Why Chevrolet Spin Phase Out

2019 Chevrolet Traverse Review: A Roomy 3-Row Family SUV

Edmunds:

SPEAKER 1: We've
been talking a lot
about vehicles that are good for
families with young children.
The Honda Pilot comes
to mind is one that's
particularly baby friendly.
But kids grow up, and
families with teens
have different car needs.
The 2019 Chevy Traverse
promises cargo space and a more
grown up approach
to the midsize SUV.
Will it do its chores without
being reminded seven times?
Let's find out.
First, a very
important question.
Does it do a burnout?

No.
A little bit.
All right.
The Traverse does a burnout
if you start on gravel.
Today's midsize SUV as are like
minivans in flannel shirts--
they're trying to
look more macho.
The Traverse was
redesigned in 2018,
and I think Chevy
did a good job.
It's boxy, kind of
aggressive, but not boring.
I recently reviewed
the Kia Sorento,
and in the comments
on that video,
I got scolded by Kia
Sorento for saying
that the Kia wasn't sporty.
That made me realize, OK,
sportiness is subjective.
I mean, it all depends on
what you were driving before.
So OK, mid-sized SUVs are
sporty in the same way
that bowling is sporty.
And now, you can all be mad
at me for dissing bowling.
But what I mean is it's not the
same as a Miata or a Corvette.
It's specifically designed
to be a softer ride,
and to be more gentle and quiet.
To me, that's not sporty.

That said, the Traverse has
a pretty zippy 3.6 liter
V8, making 310
horsepower, and backed
by a nine speed
automatic transmission.
It has noticeably
more passing power
than most of the
crossovers I've been in.
It's good the V6 is
such a solid engine,
because there really
aren't any others
that you can choose from.
Well, that's not true.
There is the RS trim, which
comes with a turbo charged
four cylinder, and it gets a
little bit better gas mileage.
But honestly, the V6
gets 20 miles per gallon,
and that's right on par with the
rest of the SUVs in this class.

On the highway around town, the
Traverse has an excellent ride.
It's very comfortable,
it's very predictable.
And it's very quiet.
For more spirit and driving like
on this curvy mountain road,
well, it's not the car
I would choose for fun,
but I feel perfectly safe.
Like I said, this
isn't what it's for.

Safety is obviously
a major consideration
when you're buying a vehicle to
haul your whole family around
in.
This Traverse, the High Country,
has everything you'd need.
Lane change assist,
and lane keep assist,
and pedestrian warning,
emergency braking,
adaptive cruise control.
All the things, but you
can't even option them up
on the lower trim models.
And I think when a lot of
the competitors like Honda
and Toyota and Kia are
offering that stuff as standard
all the way up and
down the trim levels,
Chevy ought to get
with the program.
Stop being so stingy.

The Traverse isn't
intended to be primarily
an off road or tow vehicle,
but it's capable of both
if you option for the all
wheel drive and tow package.
The controls for that
are in this mode dial
down here by the shifter.
And you can go two wheel drive,
all wheel drive, the off road
setting, and a
tow setting, which
I think changes shift points.
The dial is a different
approach to all wheel drive
than some of the competitors in
this sort of front wheel drive
midsize segment,
because usually, they
do it as a sort of
automatic all wheel drive.
Like, it just senses
if there's wheel slip,
and moves from front wheel
drive to all wheel drive
for as long as you need it.
But Chevy has sort of giving
you more control as the driver.

We tend to talk about
the infotainment systems
in these reviews while we're
parked, which is fine if you
think ahead, and are ready.
But a lot of times,
you're on the road,
and then you're like, oh
crap, did I plug my phone in.
And I don't want to
listen to this anymore.
And it's always
interesting to see
how hard it is to
figure out these systems
while you're driving, which
I guess you're not really
supposed to be doing, but
you know that you are.
Anyhow, it's easy
to plug a phone in.
It doesn't matter which
USB you plug into.
Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
will work from either one.
And everything in the screen
is reachable and visible
while you're driving
without having to look away
from the road for very long.
The steering wheel controls
aren't quite as easy.
I don't like the adaptive
cruise control at all.
I can barely figure
out how to turn it on
and I have a hard time
knowing when it's on.
It just doesn't show
very much in the dash.
It's great that the Traverse is
so big and roomy on the inside,
but it's also very
big on the outside.
And with some pretty
substantial blind spots,
that can make
parking intimidating.
Luckily, there's some
tech that makes it easier.
There's a rear view camera,
and a 360 degree camera
so you can see everything
that surrounds you.
There's also a pretty
nifty little camera here
in the rear view.
Mirror and rear sensor
to tell you when
you're getting close to stuff.
Let's see how it works.
Going backwards in
a straight line,
not going to hit anything today.

Parked.
Success.
OK, so Traverse is great
at backing into spots.
But what about
pulling into a spot?
You know, it's got
a pretty long hood,
and I can't really
see the end of it.
I can still use the
camera, that's great.

No parking sensors in the front?
What the what?

Earlier, I said
that the Traverse
was a really good choice for
parents with teenage children.
One of the reasons I said that
is the Traverse has something
called Teen Driver,
a monitoring system
for when your kid takes the car.
It's not like valet mode,
where it limits them
to first gear or 30 miles an
hour or something like that.
I mean, you can drive normally.
But it gives a report card at
the end that you can go over
with your kid, and talk about,
Oh, what was their top speed,
and did any of the
traction aides come on.
Was there any emergency braking.
And so it can kind
of help you help
them to improve their
driving without you
having to be in the car.
Oh, it also prevents them
from turning on the radio
until their seatbelts are on.

The Traverse has a
tough guy exterior,
but inside, it's
surprisingly soft.
The steering wheel
is pretty squishy,
it has a lot of leather
trim on most of the spots
that you're going to touch.
And overall, it's
pretty luxurious.
Now bear in mind, we're
in the High Country
trim, which is the top
of the line Traverse.
So as you go down
in the trim levels,
you won't have all
of this luxury.
Traverse come standard with
a seven inch touchscreen,
and we have the optional
eight inch here.
There are plenty of storage
cubbies and a nice big console.
And so many options
for charging a phone.
From front to back, I
counted 10 different ways
that you could plug-in and
charge a phone, or a tablet,
or something similar.
And that's including USB
ports 12 volts AC adapter.
There's even a hidden charging
spot behind the screen in case
you're a spy, and you have
like, a secret burner phone
or something.
I don't know.
The point is, there
are enough spots
for everyone in the car to
charge their phones and then
some.
Noticing all the
places to charge
your phone was sort of
what made me think, man,
this would be a
really good vehicle
for somebody with teenagers.
Because you know, little kids
might use the dropdown screen
or whatever, but big kids tend
to bring their entertainment
with them.
And I just feel like Chevy
is thinking about that.
You know, they have
a lot of leg room,
and there's a lot
of charging spots.
And there's sort of
a lot of privacy.
Like, they could sit all the
way in the back and sort of feel
like they weren't stuck
right up with mom and dad.
There's plenty of room in
the front of the Traverse.
There's a lot of space between
the driver and the passenger,
and between the
driver and the door.
The seats however, are
a little bit narrow.
And there's actually
a big gap here.
And if you are broader,
you might feel a little bit
cramped.
They're also very firm.
Which is fine.
Some people like a firm seat.
Me, if I'm driving in
a big SUV, I kind of
want to feel like I'm
in a barcalounger.
So I wouldn't mind if
they were a little softer.
They are heated though,
and that makes up for it.
One thing Chevy did really
well in the Traverses
give it this bright
airy feeling.
It's really nice and light
all the way from the front
to the back of the car.
I hate it when you
get into these SUV
and it's just all
black plastic and you
feel like you're in sort of
a terrible cave of misery.
The Traverse doesn't
feel like that.
It's really bright.
Some of that might be
from the twin sunroof
on this car, which is
standard on the High Country,
but you can option it on
some of the lower levels.
Hurray for second rows
with plenty of space.
There's foot room, there's knee
room, there's plenty of room
all around you.
It's nice back here.
Especially when you option
up to the captain's chairs.
Feel pretty important.
My same complaints
about the front seats
apply to the back seats
in that they aren't plush,
they're a little bit firm.
But they're totally comfortable.
I'd be happy to sit back here.
The best thing about the second
and third rows in the Traverse
is how easy it is to get
from one to the other.
I mean, you can just walk there,
like it's a freaking airplane.
Or if you're getting
in from outside,
the passenger seat
tilts forward.
You can even do it with
a child seat in there
and it's not a problem
there's plenty of space
to get into the back row.
Take the baby out first.
I've been in second rows
that don't have as much room
as the third row
in the Traverse.
I mean, it's pretty
great back here.
Plus, it has all of the
creature comforts-- cup holders,
USB ports, a vent
for climate control.
I mean, I wouldn't want to
be the kid in the middle
here on a long road trip, but
for around town, totally fine.
With 23 cubic feet
behind the third row,
and 98 cubic feet with
it down, plus the ability
to have just part of it
down the Traverse winds
the cargo space awards
offering more room
than the Honda Pilot, Toyota
Highlander, or Ford Explorer.
Bonus points for how easy it is
to put the seats down and bring
them up again.
Bonus, bonus points for bonus
storage under the floor.

