Used 2016 Chevrolet Traverse SUV Consumer Reviews

First 10K across the USA

I feel like I can write a solid review since we have driven this vehicle in every climate and weather extreme. We were in the market for a new family car and made our purchase in July 2016. We tested everything in class to include Honda Pilot, Volvo XC70, Subaru Outback, and the Toyota 4runner. At the end of the day the Traverse made the cut due to its interior, cargo capacity (over 100 cubic feet!), and entertainment features. We were able to get into the 2LT trim line that has four captain's chairs and a third row all clad in soft leather. We bought ours during the 20% off sale, all said and done we walked out the door at $28K for a 42K vehicle. For active duty military you cannot beat Chevy's incentives. Watch for reduced prices on the 2017s as the new 2018s are getting a new body design. We drove the vehicle from PA to our new home in AR without any issues. A week later my wife drove the Traverse from AR to FL with heat indexes over 110 degrees. The vehicle pacified a our 4 year old granddaughter, our 15 year old and our 25 year old. All three seating areas have vents and there is second row and third row climate control which is a big plus during the summer months. This past December our family took a vacation from AR to MT during the big winter storm that came through before Christmas. The distance was over 2,000 miles and we encountered white out conditions, 50 mph crosswinds in WY, and general winter conditions. Comfort wise the Traverse allowed me to put over 1,000 miles of driving on our first day without any lower back pain or leg pain. The vehicle is very solid and didn't budge during the high crosswinds which had blown tractor trailers off the road. The AWD is amazing at keeping traction where it is needed. The road noise is almost nonexistent and there are no little creaks or rattles what so ever. Temperatures on that trip ranged from 40 degrees to minus 15. In WY on our return trip I was able to cruise at 85mph and the Traverse held at about 2k rpms. It had no problem staying in gear even at high speeds. Combined fuel economy after 10k is 20.2 MPGs. I purposely did not reset the "gallons of fuel used" in the driver information center so I could get an accurate number later on. There is plenty of power at highway speeds for passing. The side blind spot sensor is a big help as the vehicle layout does present a significant blind spot and is tricky when passing. This is hands down the best family vehicle that we have owned. I really cannot find a negative thing to say about it.

Love the upgrade from a minivan!

Update 4/22/23. I traded in my traverse December. Still nothing was wrong with it except I had 175000 miles on it. Whatever car I have is our travel everywhere car and my kids are grown now so I wanted something with less miles and smaller. Never had any regrets for buying the traverse. If I still needed 3 rows, I would buy another one!! Hope the new owner gets tons more miles on it. Update 10/18/22 still loving it. Almost 180,000 and thank goodness, no problems. Just normal wear and tear. Still highly recommend!! Update 11/20/21 still a great vehicle. Almost 160,000 miles and no problems! My biggest expense has been tires but not such a bad thing. That just means I've been able to get in and go!! Update 5/18/21. Still not complaints. Everything working as it should. Now have 136,000 mike's on it. Update 9/18/20. Still no complaints. Over 120,000 miles on it. Runs great! When my daughter turns 16 she says she wants my car. I will be buying another Traverse!! Update 3/14/2020. Still no complaints. Over 100,000 miles now!! Knock on wood-still not a single problem!!! Update 3/6/19. Still no complaints. Over 80,000 miles now on it and not a single problem!!! Update 9/6/18. Still no complaints. Have 67,000 miles on it and not one problem. That's a lot of miles given the standard is 15,000 per year but I didn't buy it to just sit in the driveway. I plan on keeping it for a long time and will probably buy another one when it's time. Great vehicle. Oh and just to know how much our family likes this car , my 13 year old wants it when she turns 16. I bet we'll still have it! Update:. As of 3/5/18. I still love my Traverse. I have put about 25,000 miles on it in the first year!. Great driver on trips. Love the heated seats. Everything is still great with the exception of what I said earlier about trim on interior around seat controls and seats not reclining enough. My kids are comfortable when traveling. They live that they can plug in their headphones and listen to something different than I am. Sound system is great. Will most likely buy another one when I have wore this one out!! Update : as of 9/2/17 i still love my traverse. I would say the only flaw in the design is the middle seats dont recline very far. Not comfortable for long trips, the head rests on the front seats slide forward to easily, and the trim work on the drivers seat that goes around the seat controls breaks too easily. My extended warranty i purchased does not cover the trim work.. Overall, still love it. Love my 2016 Chevy Traverse. My kids love the middle seats and being able to control their music and ac or heat. I love that I can listen to what I want and they can use their headphones and listen to something different. Plenty of legroom in middle and third row seats. Comfortable ride. Great adjustable lumbar support for driver. Love how the seats fold down. Probably more sqare footage in a minivan with all the seats down or removed, but no complaints here. There is really nothing negative I can say about this car. Bought it with only 24,000 miles so it is basically a brand new car for me. Glad to be out of the minivan without giving up my cargo space. Given the safety ratings on the Dodge Caravan has been rated poor while the safety ratings for the traverse are rated good, I will probably never go back to a minivan. I am hoping that once I reach 100,000 miles, I'll still feel the same!

