Chevrolet Traverse Reliability: Best and Worst Years

The Chevrolet Traverse is a large three-row crossover SUV that arrived for the 2009 model year, replacing the TrailBlazer and the Uplander minivan. It is built on a unibody platform and seats up to eight passengers, with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It shares its underpinnings with the Buick Enclave and, in its first and third generations, the GMC Acadia. This page lines up every Chevrolet Traverse model year from 2010 to 2024 on one scale, so you can see which years drew unusual numbers of owner reports and which stayed quiet.

Why these years stand out

2010: most complaints. The 2010 Chevrolet Traverse scored 627 complaints per 100,000 sold, 2.2 times the model average. Of its 669 complaints, 252 involve the engine or transmission, and the parts named most often are steering (328), engine (178) and power train (66). NHTSA lists 5 recalls for this model year and 2 defect investigations.

2011: most complaints. The 2011 Chevrolet Traverse scored 568 complaints per 100,000 sold, 2 times the model average. Of its 608 complaints, 292 involve the engine or transmission, and the parts named most often are engine (204), steering (163) and electronic stability control (esc) (103). NHTSA lists 5 recalls for this model year and 2 defect investigations.

2021, 2022 and 2023: fewest complaints. The 2021 drew 93 complaints, or 80 per 100,000 sold; The 2022 drew 101 complaints, or 104 per 100,000 sold; The 2023 drew 95 complaints, or 77 per 100,000 sold. These years have been on the road at least three years, which gives owners time to report problems, so a low count means something.

What Chevrolet Traverse owners report most

Engine complaints lead for the Chevrolet Traverse, at 23% of all complaints for 2010-2024. Engine and transmission reports together make up 41%. One complaint can name more than one system, so the bars can add up to more than the total.

When problems are reported: mileage

2,476 Chevrolet Traverse complaints list the odometer reading at the time of the problem. 35% were reported before 50,000 miles and 21% after 100,000. The reports are spread across the mileage range rather than bunched at one point.

Chevrolet Traverse compared with other midsize suvs

In 14 of 15 model years the Chevrolet Traverse drew fewer complaints per 100,000 sold than the average midsize suv we track for the same year. For 2024, the Chevrolet Traverse scored 136 against a class average of 140. The class average only uses models with clean, published sales figures.

Chevrolet Traverse generations

• 2009-2017
  First generation

  3.6L V6 · 6-speed automatic

  A 2013 refresh updated the front styling and interior.

• 2018-2023
  Second generation

  3.6L V6; 2.0L turbo four (RS, 2018-2019) · 9-speed automatic

  The 2022 refresh brought front styling similar to the redesigned Tahoe and Suburban.

• 2024
  Third generation

  2.5L turbo four · 8-speed automatic

  The V6 was replaced by a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a Z71 off-road trim was added.

Every first-generation and most second-generation Traverse models use a 3.6L V6. The turbocharged 2.0L four was offered only on the RS trim for 2018 and 2019. The second-generation design was also sold for 2024 as the Traverse Limited, alongside the new third generation.

Chevrolet Traverse fuel economy

The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse is rated at 21 to 22 MPG combined by the EPA, depending on the version. Every year and engine will be on its own MPG page.

Crash test stars

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave the Chevrolet Traverse these overall ratings (out of 5) for the model years it tested: 2011: 5, 2012: 5, 2013: 5, 2014: 5, 2015: 5, 2016: 5, 2017: 5, 2018: 5, 2019: 5, 2020: 5, 2021: 5, 2022: 4-5, 2023: 4-5, 2024: 5. Ratings can differ between body styles and drive types of the same year.

Questions