Obviously, I don't play the
cello, but maybe your kid does.
Or maybe you find and refinish
antiques on the weekend.
Whether it's for your growing
family or your outsize hobbies,
the Chevy Traverse is
big on interior space.
It's not just big, it's useful.
And isn't that the whole
point of a midsize SUV?

For reviews of the Chevy
Traverse and other midsize SUV,
visit Edmunds.
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2017 Three-Row SUV Comparison: Cargo and Third Row — Cars.com

Cars.com:

three row SUV shoppers want a vehicle
with room for people and cargo so as
part of our 2017 three row SUV challenge
myself and fellow judges Fred Meyer and
Brian Wong paid special attention to the
cargo areas in third row seats of our
four contenders to gauge their utility
and overall comfort the traversal is the
largest of our competitors and it also
has the most cargo room behind the third
row it also has a large storage bin for
storing valuables that's really
convenient
I really like the traverses third row
seat because it's big enough to
comfortably carry adult passengers
there's good Headroom pretty good
legroom and overall it's almost minivan
like in its space I can actually sit in
it and I'm six-two what I like about the
Honda's third row is that once you get
there it actually is really comfortable
for a full-sized adult what I don't like
is that it is hard to get into what I
liked about the pilots third row is that
it's really easy to get out of there's a
OneTouch button on the top of the second
row seats to move them out of the way
the pilot really does have great third
row headroom and as Mike mentioned it
has a really convenient second row
access with a powered button that moves
it out of the way however the opening is
not that big and I found myself almost
tripping to get out of the third row the
pilot was the only one in our test to
have a reversible cargo floor so one
side is carpeted and one is washable
the Toyota Highlander is the smallest of
our competitors and I also have the
least cargo room it also has the least
workable third row there's not much head
room or legroom for adults I want to put
anyone I like back there the Highlanders
third row seat reclines really far but
that's about the only thing it has going
for it otherwise it's really cramped for
adult passengers the small third row in
the Highlander surprisingly has
seatbelts for three but room for maybe
one Volkswagens first three row SUV
delivers a solid outing with ample
passenger space in all rows of seats the
Atlas third rows the roomiest year for
two adults it's one of the easiest to
get into has plenty of legroom plenty of
headroom but it has one downside the
clamshell headrest hit you in the back
of the neck the Atlas is second row seat
slides forward to give you a good space
to get back to the third row and like
the Traverse there's good space once
you're sitting there the Atlas makes the
most of its available interior space
because when you fold the third row the
seat lowers down to give you more cargo
height the Atlas did not have the
biggest cargo area here that goes to the
Traverse but it had a very large area
and it had an advantage in a bench seat
if you haul a lot of cargo that may be
the option you want in the second row
because it gives you a completely flat
load floor yeah this really does have a
great third row that's adult sized it
has good Headroom and good legroom and
it also has easy access from both the
driver side and passenger side with the
second row folding forward one thing
that the Atlas is missing though is
covered storage there's nowhere to hide
a bag or valuables they'll just be
visible from the outside for the full
results photo galleries and additional
stories check out cars calm
you

2019 Kia Sorento Review | How Useful Is the Third Row? | Edmunds

Edmunds:

ELANA SCHERR: The 2019 Kia
Sorento has a few tweaks
to its looks, a new
transmission, and now
standard third row seating.
How useful is that
third row, and where
does the mild redesign
place the Kia if you're
shopping for a midsize SUV?
We're searching the
cosmos to find out.
Before we start,
please hit Subscribe
and visit Edmunds for all
your SUV shopping needs.
If you're looking at the
Honda Pilot, Chevy Traverse,
or Toyota Highlander,
you might be
wondering if you should add
the Sorento to your test drive
list.
It's well priced,
starting at $25,000,
and it manages to fit a large
interior in a smaller exterior
package.
What's new for 2019?
Not a whole lot--
the headlights are
squintier and, in some of the
higher trim levels, all LED.
The overall look is
basically the same--
traditional midsize SUV,
which I would translate
as tougher-looking minivan.
When you first step
into the Sorento,
you might be sort of surprised.
The materials aren't
the highest level,
but they are nicer
than you would expect,
and they are used very
nicely through the cabin.
There's not any part of the
car that looks cheaper or more
expensive than any other part.
The materials are all soft-ish.
There are some nice trim pieces.
The steering wheel
has a baseball stitch,
and it feels pretty
good in the hand.
I like this piano black
that runs along the door
panel-- that's pretty snazzy.
If I had any complaint
about the interior,
it would be that there aren't
a whole lot of color options.
And if you go with this all
black, it's really dark.
It can be a little
claustrophobic.
The driving position
in the Sorento
is very comfortable the seat
has a lot of adjustment.
I was able to move
it up to where
I needed to be to drive,
and some of the taller folks
who drove it were
able to move it back.
Everybody was set.
I like how Kia used physical
buttons for everything,
and also how all of the controls
kind of have their own space
in the interior.
Like, safety stuff is over here;
controls for the center stack
are here; controls for the
speedometer display are here;
radio and nav is here;
temperature is here;
and the shifter and off-road
options, like the locking diff,
are down here.
However, the placement
of those buttons
is not always super convenient.
I have to stretch to reach
the buttons over here,
even though I have the
seat really far forward.
And because I have the
seat really far forward,
I have to reach back
to get the buttons here
or to get into the console.
So I feel like Kia could
spend a little more time
thinking about seating
position and how
it affects your ability
to get to the controls
in the infotainment.
The Sorento starts in
a good price range,
but you can really
add a lot of options.
And by the time you've
got everything in it,
you're almost in
luxury SUV range.
There are some great standards,
like the third row and Apple
CarPlay and Android Auto.
You have an option of a
7 or 8-inch touchscreen,
and it's pretty nice.
It's not the best visual
quality I've seen,
but it's totally works.
It works.
And there are plenty of
places to charge a phone--
you've got a USB, two 12 volts,
and a charging pad down here.
I complain sometimes
about these charging pads,
and it is applicable here.
They take up all of your
console storage space,
because you can't really
put stuff on top of them.
Whatever.
It is useful.
I use it a lot, so maybe I
shouldn't be complaining.
Plenty of space in the console.
Got a little coin
tray, and you've also
got another 12 volt in there.
There's also 12 volts and
USBs in the back seat.
The second row is
the place to be.
The seats are comfortable--
there's a ton of leg room.
Got a USB port, an AC
plug, and a 12 volt.
Even the middle seat is
comfortable and has leg room.
If you're really
feeling VIP, you
can put up the privacy
shade and recline
to enjoy the sunroof,
which comes all
the way across the back seat.
It's not just for the front.
When you put it up, though--
you might have some
complaints, which
we'll get into as we
talk about the third row.
I wasn't expecting a whole
lot from the third row,
since the Sorento was smaller
than most three-row SUVs.
But there's actually quite
a lot of space back here,
and the seats are
very comfortable.
There's even AC controls,
windows, and cup holders.
Although you give up
armrests for them.
The problem with the third row
is getting in and out of it.
The seats are a 60-40 split, so
one goes down with the center
and one goes down separately.
The way the seats
are split means
that it's easier to
get in on the passenger
side than the driver side.
Either way you get in, you
have to slide the seat forward
and fold it down, and there
isn't a whole lot of room
to squeeze by it.
Once you are in the third
row, you can't really
bring the seats back
up into position,
and you're stuck here
until someone lets you out.
If you're a parent trying
to wrangle several children
getting them in and
out of here, you
need to have free hands
to be able to help them.
And if you've got car
seats in the front,
it's basically no go.
You can't fold the seats,
and you can't get back here.
If you have three or
more young children,
I don't think this is going to
be a useful vehicle for you.
The Edmunds test team was
expecting great things
from the transmission
in the Sorento.
For 2019, it's an 8-speed, and
previously it was a 6-speed.
On the positive side, it does
get better fuel mileage now
with the 8-speed.
And it's very smooth--
you will never spill a
coffee in the Sorento.
Look-- I'm going to floor it.
Oh my god, so smooth.
The downside is
that it's slower--
it's almost a second
slower 0 to 60
than it was with the 6-speed,
so that means almost a second
longer that you'll have
to be floored if you're
trying to merge in traffic.
When you're in
the very top trim,
you have the very top price.
And this Sorento
is almost $50,000,
which is too much
for a Sorento-- don't
pay $50,000 for a Sorento.
Entry level costs on a Kia
Sorento show is about $25,000,
but it's only available with
the four cylinder, which
is underwhelming.
What you really want
is the V6, which
comes with 290 horses, which
is pretty high compared
to the competition.
Only the Toyota Highlander
and the top level Explorer
have more.
We recommend the
EX, because it's
available with the
V6 engine, which
has almost 300 horsepower,
and you can option it up
to almost match the SX,
but for a lot less money.
Because the V6 is paired with
the new 8-speed automatic
transmission, MPG is pretty
good in the Sorento--
22 combined.
Along with having a price that's
about $5,000 less than most
of the competition all the
way up the trim levels,
the Sorento is
popular because it's
a little bit smaller
exterior-wise than most
of the other vehicles
with a third row.
That makes it
easier for parking,
getting in and out of
garages, that kind of stuff.
You don't really notice
the size difference
from the inside, which
is great, especially
in the second row, where
there's a ton of space.
The way that Kia made
the vehicle smaller
is basically in the back--
they cut off all of the space
after the third row, so
you do give up cargo space
if you have that third row up.
It does feel a
little bit smaller
to me in the driver's seat
than some of the other SUVs
that I've driven recently, but
I wouldn't call it cramped.
If the last time
that you drove a Kia
was say, a Rio or
something-- rental car,
you would be really surprised
by Kia's ride quality.
It is so quiet, it is so calm.
There's no wind noise,
there's no tire noise.
It's soaking up all the bumps.
If anything, you might complain
that you feel a little distant
from the road that
you're driving on,
but it is very comfortable.
The Sorento has four
different driving modes--
Comfort, Eco, Sport, and Smart.
Far as I can tell, they
don't really do anything.
I mean, I'm sure they do--
I think when you put
it in Sport Mode,
there's a change in
the transmission tune
and the throttle response
is a little bit sharper,
but it is barely noticeable.
In most of the cars
I drive, I find
that there's something that I
love and something that I hate.
Like-- oh man, the brakes
are so good in this,
but the steering's so dead.
Or the throttle
response is excellent,
but the shifter is awful.
That's not the case
for this Sorento.
I have never felt so neutral
about any vehicle in my life.
There is nothing to complain
about-- the steering feels
fine, the gas pedal is a
little slow to respond,
but you'd sort of
expect that in an SUV.
The brakes are
great-- the test team
said that they were fully within
parameters for SUV stoppage.
But none of it stands out.
That's not really a compliment--
it's just not a complaint.
I feel like Kia's designers
were given instruction
to make something that
wouldn't offend anyone.
So nothing really stands
out about the design
or the technology.
Multiple times, while I've
been driving this car,
I've parked it
somewhere, came out
and been like, which one is it?
Because it kind of just looks
like a general idea of an SUV.
Nothing stands out.
Kia has been ambitious with
its marketing of the Sorento,
even making a commercial showing
it climbing a steep off road
challenge in Moab, Utah.
I don't think that
Kia really expects
you to take the Sorento
up Hell's Gate in Utah,
and I don't expect you to
like camping as much as I do.
But it is a really
good way to showcase
how much cargo space there is--
73 cubic feet total.
And if for some reason you
want to do something else,
maybe stargazing where
there's indoor plumbing,
you can pack it full of whatever
you might need for that.
You know, the longer
I drive this car,
the more I think that
I was unfair to say
that there was nothing
that stands out about it.
Everything is what you'd expect
from a top trim level SUV--
I mean, all of the safety
suites are pretty normal.
It will help you
change lanes, and it
will help you stay in
the lanes, and it's
got all of the airbags,
and it's got warnings
if you're about to crash into
something-- so none of that
is remarkable.
But the way that Kia dealt
with a few of those things
is pretty cool.
The first is adaptive
cruise control,
which I've complained about
before in other cars, because I
feel like, a lot of times,
you can't tell when it's on
and when it's off.
In the Kia, first of
all, it's really easy
to turn it on-- it's
just two buttons.
And when it is on, it's really
obvious-- the speedometer turns
yellow.
You absolutely
know that it's on.
You can see how far you have
to the car in front of you
for the adaptive component.
And when it's off,
also very obvious.
Safe.
I don't think they really
give out automotive awards
for headlights.
But if they did, I would
nominate the Kia Sorento.
They're LED, they're self
leveling-- so they're always
pointed where you need them to
be-- and they actually move,
which isn't something that
we haven't seen before.
I mean, BMW has been
doing it for a long time.
But to see it on a Kia
was sort of unexpected.
It's cool.
The Sorento is functional,
but not inspired.
It's not out of place
on a city adventure,
and it has enough
ride height and space
to take you on a trip
out of your comfort zone.
It can carry a lot of
people or a lot of gear--
but not both, so choose wisely.
If you do need
something that can
carry both people
and stuff, you might
want to choose something else.
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2018 Chevrolet Traverse Review — Cars.com