Not buying a chevy again.

I have owned this car for less then 3 years. I am very good about making sure I do all the regular maintenance at a chevy service dept. In the first year Chevy had to offer all owners compensation due to inflating the actual fuel economy on the vehicle sticker. My traverse does 15 miles per gallon at best. I have had repeated issues with the stabiltrack traction control misfiring and causing my car to decelerate on its own to below 30 miles / hour. This has happened while going over 55 on the highway several times. Upon searching this issue, many people have reported a similar experience. The dealer was unable to find or fix the issue. With my latest issue, a part within the transmission broke, causing me to break down and require a tow (on a road with no shoulder with all 3 kids in the car). This car is less then 3 years old!!!! While fixing the transmission I was also informed I had a leak in my power steering hose. I have been put in several very unsafe situations because of this car. I would NOT buy another chevy. At this point , I am not even confident I can keep this one for fear of breaking down again or having ongoing issues. I did contact Chevy Customer Service with my concerns, they informed me "They were sorry".

Positives outweigh negatives

I got a very basic model so theres nothing too impressive to mention except that the truck is roomy in all directions, rides very well and looks good. My only major complaint would be poor fuel mileage. Sticker claims i should be getting 19 city and 24 highway. I'm actually getting about 12 or 13 mpg city and jury is out on highway mileage since I do mostly city driving. I have AWD so maybe thats the culprit. Otherwise, so far so good. Can't wait to take it on a nice road trip.*"*** Updated***highway mileage is no better than city..stuck at the 12 to 13 mpg range

Great Road Trip Vehicle

I rented a 2016 LT2 for a trip from the SF Bay Area to Arizona with 4 adults including baggage. (Grand canyon, Flagstaff and Sedona by way of Las Vegas) and was quite impressed with the acceleration performance, cargo capacity and overall gas mileage. It averaged 22 mpg for the trip but was the front wheel drive model. Hard for me to believe the poor mpg rating others have given the Traverse but maybe the AWD really does impact the efficiency.

2016 Traverse Transmission Problems

My 2016 Traverse (base model fwd) had a blown transmission at 43K miles. I am very disappointed in the reliability of the drive train system. We purchased the car used with only 22k on it. Fortunately the repairs were covered by the GM 5 year, 60,000 mile power train warranty. The dealer did give us a loaner vehicle while the Traverse was in the shop for two weeks. A common problem with these vehicles is the defective wave plate in the transmission. If you search the internet you will see that the GM 6 speed automatic transmission has a history of wave plate failure. If you find yourself with only first gear working and no reverse, that indicates the 2-5 wave plate is defective. I don't think I will ever purchase a Chevrolet ever again! Update: Even after the rebuild, the transmission occasionally bucks or shudders on acceleration, but, due to Covid 19 Pandemic, I haven't been driving it much. I may have to take it back to the dealership again if the problem persists! Hopefully it is just a programming issue and not an internal problem.

Love it!!!!

