removed: Chevrolet Traverse. This hybrid SUV/Minivan/Crossover somehow managed to be designed and somehow managed to be approved and somehow managed to be built. What is more confusing is how it actually sold in sufficient numbers to keep it alive for this long. It should have been done in 2013 with its facelift.

One can imagine the start of this process probably went something like this:

  1. The team was asked the following question.

"What are notable features of an SUV?"

  1. This team was then instructed to take the most frequent two answers from the poll in (1) and then do something like this:

"Now, meld those notable features into something which has the internal space of a minivan!"

We got this:

Now, this doesn't look too bad! It most definitely has gobs of internal space inside, while at the same time not quite looking like a mini-van. (Since some people refuse to be seen in them; or so I've heard.)

Notice how the lines of the rear window are carried over into the tail lights. Notice how the pattern continues into the sideview mirrors. It has the Honda CRV's inspired "chrome around the passenger" accent trim. It has big wheels. It has a ton of stuff hanging way down low under the axel line showing how its all about being a Crossover and not hiding it.

The problem

The issue with the Traverse is that the design team somehow managed to vote on two "Notable SUV" features as the following items:

  1. Visibility!

  2. Big Side View Mirrors!

Not too bad? Right? But if you ever sit in the driver's seat of a Traverse you will note two very important things which go right along with these two design features. They seem to have been inverted somewhere along the process:

  1. The side view mirrors are the size of postage stamps
  2. There are more blind spots than a 1970 panel van.

The end result of whatever design process this team created a minivan-like, spacious Crossover SUV which is by far the most driver-isolating vehicle I have ever had the misfortune of receiving as a rental car. The side slabs are capable of consuming an entire large extended cab pickup on either flank. And a large sedan following is invisible out to 10 car-lengths.

To compensate; the backup camera and lane change camera systems available as options do fill some of the gaps.

But why?

Conclusion

The Chevrolet Traverse isn't that bad, honestly. It may be a relatively capable vehicle for traversing mall crawling conditions and hauling around a family with some gear.

The issue is simple; there is no reason to purchase a Traverse. There are other vehicles out there which do the SUV thing better. There are fully capable mini-vans which do the mini-thing better.

The two critical visibility flaws of the Traverse, coupled with its hybrid-minivan/SUV compromises exacerbated by a lack of any inspiring qualities put it right in our window of products recommended for removal. Make it go away. No one will notice.

Future Work:

  • Develop a measurement system for the surface area of automobile rear view mirrors.