PROS PHEV drivetrain enables limited electric running at speeds up to 135km/h Excellent blend of everyday comfort, refinement and performance 3500kg towing capacity It shares its drivetrain with the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid
CONS PHEV drivetrain adds handsomely to the weight Li-ion battery robs 70L of boot space Lacks the traditional hardened performance focus for which Volkswagen R models are renowned
“A curious mix of speed and efficiency with a big dollop of comfort. It's just not especially fun ”
PROS Comfy, plush, quick and a company car bargain
CONS Not as nimble as a Cayenne
The VW Touareg R is comfortable, well-equipped and effortless to drive, but not sharp or engaging enough to be considered a true sports SUV. That leaves it in somewhat of a no man’s land. Put simply, those looking for a fast yet relatively frugal sports SUV would be better served by the similarly priced Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid, while those wanting a luxurious and well-rounded plug-in hybrid luxury SUV would be better off with the BMW X5 xDrive45e.
PROS Well-equipped Spacious inside for up to five people Very quiet in electric mode
CONS Cheap-feeling interior Fussy infotainment system Not very exciting to drive
The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is bigger and more butch, but still every bit as good for a bunch.
Pros Bold new exterior Stout V-6 Spacious third row Built for families like network prime time Plenty of cargo room
Cons Active safety is pricey Turbo-4 further sidelined No hybrid batteries, at all Poorly functioning all-wheel-drive system
For 2019, the Traverse returns with the same winning formula. Today's lighter Traverse carries over the same V6 engine from the last model, but with an additional 29 horsepower (310 hp). The engine pairs with a nine-speed transmission, a combination that helps achieve up to 21 mpg combined (18 city/27 highway). There's also a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but it's only available on the sport-styled RS trim.
Pros Passenger room is generous in all three rows Loads of space for any combination of passengers and cargo Feature-rich infotainment system comes with standard Wi-Fi hotspot
Cons Some safety features are only available on top trims Quality of some interior panels and controls seem low-rent for this class
The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse ranked #9 in Midsize SUVs. Currently the Chevrolet Traverse has a score of 8.3 out of 10 which is based on our evaluation of 15 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
Pros Abundant passenger and cargo space Intuitive infotainment system Smooth ride
Cons Many competitors are more upscale inside Underwhelming engine power