I was asked by the salesman to test drive this vehicle and I kept telling him no. They also had Dodge and Jeep dealership on the other side of the dealership and I was going to buy a brand-new Durango and well, I tried it and I did not like it. I bought a suburban not too many years ago and loved it and since my kids were grown I thought I'd get something smaller and I have hated it ever since. The reason I wanted another Chevy suburban is because of the room and all the features it had, it was awesome! When I knew that I did not want to spend the money for a suburban then I gave in and test drove the traverse and never thought in a my lifetime would I ever love this vehicle (SUV) and I do, it is awesome! It is just a smaller version of the suburban and it was not that much difference. I don't think you can go wrong getting a traverse . My aunt and my sister both had one each and loved them and now I know why . I plan to keep it a LONG time!

You won't be sorry.

You won't be disappointed in the purchase of a Traverse. I traded my Toyota Sienna in for the Traverse. I did much research in comparing the the Traverse to the Hi Lander and the Honda Pilot and by far, the Chevy Traverse won out. Plenty of room for passengers and luggage, great on vacations. The engine 3.6 has plenty of power for highway driving. The third row seating has ample room for adults compared to the Hilander. The third row seating in the Hilander is pretty much useless. I have the 2 LT which has a few more bells and whistles, such as heated seats, my link Chevy radio with bose speakers, and ambient lighting below the dash board. A really nice touch. Technology features are the best. I highly recommend this SUV. GM has come along way and the quality shows.

Serves a purpose well, but it's not engaging.

A lot of reviews will say that acceleration is a sore spot, and honestly, it's more than adequate. I rarely if ever feel like it's lacking power. We had a Jeep Grand Cherokee prior to owning this, and it did have better acceleration; however, 90% of drivers will never complain. Ride quality and NVH is above average; steering is so so (the wheel is thin and uninspiring). I don't use the factory nav. at all because it feels so dated. The DVD player works well, and the wireless headphones are nice for the kids. This vehicle offers a lot of bang for the buck in the sense that it offers a ton of space, 3 rows of above average comfort and it won't break the bank. Don't expect to be wowed, but most folks will be happy with the purchase of one of these. Reliability has been great, and maintenance is cheap.

2016 Traverse LT - A Lemon!!

I bought my 2016 LT used in 2016! It's currently at the dealer getting a NEW TRANSMISSION!! The infotainment is a joke. The screen is tiny and kind of blurry. Oh and my satellite base is also being replaced. I had my 2007 Tahoe LTZ for over 10 years and LOVED that car! I miss it. I'm really disappointed in the quality of this car. A HUGE regret!!

Family Hauler Tank.

I bought a 2016 Chevy Traverse after doing lot of research , comparing to other suv's from price to features to comfort to you name it.For my money this is the best value , it's best of both world ,unibody design gives smooth ride , inside space is like van and outside body build like suv.freeway ride is very smooth and quiet , on street you barely feel any bumps ,lot of comments i saw said it gives bad gas milage well mine averaging about 22 on the fwy and 17 on the streets , it's exactly not what sticker say but i can live with it , it seats 8 full grown adults with good legroom . Braking is also very good , acceleration is little slow because this crossover is on the heavy side , outside view from inside is excellent while driving, interior material is good quality and pleasing to eye , although i had this for few weeks but i am very confident that this crossover will make a Excellent camping , back roading , going deep in the boonies type vehicle , I would highly recommend the suv crossover for personal or family hauler , not sure than rent it out and drive around to see if this what you want or not ,anyway i love it , my wife loves it ,my kids are extremely happy , Good Luck.

Problems Problems!!

I bought my car used with 35,000 miles on it. Clean car fax. After 6 months my transmission went out leaving me stranded on the side of the road. I also had issues with the back windows not functioning properly. Many times I had to pull over and get out to get my back windows to roll up. I did Like the layout of the traverse but it was not reliable! :(

LOTS of Problems with Transmission

Purchased my Traverse new from the dealer, some noticeable shifting issues but nothing that seemed to make me think the transmission was going to go out. After 11/2 years of ownership the transmission went out at 32,000 miles! This was just the start of my issues...the transmission would shutter when you accelerated rapidly from a standstill (i.e. turning across traffic or changing lanes which is a SAFETY issue). in December 2017 car was in the shop for almost 2 weeks to have the transmission flushed and clutch debris removed and a few other things all under warranty. The shutter continued so I brought it back in and the transmission tech couldn't duplicate my issue so I got it back after a few days. Of course once I got it back and drove it the problem was still there so I brought it back a couple months later when I got fed up with the issue. The next tech was able to get the transmission to shutter so they replaced all 4 clutches in December 2018 under warranty again...and guess what?! It's still doing it! I will be calling Chevy again to bring it back it and really believe I need a new transmission! Really believe I got a lemon with this one and I do not have time for all these repairs! Wouldn't buy another one and would warn others!