Cars.com:

one of the biggest 3-row crossover SUVs
you can buy is the Chevrolet Traverse
and with its redesigned for the 2018
model year it's grown bigger still but
its dropped around 350 pounds from its
curb weight the result is a comfortable
roomy SUV that can fit the whole family
and it also offers enough tech features
to keep them all entertained the
traverses exterior styling mixes new and
familiar chevrolet styling cues but the
overall look is decidedly more
truck-like than its predecessor it gets
the SUV version of Chevrolet's twin port
grille up front and that's flanked by
high-intensity discharge headlights and
LED daytime running lights in this 3lt
trim level the wheelbase grows two
inches for a total length of nearly a
hundred and twenty-one inches and what
you get with this long wheelbase are
these big rear doors that offer good
access to the second and the third rows
of seats one of the other styling
changes on the Traverse is this new C
pillar shape which takes after the one
on the Chevrolet Tahoe SUV the interior
styling is new too in the dashboard
design now has a more upscale look at
its center is this available eight inch
touchscreen multimedia system the system
supports apple carplay and android auto
smartphone connectivity and it also does
an unexpected trick if you press this
button here the screen will motor up to
reveal a hidden storage compartment
behind it that includes a USB port
that's good for storing things you want
to keep out of sight like maybe your
phone or wallet besides the one USB port
in the hidden storage compartment our
Traverse has another six USB ports
scattered throughout the cabin in all
seating rows so everyone in the family
should be able to keep their devices
charged to keep those devices connected
to the Internet when on the go the
Traverse offers 4G LTE connectivity with
a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to seven devices
after an initial trial a data
subscription is required the Traverse is
big exterior dimensions payoff in the
cabin where first second and third row
passengers have ample space if only the
seats themselves were more comfortable
the front seats backrest have oddly
shaped cushions that pushed against my
upper back in the second row bucket
seating is too hard you never forgot how
big the old traverse was when driving it
it just felt bigger than a lot of its
competitors but even though the new
Traverse is even bigger than that model
it feels smaller when you're driving it
it's easier to maneuver and control the
driving experience is also refined the
SUV's long wheelbase contributes to the
composed comfortable ride that seems
perfect for a long road trip it's also
really quiet inside which contributes to
the serene driving experience power
comes from a 310 horsepower v6 or a
turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 255
horsepower our tester had the v6 and
both engines team with a 9 speed
automatic transmission the 9 speed does
a good job keeping the v6 in its power
band but it made some abrupt shifts
during our testing we've long told
shoppers who want a practical family
vehicle to consider a minivan because
they're hard to beat when it comes to
lugging around kids and all their stuff
but the new Traverse has closed the gap
considerably with much of the passenger
space of a minivan but with the style
and presence of an SUV that shoppers won
it just might be the best of both worlds
you

2018 Chevrolet Traverse - Review and Road Test

Kelley Blue Book:

the second generation Chevrolet Traverse
it's a three row midsize SUV that we
really like propelling our positive
vibes is a deeply functional interior
let's start somewhere boring door
storage the front rear doors are loaded
with bins and nooks galore though I'm
not quite sure what defines a bin versus
a nook beyond the aforementioned door
nooks smaller items can be stowed in the
sizeable center console in this spot
below the second row climate controls or
in a handy USB adjacent bin beneath the
center stack aside from slight pressure
in the upper back region the front seats
are superbly comfortable and as the
driver you'll enjoy a highly
customizable driving position supported
by well-placed arm rests just know drive
like a maniac and you'll wish for more
lateral support Headroom is
unsurprisingly excellent up front but
that excellence extends rearward as well
Tim is six foot something and look his
head is not mashed against the headliner
nobody cares also he's British and too
polite to complain about legroom so I'm
going to proactively slide and angle my
seats slightly forward. Thank you. Sorry I was uncomfortable. It's fine.
with less diplomatic occupants rear-seat
nice space could be tight but as
consolation third row dwellers are
gifted a wealth of cupholders decent
foot space under the second row and two
USB outlets on that note the Traverse
comes with USB ports in all three rows
that plus an optional three prong outlet
means well-charged devices ensuring your
family never has to, you know, speak
where material quality is concerned the
Traverse leaves room for its Buick
Enclave sibling to fancy things up even
so GM's mainstream offering incorporates
some soft materials and in many places
uses a soft coating to spruce up hard
plastics in other places it doesn't with
the second and third row stowed Traverse
owners have a substantial ninety eight
point two cubic feet to fill raised
those seats and twenty three cubic feet
of dedicated cargo space remains
supplemented by an additional 3.2 cubic
foot underfloor storage hold while
prattling on about the traverses many
fine qualities we should reserve time to
talk about how it drives and how it
drives is lovely the suspension
skillfully absorbs bumps while keeping
the chassis in check when cornering and
when you pick up the pace interior noise
is mostly quashed except for some
whistling in this region, which you would
hear if I didn't have to stop for that
stoplight
the man says I have to stop
providing propulsion is a mighty 3.6
liter v6 that tows up to 5,000 pounds
and moves the Traverse with real
authority when asked maybe more
impressive is the standard 9 speed
automatic it's a shining star of a
transmission that delivers virtually
seamless transparent shifts and when you
introduce the accelerator to the carpet
acceleration and downshifts occur without
delay for its size the Traverse is
fairly efficient aided by an
inconspicuous but undefeatable automatic
engine start/stop system that saves fuel
when the vehicle is motionless if you
don't mind giving up a few mpg the
optional all-wheel drive system adds
traction inslippery conditions a
turbocharged four-cylinder engine is
also available but only in the sporty
Traverse RS producing less horsepower
more torque and better city fuel economy
than the v6 the real trick with a
relatively large SUV is to hide its
girth the Traverse does just that with
light and easy steering and a tight
turning circle that make it a confident
parking tool parked on the flipside
visibility over your right shoulder is
terrible especially since depending on
where the seats are the right second row
headrest completely blocks the side
window in my experience if you can see
what's in the adjacent Lane lane changes
are less stressful
helping address those visibility
concerns our higher trim features like
blind spot monitoring a 360 degree
camera system rear cross-traffic alert
and rear but not front parking sensors
rounding out the option roster are
indulgences like wireless phone charging
a hands-free tailgate heated and
ventilated front seats leather and a
heated steering wheel choose the fancy
high country trim with its power folding
seats and traction enhancing dual clutch
rear differential and you can spend
nearly fifty three thousand dollars it's
worth mentioning that adaptive cruise
control is only offered on the high
country trim while many competitive SUVs
offer similar technology at a lower
price point and if you need eight seats
you're stuck with the low end L & LS
trims as higher Traverse trims only come
with seven in basic not quite $31,000
form the Traverse comes surprisingly
well equipped with keyless entry and
push-button start three-zone automatic
climate control a wide-angle backup
camera a smart slide 2nd row seat for
easy third row access and 7 airbags
including a center airbag that deploys
from the inboard side of the driver's
seat the standard infotainment system is
a 7-inch unit featuring apple carplay
and android auto but buyers can also
upgrade to an 8 inch system with a
lockable storage area behind the screen
hiding the traverses elusive seventh USB
port either way the screen is decently
sized placed within reach and the menus
are a cinch to navigate while shopping 3
row midsize SUVs it's always smart to
investigate the alternatives some
standouts include the roomy VW Atlas
the practical Toyota Highlander the
thoughtfully crafted Honda Pilot and the
strong selling Ford Explorer
pleasant to drive and
competitively-priced with lots of cargo
space and room for up to 8 passengers
the Chevrolet Traverse is fantastically
suited for family duty despite some
formidable competition the Traverse is a
midsize SUV that deserves your attention

