By Hope S. Philbrick
The best work trips combine work and play. Same is true of a vehicle. The Chevrolet Traverse erases the distinction, making every journey pleasant no matter its purpose.
On a recent round-trip drive between Atlanta, Georgia, and Lafayette, Louisiana, the Traverse proved to be an ideal companion.
My trip was itself a combination of work and fun, as I was meeting friends for help redesigning and updating this website. (Isn’t it fast and pretty?!!!) While we spent hours in front of the computer working hard—well, my friends worked hard as I watched with angst—we also managed to squeeze hiking and dining into our schedule. It would be a crime to visit Cajun country and not eat!
This Chevy did more than safely deliver me from Point A to Point B, though it did that with ease. For the drive West, I’d filled the cargo space with miscellaneous items to deliver plus an empty cooler—because a food writer never travels without a way to bring home groceries, especially when going to Louisiana! For the drive East, the cargo space was filled with sausage, king cake and other tasty treats. Both ways, the GPS map provided reliable directions; the navigation system was was easy to operate plus offered live traffic alerts.
Staying alert is crucial when driving. For help with that, I rely on entertainment. This Chevy Traverse offers SiriusXM, Bose radio, plus Bluetooth to tap into music apps. In my personal car, I’ve had problems with Amazon Music sometimes cutting in and out, but I never experienced that same issue in this Chevy. I’d dropped a few comedy albums into my playlist before leaving home, so I laughed most of the way and the sound quality was better than if I’d been sitting in the audience at a comedy club.
The Chevy Traverse is big: Behind three rows of seats there’s a huge trunk. This vehicle didn’t feel overwhelmingly large to drive, and was surprisingly easy to park. The Surround Vision feature offers a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the vehicle, so you can see the car in its entirety and see exactly how it fits into the space where you’re trying to park in real time.
Fortunately, I managed to avoid the snow threatened by the arctic blast hitting much of the country at that time, but I wouldn’t have worried about the Traverse’s ability to navigate snow if any had fallen. If needed, it’s easy to switch to all-wheel drive.
It didn’t snow, but it sure was cold—outside, but not inside the vehicle. The car interior warmed up quickly and, better yet, the steering wheel and front seats automatically heat up! Once your backside gets toasty you can lower the temp or turn off the heater, but it defaults to max for fast and welcome results in frigid temps.
I never needed to worry about my phone running out of charge. There’s a handy-dandy place to set a smartphone for recharging without cords. If you’re traveling with a passenger who also needs a charge, there are some cord slots available, too.
Need to haul furniture cross-country? No problem! Need to tote your friends, their child with car seat, their dog, snacks and sporting equipment to the park? No problem! Need to carry home purchases after shopping? No problem! Need to pull over and sleep for a bit? No problem! (We didn’t actually test that, but are certain a tent would be a less desirable option than the Traverse.)
The Chevy Traverse tackles tough jobs, but is fun to drive.
2019 Traverse AWD Premier Features…
- Base price: $45,300
- Choose seating for 7 or 8
- 98.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity
- Easy switch to all-wheel drive if needed—don’t fear the threat of snow!
- 6 different trim levels available!
- LT Premium Package available on the LT Leather trim and standard on RS—includes Surround Vision, 20-inch aluminum wheel, Rear Camera Mirror, 8-inch-diagonal navigation radio, Bose speakers and 110V outlet
- Automatic heated steering wheel (standard on Premier and High Country)
- 3.6L V6 engine
- 9-speed automatic transmission
- Surround Vision offers 360-degree bird’s eye view of the vehicle
- Connectivity: Available Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility through Chevrolet MyLink and available 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot
- Premium Features: remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, lane change alert with side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, Chevrolet MyLink audio system with 8″ Diagonal Color touch-screen, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and heated front and passenger seats
Adult Fun in Lafayette, Louisiana…
Eat traditional po’boys at Olde Tyme Grocery
Eat local, seasonal fare at The Saint Street Inn
Eat king cake at Keller’s Bakery
Eat Cajun pizza at Deano’s Pizza
Hike Acadiana Park
More ideas: Lafayette Things To Do
More Information…
– Photos © HSP Media LLC
Featured products, services and/or travel arrangements may have been complimentary in part or in full; this affords the research opportunity but does not sway opinion. Thanks to Chevrolet for the Chevy Traverse loan. Thanks to Flower Streets Cottage for the cozy accommodations.
Hope S. Philbrick is founder and editor-in-chief of Getaways for Grownups. She became a freelance writer and editor because she believes that work and fun should not be mutually exclusive. Her work has appeared in dozens of publications nationwide. When not writing, she can usually be found on the road or savoring something tasty.