Poor Fuel Economy

To get a true review of this car look at the previous years, I got a LT1. The fuel economy they advertise is probably on a flat test track with no stop signs or signal lights. The car is heavy and on fuel economy we are averaging 10-14 mpg. The headrest is too far forward, Bluetooth is poor and hard to understand, and the Info system does not respond well. The fold down middle seats for access to the 3rd row seats could have been made smoother to operate, and rear visibility is poor. Over all the car looks good and the interior design is of good quality. Could use better mpg, my 2005 Suburban got better mpg than this car.

Transmission issues!!!!!

Beware! I was a loyal GM customer- we have had two GM Saab’s, a Tahoe, equinox and now this traverse. At 110,000 and before date warranty we find out the transmission is bad. Called GM and told we aren’t “loyal” and they closed our case. Called back and was told dealership had resolution. That was a joke a 1,000.00. I called GM again and now waiting for someone else to contact us. Meanwhile it’s been three weeks. I used to tell everyone I loved my traverse. But when a family can’t rely on a 5 year old car that’s pathetic. I’ve owned Saab’s for god sake and the transmission never went.

My New 2016 Traverse

Traded in my 2011 Traverse (LT1) for a little bit of an upgrade (LT2). Ditched the hauling package because I really did not haul a horse and trailer in the 2011. I didn't even test drive the 2016 and absolutely love it. Didn't even look at any other vehicles because this is the vehicle for me. No issues with my 2011 Traverse except that it had 110,000 miles on it and I needed a decent trade in value on it. Done!

Good Overall Utility Vehicle

Needed something that would be more of an all-season vehicle so looked at all-wheel drive to help get around in the winter, especially after heavy snowfall. Decided on a used 2016 that was a program car since it saved me a lot of money compared to new. Looked originally at the Equinox but the newer ones only have MP3 and I prefer to have my CDs on long trips. I've only had it for two months so far and overall I've been happy with it. Performance is very good--the 3.6 engine has plenty of power to accelerate and hold at highway speed. It's a bit slow when first accelerating but only because of the weight of the vehicle--otherwise no complaints. Fuel economy is pretty much as advertised which is expected for that size of vehicle although I'm pleasantly surprised I'm getting that with AWD. On my first long trip, I averaged about 22-24 miles per gallon in highway driving which was much better than I had expected. Otherwise, the transmission shifts smooth and steering is comfortable--the only downside is turning radius which is a bit of a problem in tighter spaces. The entertainment center is somewhat disappointing as the touch screen is on the smaller side and it doesn't have the MyLink feature--I would expect that to be standard on the LT trim as I had on my previous vehicle. Linking up the smart phone with the car was a challenge and not really user friendly--you can't use voice commands to dial and when talking, the number displays where the odometer is instead of displaying on the touch screen. Touch screen features slow to respond and it takes a bit of time to get used to it--also the buttons/functions that are normally separate are integrated into the touch screen. They also went with the cheaper speakers on the LT which normally would have the Bose speakers. Overall the entertainment system is adequate but not impressive. The seating is comfortable and made driving long distances easier. It's roomy enough for both driver and passengers but it's better to put smaller people in the 3rd row seat because of more limited leg room. I like that there's rear seat environmental controls in the back of the arm rest for passengers riding in the back. The heated seats are very nice to have in the middle of winter. There's plenty of cargo space when the third row seating is folded down and I've been able to carry bulky items easily. I was also able to get the cargo in with no problem as the gate lifts high enough to get oversized boxes into it. Overall, this is a great vehicle that gets me around comfortably and didn't wear me out on either of my long trips. The only thing bad I have to say is the entertainment center could be much easier to use and the fuel economy could be a bit better. Otherwise, it's turned out to be a great value so far and I got a lot of features for the money.