Review: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT - The 3-Row Muscle SUV

Matt Maran Motoring:

What's up everybody!? Matt Maran, here, for another car review! This is, of course, the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT!
Huge thanks to Dodge for providing me with this very sweet, Durango
SRT to review for you guys today! So, about the SRT version of the Durango. Well, I'm so glad it got the SRT treatment, here,
because it totally deserves it, and I think it looks awesome in its transformation.
It just, you got the more aggressive front bumper, there. You have the Viper-inspired hood
that's similar to what you see on some other SRT products, and just look so awesome, here, even on the Durango, uh, you know, SUV.
And, otherwise, though, you know. You have these very large wheels, 20 inches in fact, with Brembo brakes on all four corners,
which give it a very sporty appearance. You have the nice 392 badges, here. And then, going out to the back, there,
you have the same great Durango, wide tail lamps that span across the rear, there. And, you have, uh, dual exhaust tips, and.
Overall, it's, you know, it's understated, you know. It's not quite as in-your-face as the other SRT products,
I think, but for an SUV, I think it's very appropriate and fitting. And, overall, I think it just looks really cool,
while still kind of being a little bit of a "sleeper". Right, so, for the interior of the Durango SRT.
Well, it's a very nice place to be,
much like any other SRT product these days.
Anyway, though. First things first. Sitting down in these seats. Very nice seats, like you see, like I said, in many SRT products.
But they're great seats, and so there's nothing wrong with that at all. It has the nice, like, microfiber inserts, here,
and then you have the leather on the outsides. And, just a really great seat that's got, you know,
it's a little bit of a wider seat, here,
I think, than some of the SRT products, but still has really good, good torso support, here, it, uh,
you know, is, uh, hugs you in fairly well. You know I'm a pretty thin guy, and, you know, for me
it's a little looser, but it's designed to fit all body types. And, so overall, you know, they're really great seats.
They're heated and cooled, as well, and, so yeah. They're just really well done. Next is the steering wheel in the SRT Durango,
which is really great. Same as all the other SRT steering wheels,
but that's a good thing, because it's a great, nice, beefy, thick wheel. Has an awesome 9 and 3 grip, nice little 10 and 2 notches, and
I like the little metal accents you have, here, on it, and, uh.
Overall, just a really great looking wheel, it has the nice little metal paddles that are like half paddles, like all the other SRT stuff,
so there's room there for your other volume and tune buttons behind the wheel, there, which is always a cool feature.
Uh, you have the nice few buttons here on the front of the steering wheel, and overall,
just a really great wheel. Next are the gauges in the Durango SRT, which are really sweet.
I like them a lot. Similar to what you see in the Grand Cherokee SRT,
as far as the setup goes with the style of the
analog gauges, there; on the left, on the right, and in the middle, there. You have a nice large tachometer
that has other, you know, digital information you can display, there, and much like any other SRT product is chock-full of
whatever performance data you want in there. It's really cool.
You can, of course, have the digital speedometer front and center, or you can go through every vehicle parameter,
you know, as far as temperatures for everything. You can also go and do the
lap timers, and "G" meters, and a performance data, and all those types of things you can have up on that screen, and, so,
it's awesome you can custom tailor it to exactly show the information you want it to show.
And, overall, they're very attractive looking gauges.
I like the fonts, and everything, and overall, they're just really good-looking. Coming over to the center of the dashboard, here.
This is where you'll find the awesome, 8.4 inch, Uconnect® touchscreen, like you see in the other, uh,
FCA products, and it's a great head unit. It is so quick.
It's easy to navigate, the graphics look nice, it has Apple Carplay and Android Auto,
which is a really big plus for me these days,
and, uh, overall it's just a really great screen,
and you also, like other SRT products, have the performance pages and the different driving modes,
you can set that up. And, the performance pages, here, for 2018, includes even a dyno graph that it'll run for you, there, in real
time, as well as, you know, showing you your old-time, horsepower, torque.
You know, and then all those timers, and,
you know, other metrics that you saw, there, on the center screen. And, so overall, it's just a really great, uh, set up, there, and,
you know, the navigation maps, all that kind of stuff, are pretty good, as well,
but, yeah, overall, just a really great head unit. And then, coming down, you just have your other basic controls, here. Nice, large, volume and
tune knobs, which is always appreciated, another large knob, there, for your fan speed, and a couple other,
you know, climate control things you can also custom tailor the climate control settings in a more advanced fashion, there, on the screen.
But, nice to have all the basics, here, with actual buttons.
Then you have another little row of buttons, down below, for a launch control and, uh, the SRT,
which takes you into those driving modes that I showed you, and a few other buttons, there, for safety stuff.
And, so overall, nice and compact, simplified, and I like that a lot. As far as storage space in the Durango SRT,
it's quite good, like you would expect out of any other normal Durango,
and, of course, the Durango being an SUV has to be very versatile, uh, for
growing families. So, in the doors, here first, you have a large map pocket with a bottle holder,
which is always nice to have. Coming over to the center, here, you have a nice, open,
large cubby area that has a power outlet, 2 USB jacks, and an auxiliary port right in there.
And, so, great to have all that right up front, and then you have two cup-holders,
and then, you have a smaller, uh, pocket back here for your key, or something of that size.
And then, you have the center armrest, which is, uh, nice and softly padded, and I like the contrast stitching on it.
Anyway, you open that up, and, uh, you'll see it's a little bit smaller. This was the same case with the Jeep Grand
Cherokees, the Track Hawk and the
SRT that I reviewed already, where you have this Blu-ray player, which takes up half of your center cubby.
So, if you don't get the Blu-ray, uh, you know, players, for the back, there, then you have more space, here.
Otherwise, it's pretty narrow. You can fit, you know, a pair of sunglasses in there...
a wallet, things like that. A phone would fit, as well, but that's about the extent of it,
so not a ton of useful space in there,
but again you have more space up front. And, anyway, you also find another power outlet in there, as well.
Backseat space in the Durango SRT.
I first apologize, we have four extra wheels and tires in the back of this thing, because we're on a road trip called: "Road to SEMA", and
so I don't have the time to take all those out and show you the back seat, there, in its full glory,
but you can see, with the one seat up, there, you do have
nice seats, there, in the back that are almost as sporty as the front, here, in this 6-seater configuration.
I do believe there's a 7-seat
configuration, so you can actually haul 7 people, and that would get rid of that center console you see back there, as well.
But that center console, while we're talking about it, is very nice. It has two different levels to it,
so you can fit all kinds of stuff in there. You also have additional USB jacks, and power outlets in there.
You have, you know, additional cup-holders there in that nice little center cubby, and, uh. And then, looking forward, you'll see there's air vents, there.
There's more USB jacks, power outlets, um,
you know, the heated seats, all kind of stuff. And, you can even have
goes. And, you look up at the ceiling, you'll see the additional controls, there,
TVs, there, in the back on the right and the left sides, and those flip up and down, and that, of course,
is how you have the Blu-ray player, or, like I said, since you have a normal power outlet down there,
you could also plug in a game console, and play video games on there, or whatever. And, so overall, really great as far as entertainment
goes. And, you look up at the ceiling, you'll see the additional controls, there,
you know, for climate, and all those types of things, back there. It's, overall, just a really great second row. And, in the third row,
again, I unfortunately cannot demonstrate, you know, how much space there is back there,
but, I mean, this is a large SUV,
so I have no doubts that you can easily fit 7 people in here, comfortably, even if they are, you know, average-sized adults.
And, so overall, very usable space. And, I mean, where else are you going to find a three row SUV with a motor that sounds this great, and, uh,
goes this quickly.
It's, it's really, basically this and the Tesla Model X, and that thing's silent, so, I mean, this is way cooler, and, uh, yeah.
You can haul everyone while you're enjoying your muscle car vibe out of the Durango SRT.
Trunk space in the Durango, as you can see with all the tires and wheels loaded up, there,
it's a large space. You can fill a lot of stuff back there, but, you know, without those third rows up,
I can't really show the difference between having a third row up and down,
but usually it's a smaller amount of space, like what you would get in a, in a average
hatchback, or something of that size, or even like a minivan. And, so, you know, it's gonna be compromised a little bit,
but whenever you have that third row folded down, as you can see, you can fit plenty of stuff back there. A very large space.
Even larger than a Grand Cherokee, or something like that, and so, overall, you know, just plenty of room,
I think, for just about anybody.
Alright, so, let's start it up, and go for a drive! The Durango SRT has a very cool, black, SRT key. And, otherwise,
this is just a standard Dodge key, here,
But, it's, of course, key-less entry and push-button start. So, you just leave the key in your pocket, hit the engine start button...
and it roars to life! Alright, so setting off in the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT.
Well, the first thing you notice is
like any other SUV,
you have a nice, high seating position. So, you can see forward very well,
and, you know, even though you have this slightly more bulging hood than a standard Durango,
it doesn't seem to matter, because you're sitting up so high, you still have a very good view forward.
View out of the sides is also quite good, there, you have a, you know,
fairly thick B pillar,
but not too bad, and, of course, you have blind spot monitoring, and all that kind of stuff these days, with your mirrors,
you know, adjusted it's totally fine.
And then, view out of the back is actually quite good, with a nice square window, and the rear-view mirror does a really good job
of, you know, showing you all of it. And, so overall, a very easy SUV to see out of.
Alright, so, let's turn down onto this background, here, and see how it does. Here we go!
Man!
This thing really gets up and moves, for this huge SUV!
Wow! So, the Durango SRT has a 6.4 liter
392 Hemi V8 engine that does: 475 horsepower,
470 pound-feet of torque, and gets this big beast up and moving, 0 to 60 in
4.7 seconds, which is pretty impressive, again, for something that's as big, and as heavy as this is. These weigh almost
5,400 pounds! So, that's no small feat. I mean, it's a big motor, but still, that's really, really impressive, and, uh,
so, yeah. It's got a great sound to it, too. Listen to that.
It's not as brisk as the Challenger, and Chargers,
but, you know, for, like I said, a huge SUV, this thing gets up and moves really well. And, let's go again!
One second for that downshift, and then...
Ah, it's wonderful. And this, of course, uses the same, great, awesome, ZF 8-speed automatic
that's in all the other SRT products, here, and it is, just, phenomenal. I mean,
it's really quick to figure out you want to downshift. I mean, as soon as you start going to the pedal, there,
it's, like: alright, here we go, and,
there, just gives you another downshift. So, I love that about it. And, whenever you put in a manual mode, here, it's really, pretty quick.
It's not, you know, razor, razor-sharp, but it is darn close. And, so, whenever you want up-shift...
I mean, it's almost immediate. Plenty fast for any sports car, and especially plenty fast for any SUV.
I think the shifting speeds in this beat, basically any other three row SUV out there, so. Yeah, this thing is...
so much fun.
It's great, too, 'cause the way that it's sprung, uh, whenever you do floor it,
it always lifts up that nose just a little bit. You really feel like you're driving a muscle car, even though
you're in a Durango that can seat seven people. It's, just, it's got all the same sounds of a muscle car,
it's got the great looks of a muscle car,
it's got the good power of a muscle car. It's, just...
everything about this thing, you know, if you were to blindfold someone, they'd be hard-pressed to figure out what it is
they're actually in. Other things to note, here, though. Whenever you are just cruising at normal, you know, highway speeds,
it's very comfortable, and quiet, and serene in here. And, you get a nice little burble the exhaust...
but that's really it. You don't really get much wind noise,
no tire noise at all, really. It's just really refined, and, uh,
actually seems a little more refined than the Jeep, actually. So, just, a really nice cruiser. Of course,
it's soft and comfortable, and just feels really great. And, we're up in these mountains, here, and there's not too many tight corners,
but we do have some more sweeping, wide, corners, here, we're going around, just to sample the handling a little bit.
I mean we're talking, again, about a
5,400 pound SUV, that also has four wheels and tires on the back of it,
so, I'm, I'm not gonna be able to push this too much, and, uh.
But, you know, as I'm going around this corner, here, it actually, you know, it is flatter than you would expect.
I think the SRT treatment has really done a lot for the Durango,
and I actually did have a chance to drive this, for a couple of hours, a few days ago on some
other corners, at nighttime, and was able to push it a little bit more, and I was really impressed. This thing,
I mean, as I'm pushing it, here, a little bit in this corner,
I mean, you know, you get a little bit of lean, er,
you know, in the very beginning,
and then, after that it just, kind of, settles in, and does a really good job of staying planted.
And it, it handles way better than any other three row SUV that I've ever driven, to be perfectly honest.
It does a really good job.
It feels nice and flat, and, uh, yeah. I mean, especially considering the ride is so soft and smooth,
you know, it's not stiff or firm, by any means, and so, the fact that it's able to, you know,
handle corners at, you know, 60 miles an hour that are, you know, that tight, very easily,
is really impressive, again, for something that is as large as this is, and, you know, it always, also, as far as handling goes, helps
with putting the power down, since this one is all-wheel-drive,
like the Jeeps, of course, and that gives you a little bit of an advantage over the Charger or Challenger
SRTs, you know, having that all-wheel-drive will give you extra grip out of corners, if you're ever lacking it. And, another thing we
can test, here, are these Brembo brakes, which are massive, and all, on all four corners, and yeah, just...
yeah, it'll, it'll give you a little bit of nose-dive, there,
and then it,
it slows you down quick. And, like I said, the brake, the brakes in this vehicle are they, they're very strong feeling,
but there is a good amount of dead travel before you really start getting into the meat of the pad,
and that's the only thing I can say, which is different. Usually a lot of the SRT models,
it's very quick, right at the top of the pedal. This one isn't the case.
So, either this one might have had brakes that are worn out a little bit more,
or, maybe that's just the way they set it up to be. A little more relaxed, here, in the Durango,
since it is a little bit more family oriented than the other
SRT models. The throttle response is, actually razor sharp.
It's really, nicely fine-tuned, there, so that it's very responsive, combined with this transmission, to give you the power that you want.
Steering is also a little bit lighter than other SRT products, and, again,
you can have the driving modes, and custom tailor that to, you know, be heavier if you'd like.
But, it does feel really good, still, and again, very
appropriate for what you would expect out of a sportier, 3 row SUV.
Um, you know, let's not forget what this is, and so, for all these types of reasons,
I think that's why they went a little bit softer than other SRT models in a few of these, you know, little input areas.
But, other than that, I mean, it still is a ton of fun, and just eats up the miles like crazy.
It's just a great cruiser, like any of the other SRT products. Going around another corner, here.
I think, another thing that really helps with the poise of the Durango SRT is the tire setup.
So, this has 295 wide tires all around, which is only, you know, 10 millimeters smaller than the wide-body
Challengers with its 305s. So, I mean, a much wider tire than you get on the standard, that, you know, even, like, standard Hellcats,
or, you know, especially the SRT models usually have, like,
275 wide tires. So, here, on the Durango to be 295s, I think, it's a really nice base,
and, uh, really gives you that extra little bit of grip that you like, here, with, you know, this SUV.
So, overall, it's,
like I said, if you were to take one of these down a back-road, I think you'd be
pleasantly surprised that, even though it feels heavy, it does a really good job with what its working with, and,
I think it'll impress most people. Another thing that's pretty impressive is, you know, although this is a performance oriented SUV,
it actually is a little more practical, because of this larger motor.
This is actually, because this, you have this 6.4 liter Hemi,
it has the best towing capacity for its class. It does 8,700 pounds of towing, if you'd like.
And, so, uh, really awesome! So, again, if you like towing things, you know, that are on the heavier side,
uh, that's another upside, here, to the Durangos, you're able to pull more stuff. And, so, I mean, the Durango,
just, it seems so well-rounded, you know. If you absolutely need a three row SUV,
I mean, obviously if you don't, you could go for, you know, something that's a little sportier,
you can go for, you know, a Track Hawk Jeep, or, you know, even the SRT Jeeps, that are a little bit smaller,
but this, you know, is a little longer of a wheelbase, I think, so
I think it, just, it feels a little more planted, and, I mean, so, you can carry three rows of people in this thing,
but you still don't have to give up your awesome
V8 engine sound, you don't have to give up the awesome power, and the drama, that, and the theater that comes with SRT products.
And, so, it just, it does it all, it really does, and it's, it's impressive.
I mean, obviously, a big heavy SUV like this, with a large, powerful motor, isn't going to get the greatest of fuel economy,
that's the only potential downside. But, if you're buying one of these, chances
are, you probably don't care about fuel economy too much, and so, it's a non-issue.
But, yeah, overall, I mean, I,
there's a lot to like what the Durango SRT, and I think, personally even, if I had a ton of kids,
or if I was hauling a lot of people all the time, and I needed three rows, or I just needed the cargo space,
this would probably be my pick, 'cause, where else are you gonna find something this cool? You're not. It's just, it's so awesome.
It's such a great package.
I'm so glad that Dodge listened to their fans,
and, you know, gave them what they wanted. People were asking for a Durango SRT, and the delivered, and they delivered very, very well.
It's, just, a really well-rounded package.
It's awesome in just about every single way, and one of the coolest SUVs out there. So, anyway, huge thanks,
once again, to Dodge for providing me with this awesome Durango SRT to review for you guys, today.
Let me know your thoughts about the Durango SRT in the comments, below.
Thank you guys very much for watching, and I'll see you next time! Take care.