Roomy, Rides/Drives well, Safety concerens

After much research and price comparison we bought our 2016 Traverse in March of 2016. It rides very well and has room for all 5 of the Grandkids. Plenty of rear storage and enough USB ports throughout the vehicle to charge/plug in phones, gamming devices or I ipads. However I do have 3 safety concerns that I have brought to the dealers attention. 1) The head rest & door frames create blind spots. 2) The heard rest does not lock in place. While driving, it can be pushed forward by someone in the back seat. 3) The temp controls for back/rear row "heat up". They are actually Hot to touch if they are on a different setting than the front temperature controls.(The Chevy dealership was already aware of these issues when I took my Traverse in for its 1st oil change.)

could be better

2016 Traverse has the most uncomfortable seats ever. Granted I have a basic model but c'mon... lumbar support is important. My manual says its optional. If its a manual seat it should be on all cars. We have the split bench in 2nd row. The seat belts are down right painful for adults butts. Behind the driver seat you cannot move where the belt buckles in. There is zero give. You CAN move the buckle on the passenger side so its not digging into your backside but not in the driver side. this needs to be addressed. Also I am not a fan of not having outside mirror defrosters. My '03 trailblazer LS had this option and it was a base model. Not understanding why its not in a '16 when its a safety necessity in my opinion. Cargo room is HUGE!! I love how much room I have in here. The stereo system is really nice. There is bluetooth but for whatever reason I cannot play music from my phone or iPod through the speakers. Defeats the purpose of bluetooth no? Lastly the gas mileage is awful. Maybe its the AWD idk but i go through gas faster on this 16 car than with my old 03 that had 225,000. miles on it. No way shld a new car that has a 22 gallon tank only get 250 miles to a tank.

don't buy if you have car seats . . .

If I had only sat in the back seat of this car before purchasing it I would have passed on it. The placement of the seat belts on the 2nd row captains seats is TERRIBLE. It is nearly impossible to get a car seat in and buckled. My child is 6 and continues to have trouble (1.5 years into owning the car) buckling self in with the booster seat in this car, but can in our other vehicle. Also, the placement of the seat belt makes a ride in the 2nd row captains seats uncomfortable for an adult as they are too far inside the seat and they aren't flexible. Some engineer designed this without thinking about the usability. Also, the head rests on the front seats push forward when you bump into them. Anyone getting out of the back seat who puts his/her hands on the head rest pushes it forward, as does my child's feet from the back seat. I complained to GM and they don't care--AT ALL. I have complained to my service department and the manager is "trying." The service manager told me I am not the only 1 with issues about the 2nd row seats. Seriously, don't buy this car unless and until they fix the issue. Also, my driver's seat cracked on the outside. I had to have that replaced under warranty--initially Chevy said they wouldn't fix it. When I pitched a fit they agreed to. And the floor mat on the driver's side, second row is not stable. When I get in and out of the back seat it gives/slides. The fuel mileage is terrible. I will be trading this in for another vehicle as soon as I don't take it in the shorts on a trade in. Also, I received notification that the posted MPG was wrong. GM offered an extended warranty or $1500 in a debit card to make up for the extra gas costs, but only based it on 5 years. What if I wanted to keep the vehicle longer than 5 years, well too bad. I typically keep my vehicles longer than 5 years. This one will be going back at 5 years and I am unlikely to buy GM again, based on my experiences. After 2 years of not enjoying this vehicle I traded it in and purchased something else. This was not the car for me.

Great SUV

This has been one of the best vehicles I ever owned. A true highway cruiser with lots of hauling capacity

Love this car

Exactly what I wanted. Very pleased. Only problem is with navigation.

My traverse

I love this suv

way to go traverse

this car road really nice..out of all the suvs i test drove ,this was my favorite most comfortable ride

My Traverse

Best SUV I Have ever owned

Classy Ride

Comfort and spacious. Seats 7 with room for some cargo. Lay the seats down for gargantuan cargo space. Cruise the highways with ease and comfort. Tow a boat to lake or take a trip with friends or family.