10 Largest SUV Cars with up to 9 Passenger Seats (2018 Buyer's Guide)

Automotive Territory: Daily News:

Welcome to Automotive Territory Daily News!
Humongous, immense, enormous, gargantuan,
massive and huuuge, these are just a couple
of adjectives that could be used to describe
full-size SUVs that will be featured in this
video.
So if you are a fan of luxury yachts on wheels
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you could fit your entire house in stick around
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$40,000 3-Row SUV Challenge

Cars.com:

I am Patrick Olson with cars.com
we're here in sunny Southern California
with our three row SUV challenge
now we had some rules for these cars had
to be forty thousand dollars or less
including destination that at least 90
miles per gallon combined we want judges
from cars.com from motorWeek from USA
today to help us do the judging and we
brought a real live family that's in
market looking for one of these cars
let's take a look and see who the
winners are in first place is the
hyundai santa fe our family dad said it
blew him away
and our judges backed him up what are
they like what didn't they like there
were lots of features for the money
including cooled front seats a panoramic
moonroof rear sunshades in a heated
steering wheel
it comes with an easy to use multimedia
system repaired quickly with phones and
it was a fun driving experience it keeps
the zip in the family daily driver
of course not everything was perfect our
judges didn't like its small size one
judge gave it an F and cargo space
behind the third row tough visibility
that came with it sloping roofline and
there wasn't too much in the way of
family features in the second row one
judge noted in second place was the
dodge durango which gotta refresh for
2014
like the Santa Fe the judges liked the
number of features for the money
Dodge is easy to use and easy to like
UConnect system with its 8.4 inch screen
and customizable gauges and the
Durango's high-grade interior materials
made it feel like a luxury SUV on the
downside the Eco mode may save gas but
it doesn't make the durango gas to drive
the second row doesn't slide which
bothered to our judges and one judge
just like the limited cabin storage
another all new contender came in third
place
toyota is completely redesigned
highlander was a revelation
the judges were impressed by its very
fancy interior completely at odds with
the earlier generation comfortable seats
in a comfortable ride and this a driver
favorite
and it's handy under the dash tray
whenever more than a few judges for
being clever still there were drawbacks
the third row is clearly only meant for
kids and adults would be wise to avoid
it
while cargo room has grown with this new
version it's still not plentiful one
judge said and the highlander can get in
one judges words squirrely when the gas
pedal gets pumped
we suggest the all-wheel version to
avoid that but of course that's going to
cost you a little more in the middle
child spot comes a nissan pathfinder on
the positive side judges like the
borderline luxury interior quality
calling it both functional and
attractive the navigation system when
applause in an industry where many such
systems are hard to use the Pathfinders
quiet ride was a relief to our
real-world parental testers not as
positive were our family didn't find
much change the way the pathfinder drove
compared to earlier versions several
judges complained of pokey acceleration
and one judge said that buyers don't get
a son of a blind spot monitoring system
or cold seats for the price as some of
the competitors did coming in fifth was
the mazda cx-9 one of the oldest SUVs in
our test judges praised the fact that
it's definitely a driver's car
it's true to its zoom zoom marketing one
said another light its precise steering
and fantastic handling big rear doors
make for easy access to the third row a
must for any kid friendly SUV Martha
could improve though
judges thought those big rear doors
could also mean a lot of mixed in the
supermarket parking lot
they didn't care for the small nav and
entertainment screen one judge noted
that his cell phone comes with a bigger
screen
finally the six nines unrefined engine
and road noise are not very appealing
when judge noted in sixth place was the
tried and true but aging honda pilot
judges voted for the great visibility
that comes with the pilots boxy exterior
design that shape also met plenty of
headroom and another judge praise the
pilots seemingly unlimited front storage
for phones wallets purses drinks and
more
but not everyone was won over several
judges called out the dated interior
there's an injection-molded field to the
interior that's not inviting a tall one
judge said others found fault because
the pilot has simply too many buttons on
the center stack and that shape that
helps with this ability also leads to a
lot of noise
several judges found bringing up the
rear was the chevy traverse its seventh
place finish was largely due to bring in
fewer features to the challenge than its
competitors did there were still things
like including lots of room for people
and cargo easy access to the third row
and a soft comfortable ride that
according to one judge may not want to
load this thing up and go on vacation
other judges just wanted a vacation from
the Traverse there's not a lot for the
Money several complained one noted that
there is no keyless entry no power hatch
no navigation and no blind spot rearview
mirrors the overstuffed cloth chairs
were really not comfortable and one
judge was put off by what he called its
entry level rental quality for all the
details
judges scoring and comments check with
cars com
yeah
yeah

Highlander Vs. Pilot: Which 2017 3-Row SUV Should You Buy? — Cars.com

Cars.com:

like the Red Sox and Yankees Coke and
Pepsi and McDonald's and Burger King the
Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot are
the fiercest of competitors we spent a
week testing these SUVs and we're gonna
tell you which one you should spend your
money on the pilot and Highlander we
tested were surprisingly similar they
each earn the same top safety scores
from the Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety they both had the same fuel
economy at 22 miles per gallon combined
and the price was just a hundred and
fifty dollars different car that comes
expert reviewers and guests in markets
shopper drove the Highlander and pilot
on identical driving loops and assigned
scores and categories including seating
comfort and all three rows cargo room
visibility acceleration ride quality and
much more the Honda Pilot won our three
row SUV comparison in 2016 and is
relatively unchanged since its previous
win the Highlander didn't participate in
that test because the updated 2017
wasn't available at the time the 2017
pilot now includes apple carplay and
android auto smart phone connectivity
standard on all trim levels except the
base LX what we like about the Honda
Pilot is that visibility remains a
strong point and our judges love to this
old-school safety feature of tall
windows and little triangle windows in
each front door where most other SUVs
have blind spot our test SUV also
included new school safety equipment
with Honda sensing a package set
standard on this touring trim and
includes forward collision warning with
automatic emergency braking adaptive
cruise control and lane departure
warning it's not a package that standard
across the board however the pilots
interior is a nice place to be with less
wind and road noise of a Highlander and
this touring trim level also has a
standard rear entertainment system to
keep kids entertained with a massive
video screen and a number of video and
power inputs for a variety of devices
where you really start to see the
difference between
pilot and Highlander is what unique
access to that third row with one touch
of a button the second row slides
forward and tilts to accommodate passage
to the third row and once you're back
there it is a much more comfortable
experience than the Highlander
what we don't like is how the pilot
drove in this configuration the optional
9 speed automatic transmission in our
test SUV exhibited hesitation while
trying to pass as it took a long time to
kick down gears when he needed more
power the 9 speed comes on higher trim
levels of the pilot including the Turing
but the lower trim levels have the
transmission that we want the six-speed
Automatic the touchscreen and multimedia
system also drew criticism from our
judges for having purely touch sensitive
controls and not buttons dials or knobs
it's still fare better than the
Highlander however because of its
inclusion of apple carplay and android
auto that alleviate some of the
touchscreen interaction with voice
controls the 2017 Toyota Highlander was
mildly updated for 2017 with a new
engine an 8-speed automatic transmission
this is the first time we've tested this
updated version against the redesign
honda pilot what we like about the
highlander is the dashboard device trim
which is a crowd favorite Toyota made it
into a shelf that can fit phones and has
a cord management system to keep
charging cables neat unlike the pilot
the Highlander has its forward collision
warning with automatic emergency braking
standard and that's on all trim levels
while both of our test su of these had
the safety features it's optional on the
pilot but every Highlander gets this
technology which also includes adaptive
cruise control to Lane keep assist what
we don't like is that the Highlander is
clearly the smaller SUV in this test
which showed up in cargo space behind
the third row and second and third row
seating comfort judges complain you sit
almost on the floor in the back of the
Highlander with your knees up and
Headroom is severely limit
the captain's chairs didn't offer much
support and the opening to get into the
third row is very small behind the third
row there's just not enough cargo judges
noted it's hard to see how the small
cargo area behind the third row would
ever be enough space for a family like
the pilot the touchscreen and multimedia
system drew criticism from a review team
mostly from not including the popular
smartphone connectivity of apple carplay
and android auto it would be less of an
issue of the system worked good but the
highlander screen is a low resolution
and the operation isn't very intuitive
out of 14 judged categories including
safety features and child seat fitment
the pilot won eleven of those categories
the highlander takes a few wins to know
especially in front seat comfort and
powertrain performance where the
highlanders 8-speed automatic
transmission was much more predictable
than the pilots 9-speed they tied in
safety features but the pilot had the
biggest spread in interior quality
second and third row comfort and cargo
storage and for those reasons if you're
shopping between the highlander and the
pilot we're going to lean toward
recommending the pilot
you

2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV: FULL REVIEW + DRIVE | 19-Feet of Pure Opulence!

Car Confections:

What's up people of YouTube
The Cadillac Escalade is a proven performer for GM to say the least
bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars of profits all by itself last year
That's why for 2019 Kellogg has opted to mostly leave the Escalade alone and let it ride out its last model year of this
generation as
Always thanks to our friends at Quantrell Cadillac for providing this fully loaded
102 thousand dollar platinum ESV and
If you're in the market for any new Cadillac be sure to stop by their dealership or visit their website
which we provided a link to in the video description, so
With rivals finally stepping up to the plate with competitive products. Let's see if the Escalade should remain on top
So starting out with the exterior design this is an iconic shape, so you're not gonna see any changes for 2019
That means you'll continue to find the signature large and bold grille which dominates most of the front
Now there's not much of a difference but here on the Platinum you get even more chrome bars between the main silver ones
versus the other trims
Escalade was also one of the first Cadillacs to use full vertical headlights
Which looked particularly distinctive here with five stacked crystals for the low beams and five more for the high beams
The daytime running light connects to the bottom where you don't have fog lights, but you do have halogen turn signals
Now, of course this vehicle looks huge from most angles, but in no place does it look as gigantic as at the side?
We of course have the extended wheelbase
ESV which is 20 inches longer than the regular model and in total measures in and a touch over eighteen and a half feet long
But the bulk is all part of the appeal. So in the back it continues to embrace it with the signature boxy design
There is a large chrome bar across the rear and giant LED tail lights with clear lenses to frame it all up
Underneath you've got one hit and exhaust pipe and a full-size spare tire and while we're back here
I will mention the tow ratings of 8100 pounds with two wheel drive and 7900 pounds with four-wheel drive
both those figures are 200 pounds less than the regular sized model and 300 pounds less than what you get in the equivalent navigator l
But overall, I think the Escalade delivers exactly what owners in this segment one an
Unmatched presence that makes your success known instantly
Now checking out some of the other exterior details
We have the standard Platinum 22 inch wheels
Which have a very unique silver and chrome design with a plastic hubcap in the middle
you can't still get 22s on all but the standard model and
Regardless there is a huge collection of optional wheels ranging from classy to pretty outrageous
Coming up to the mirrors, they are fully loaded with heating power folding and auto dimming across all models
but side blind zone alert requires at least the luxury and
As far as your other safety systems the luxury also includes low-speed automatic emergency braking lane keeping assist and Auto high beams
while the premium luxury unlocks adaptive cruise control as well as fancier radar based front and rear auto braking as
of now super cruise is not available, but it will likely be added to the next generation and
The last thing we'll look at on the outside is the fuel tank it is a massive 31 gallon tank
So even though this obviously doesn't get great fuel economy. It still gets an impressive fuel range of
527 miles
Cadillac does recommend that you use premium fuel
Well that pretty much wraps up the outside, so now let's dive into the extreme opulence of the cabin
So, of course as Cadillacs flagship vehicle you do have standards from our entry as well as this really nice key frog with real metal
Additionally across all models. You've also got remote start
Now to get inside the vehicle there is not a sensor behind the handle so you just press this button and
You will also notice you do have door handle illumination
Now checking out the interior of the
2019 Escalade platinum as you can tell it's as visually stunning as ever
What you're looking at right now is the exclusive platinum maple sugar color scheme
however
You can't also get a platinum in jet black if you prefer as far as your standard trims
You have jet black or shale to choose from?
And in the premium trims also have the option of a Kona brown color option for an additional two thousand dollars
All models do come standard with real leather. However, when you go up to the platinum trim you get the exclusive semi analine
And turning to the door trim, it is covered with beautiful materials
So you've got really supple leather all across the door trim, even the upper part and then the Platinum gets this exclusive wood trim
Your door handle is real aluminum
and then for your windows, they are one touch automatic down for all four and auto up for the front two
Across all terms of the Escalade you do have two-person memory seating as well
Now turning over here to the seat most Escalades come with a 12 way power seat
However here on the Platinum we have an 18 way power seat with three mode massaging and that's controlled with these two buttons right here
Like I already mentioned this is semi analine leather and it's some of the nicest I have ever felt really gorgeous
Now we do have power running boards, so getting in is super easy
Now I've never been in an Escalade with the maple sugar interior and I have to say
Visually, it takes things to a whole new level
Actually if you choose the maple sugar interior the materials are a little bit different though across all Platinum's you do have a leather dashboard
However, in the middle they've taken out the Alcantara that's on the black model and replaced it with more leather
Of course right here. You've got real wood trim
And basically every conceivable place in this vehicle is covered with leather even way down here
So it's just incredibly impressive materials
Now start the vehicle, of course you do have push-button start
And when you power up you will see a standard eight inch touchscreen fire up
Now over here is your gauges
these are actually a
12-inch digital display and what I really like about this setup is that you've got three sections and all three of them are individually
Customizable. So basically you just use this little controller you can go over
So right now we're over here on the right side. So you can have your gauges you can cycle through different things
Over here in the middle got your speed and then over here. You've got a whole nother grouping of different settings as well
And the other really neat thing about this setup, is that when you cycle into your options
You can go to display layout and you can actually change the entire design
So as you can see totally reconfigures into a
Clean-looking, you know less
Conservative design, so it's really pretty slick
I'm gonna go along with that. You do have a head-up display as well
And of course, it is fully reconfigurable so you can cycle through various things like your audio phone voice
RPMs and the navigation stuff would also be there when it's activated
Now moving back to the steering
It is electric power assistant and the Platinum gets this really a lovely steering wheel. It has finished in the same
Maple sugar color scheme and then you've even got the leather covered air bag as well as real wood trim
Naturally, it is heated now
Steering wheel itself is power adjusting on all models and you will also find standard rain sensing window wipers
Off to the side here, you've got your headlight controls as well as your four-wheel-drive controls and electronic parking brake
Now moving on to storage as you would expect from something this big there is certainly no shortage
So starting out over here at your center console up top
You do have a wireless phone charger, which has been upgraded with the latest Qi wireless standards
And then opening it up
You'll usually find a huge center console here. However in this model we have opted to happy
So as you can see you can keep things in here and refrigerate them
There's still fit storage up here putting a 12-volt outlet as well as two USB ports and an aux jack
We also notice that Cadillac includes a microfiber cloth so you can clean off all of the finger transfer on
Any of the piano black trim
Now up in front of this you slide back the wood to reveal some cup holders as well as another big area
with another 12-volt outlet and two more USB ports
Then the coolest thing is that you can press underneath of this trim
this actually pops open to have another hidden storage area also felt lined and also with another USB port so
As you can tell there's certainly plenty of storage
Now a lot of this storage is made possible by the fact of the Escalade ops for a column mounted shifter, so
Of course, that's very simple to use is pulldown for drive
You can shift manually with these little toggles and then you can press the end here to activate your towing mode
And
then when we go into reverse all Escalades come with a
360-degree camera. So you've got your traditional view with trajectory on this side and you get your 360 view on this side and you can
Click these different things here to toggle them on and off
I
am however a little bit surprised that they didn't upgrade the picture quality to the latest GM standard like you see in the new
Silverado and Sierra
Now heading on down here to your center console you have a CD player and then right above that
You've got all of your climate controls the made of capacitive buttons. Now this has three zone automatic across-the-board
It's very simple to get used to of course
You just press and there is a nice haptic feedback to tell you that your press has been registered
Now some of the controls are located up here like your zones
So you can change that stuff here as well as adjust the other stuff if you find this more convenient and then you go along
With those controls you will find
Three-stage heated seats with butt and back modes as well as three-stage ventilated seats standard across all trims
Now that brings us up to our audio system, so let's go ahead and sample the Bose Centerpoint
16 speaker sound system that comes on every Escalade
I
Don't know if you'll be able to tell from this audio sample
But the sound quality is excellent
And for a vehicle that's famous for being driven by rappers as you'd expect. The bass is like an earthquake
But anyways that pretty much brings us up to our cue system, so let's go ahead and take a quick look
All right. So this is your Cadillac cue system. It's not the latest version, but it pretty much has the same
functionality as the newest version so you've got your home button right there this brings you to a page just
populated with your applications
When you click into things, it does have a haptic feedback as well
So here in the Bluetooth audio you can of course play and pause your music and your presets run across the bottom
the
only thing I like about this system is that you got shortcuts across the top so you can quickly bounce into other things like your
phone
Heading over to our navigation system. It is standard on all Escalades
As you can see it's a nice looking system
One of the things that Cadillac does that no other GM product has is that you've got a
Basic a sensor. So when you're away from the screen all this stuff will disappear off of it
And then it will sense your approach and light back up again. So as you can see it's disappearing right now and
Then I move my hand up now. My menus are back. So that's pretty cool
You do also have your projection so that gives you your Android auto or apple carplay both included
Then you've got your video that's for all of your rear displays all four of them
This is also where you can adjust your rear climate controls and
You can lock the rear person out if you don't want them making their own adjustments
That's more or less the main features of the Cadillac cue system
But of course if you want to see a detailed tech out video we have one provided in the video description
Now off to the side of the screen, there are a couple more buttons. I want to point out the top one