It gets the job done, Transmission is Jerky

We purchased the Traverse LT1 back in 2017 with 31k miles. We were sold on the space coming from an 08 Mazda CX-9 which we dearly loved. But the engine blew and decided to give the Traverse a try because it had awesome space in the 3rd row. Gas mileage is okay we average 15mpg getting 300 miles a tank, power is pretty smooth if the transmission isnt jerky or holds the shift forever, and it is pretty comfortable. We now have over 90k miles on it and only had to change fluids and routine maintenance. The biggest con is the transmission like i stated earlier its jerky especially when you are turning and push on the gas and when you excillerate it will hold the gear for too long even when you are barely pushing on the gas pedal.

My Car!

My Grandkids Love to be in the captain chairs

Best SUV

Best SUV so far, been driving 3 years, very little maintenance, NO Repair so far, Good Ride and best gas mileage.

We Regret Our Decision to Buy

We are usually a Toyota Family but my husband decided to step out and try the Traverse. The Highlader was a little pricier but boy do we regret not getting one. The 2nd and 3rd row have very limited room in Traverse. The ride is uncomfortable and the kids do not like traveling in it. The check engine light comes on all the time. We've had it 3 years with only 45k miles and this should not be happening. It is all warranty work but we have to pay over $100 for diagnostics every time we take it in. 3 times this year so far. Ridiculous! The gas mileage was inaccurate and GM had to send us a credit card to compensate. It drinks a lot of gas. We did like the crash safety ratings in the IIHS website. I would say shop around more and look at other options like the Toyota Highlander or the Honda Pilot. It will last longer and won't need to be taken in for anything other than regular maintenance until at least 200k miles. My mom went with the 2015 Highlander. It has over 150k miles and still drives like a dream with zero issues. Worth the price difference. The Traverse does not hold its value and we can't trade it anywhere!!

Door trim

Overall I like my Traverse after owning two Tahoe's. I am unable to drive it on ranch roads as it is too low to cross ravines(saved Tahoe for that). I have just over 12,000 miles and have had 2 problems with the chrome decorative pieces that are on the side of doors. First occasion, I pushed front door to close and opened back door at the same time. The chrome piece on front door caught and peeled back(glued on and not positioned right) I assume. Recently, I washed my car and was vacuuming it out. As I was raising up and back my jeans caught on back door piece and it pealed back. Glue has to be faulty. After 12 months no warranty but my dealer nicely replaced it for me. The pieces have to be painted when they ship in. Glad to see the new 2018 are designed without those pieces.

Chev Traverse 1LT

poor design

make sure you drive this more than just around the block comfort is horrible gas mileage is not good and forget handling in snow with awd

Interior design

The laundry hooks are in an impossible to reach position. So annoying.

worst suv ever

Do not get the chevy traverse the worse vehicle ever..disopointed in this suv.

Awesome for my Small Photography Business

Love all the Room for my small Photography business, Its been a great car for me to get in and out do to a injury Love my Chevy Traverse LS

Piece of junk!!!

I have an 8 passenger Traverse. First issue I noticed with this vehicle is that no one can get into the 3rd row seating unless you are the size of a stick. Within 3 months of owning my Traverse, I noticed my transmission seemed like it was slipping. I took it into the dealer, they told me there was nothing wrong with it. I then got a letter in the mail telling me that they had the sticker wrong and the gas millage was lower than stated. They offered $700 cash or 12 months extended warranty. The gas millage on this car is so bad, I used up that $700 in a few months. After the warranty ran out I started having trouble with the front end. Took it in to have it repaired, not once, not twice, not three times, but have had it worked on 4 times (have taken it to 3 different shops). I have now decided to just turn the radio up and not listen to the knocking sounds it makes. I have had to replace the headlight bulb 6 times, and that's not an easy task. I would NEVER by another Traverse, and advise anyone that is looking into one to please reconsider.

If you like trash

Worst car ever owned riddled with problems transmission being the worst they said gm put an update out to reprogram the transo to shift right just had this done last week and it made it 10times worse torque converter will not shift right won't pull up hills without shaking the hole car

Love it. Comfortable, utile, nice looking

Their dealer!

New car since 1981

Other models such as 2015 Traverse LT with higher mileage were near the same or higher price.

Little old school teacher.

A little higher priced than some models.

Major Disappointment!

This car was truly a disappointment. Less than a month from purchasing this car I want to get rid of it. The car has manufacturing structural issue that GM/Chevrolet is providing minimal support to resolve at my expense.