Here is mode. So this is your drive modes. You've got three snow ice tour and sport
And then additionally you do have power adjusting pedals. So you just obviously press that to bring them up and back
On the other side you got some of your safety systems your glovebox release as well as your automatic parking function what you might need
Considering how big this is
Now moving on up we do have an auto dimming mirror
however, if you flip this switch
We actually have the rear camera system. So it cuts out all your obstructions
And of course since this is so big
It just takes you straight to the back so you don't have to look through all three of the rows and all your cargo
Up above here. We've got our home link universal remotes, and then you've got your power moonroof as well
Now this is just a standard sized moon roof there is not a panoramic one available due to the rear seat entertainment system
But you do have a windscreen
And I also want to point out that on the platinum trend the headliner is a really nice, Alcantara
But overall the cabin of the Escalade continues to be extremely impressive
Now this is probably the last model year of this generation yet
It continues to have a an extreme presence and opulence that other vehicles. Just can't match
And like all GM vehicles you do have a dedicated rear seat reminder
Anyways that does it for upfront so now I'll go ahead and hand it off to Mason to show off all the features in the
back
Alright so in the rear seat of the Escalade platinum, you're going to find a super luxurious rear area
It's also quite spacious of 39 inches of both leg and Headroom
Now that does make it a little bit less than the Lincoln Navigator
However, Cadillac does give you these standard captains chairs
Which is a nice touch and you do have the option of making on bench seating if you want that extra seat
Now as far as the door trim is concerned it is made of super luxurious materials
Just like the front so you do have leather we arm will rest as well as above it and even on the very top portion
Of course, you do have some more genuine wood trim a nice metal door handle, and the rear windows are pato up
Additionally you do have a nice cup holder and plenty of door storage
Now let's see itself can of course recline and it can also slide
Now getting in is easy because we do it the power running boards. So just get in and you do have a nice assistant
Now of course we do have plenty of rear amenities
So to start out you do have your own climate controls back here
So you can adjust your fan speeds temperatures and zones independent from the front and of course
We do also have standard three-stage rear seat heating
Now down below that we do have this leather wrapped area here and plenty of connections
you have an HDMI port two USB ports and aux jack and a volume control and
Further below that we do have some more connections. So you have a 12 volt power outlet as well as a regular household stuff album
Now like I mentioned that Escalade does come standard with captains chairs and you can opt for an extra seat if you want that
But as far as the captaincy is concerned you do have a nice armrest. It is adjustable and
Moving up to the ceiling you will find some nice vents as well as your Alcantara headliner, which comes standard on the Platinum tray
Additionally you do have an assist grip
Hook and coming down you will notice one of the big features about the Escalade platinum. And that's this rear seat entertainment system
Now actually on the Platinum trim we do have four screens
so you have one in the back of each headrest as you can see here and
Over there and we also have one mounted on the middle of the ceiling here. And as far as your fourth one is concerned
That's back here in the third row
Now, let's look at this middle one first
So in order to get it down, you just push this button and then it will power on
And like I said, this does come standard on the Platinum truck
You also have some lighting here. And in order to turn these on you just push this forward and push the power switch
So everyone in the rear should be nice and entertaining for sure and
As far as where space is concerned behind Drew's position. I do have plenty of it
I probably have about six inches of rear legroom and my feet can easily slide up under the seat
Now scooting over here flip the seat all the way back
Legroom is a little bit more limited. However, Cadillac was nice to include me cutouts
But overall, the rear seat of the Escalade platinum is an opulent place to spend time
There's very few vehicles in any class regardless of price that have as many amenities and luxury touches as this
Now to get into the third row you can just walk back on this captain chairs model
Or you can fold the seat. It is a two-stage folding
So the first fold will just fold the same flat and then if you push it again
It will release it and hold it out of the way
As you can see it is mechanically operated so you don't have to push really hard or anything like that
Now looking back in the third row you will find 25 inches of rear legroom and 38 inches of rear headroom
That does place it a little bit less than the Navigator once again
However, it is a lot larger than the regular wheelbase model on this ESV
So let's go ahead and get back there and see what it's like
All right, so sitting back here
I'm actually pretty comfortable in this ESB model because I have about an inch of legroom
But more importantly I do have five support
So this ESV actually does give you a lot of additional benefits when it comes to thigh support
Because the floor is higher underneath of the seat instead of where your feet will rest. So on the regular wheelbase, my thighs would be
Sitting like this
But I do have a place to put my feet, which is really nice
And if you're planning on hauling a lot of people in the third row, you'll probably one upgrade to the ESV
You know, of course we do have blood tree amenities like a cup holder and of course the Alcantara trim does
go back here and
Cadillac was also nice enough to include her events as well as that other screen. I was telling you about earlier
And finishing off the rear you do have a 12-volt outlet
So overall even though this third row
Isn't it quite as good as the Lincoln Navigator? The ESV is a big upgrade and it's very comfortable to haul people around
And I do also want to point out that there is a button if you don't want to push the handle
And it does everything for your electronically
Now coming around to the tailgate this is where you'll notice one of the new features for 2019
And that's with the hands-free tailgate. It will now display the Cadillac emblem on the ground
So in order to do the hands-free tailgate just waving from the bumper and it does open right up
Alright so in terms of cargo space this is where you're gonna find a big upgrade for the ESV Escalade over the regular wheelbase
You'll find a massive 40 cubic feet behind the third row of seats
Which is over 25 cubic feet bigger than the regular wheelbase model and folding those seats down. You will find
77 cubic feet behind the second row and a massive
121 cubic feet with all the seats in play with folded
Now this is bigger than the Navigator l and I think it might be bigger than about any other SUV on the market
now, of course, it is finished nicely back here with the nice carpet floor area and underneath you do have additional storage and
On this platinum model it is also power folding third row. So in order to fold it down just push these buttons
And it does fold nice and fast
And I can't even fold the second row back here as well. So if I want to fold that and
Then I can fold this one again. Make it go all the way down
So as you can see you have about a 17 foot runway of flat area if you need to set something really really long
Now pricing information will be covered in just a minute
Of course
the passenger seat is finished nicely with this beautiful semi analine leather and
It is of course 12 white power adjusting and it does also have the massaging function from the driver's seat
Now of course the materials are superb with the - covered entirely in leather
You have some wood trim and it's also worth noting that even all the way down by the glovebox. This is leather trimmed as well
Now the glove box itself is electronically opening. So you just push this button on the dash and
It will open up now this has felt lined as well, it's also good-sized it goes back quite away
Your Sun Visor does have a nice mirror gently fading in lights and it does also detach in extent
Alright guys
So that pretty much covers all I'm going to talk about so now let's go ahead and talk about the beast of a power train
All righty so under the hood there's no changes from 2018 since it was a bit of a refresh last year
so what you're looking at is still a
6.2 liter v8 producing
420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque and
That gets you a zero to sixty of less than five point eight seconds, which is really impressive for something so big
Now as a lot of you know this generation the Escalade started out with a six-speed automatic
Then it went to an 8-speed automatic and now you're looking at a 10 speed automatic and that's paired with two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Now, of course if you drive something like this fuel economy is not your biggest priority
but it is rated at a decent 17 combined for both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, but
Anyways, let's go ahead and take it for a quick spin
So getting up to speed
It gets up to speed fast
This is a you know, of course massive and it weighs a lot
But you've got so much power 420 horsepower
460 pound-feet of torque
So it can get out of its way
It can really move
And it sounds really excellent as well to boot
And it's just quite frankly. It's a little shocking just for something this big to move that fast. It's actually
quite enjoyable actually
I do want to talk about the transmission
It responds very quickly
It has ten speeds but it doesn't seem like it gets confused or anything like that. What do you want power definitely Kicks down immediately
I also want to commend the Cadillac on their steering to me. This is perfectly calibrated for a vehicle like this
It's not so light and so disconnected that you don't know what's going on
But it's still light enough that if the vehicle feels maneuverable
So basically you get a sense of how big the vehicle is. But without it being like really intrusive or anything like that
Now on the Escalade you do have standard magnetic ride control and this is this road is in terrible condition
And it really just kind of glides over it, you know, you don't have an air suspension or anything
but it really handles all these bumps well, and that's because it can adjust the dampers like
every millisecond or something like that, so
This is a really impressive system
You know since this is something that's used in Ferraris Corvettes and then it can even you know be used in something like this
Well, that's pretty amazing. Yes
and as far as just ride comfort in general, the front seats are
SuperDuper comfortable here and on this platinum model there even massaging. So right now we're riding along
I'm getting a back massage and it could be getting something some other type of massage and it's just comfort is a
Huge hugely important thing in this class and the Escalade definitely has you covered
Now as we conclude our test-drive there I do want to mention
One more thing
And that's this mirror. I know this is not exactly, you know, like shockingly new or anything
It's been in Cadillacs and other GM vehicles for several years
But it's really extra impressive in a vehicle like this because you need it, you know in a sedan. It's just cool
But in a vehicle like this
It's really really helpful because otherwise if I go into the traditional view
The window is like a tiny cracker a mile away. You know, you cannot see really anything meaningful
but having that display cuts out all the obstructions for all three rows and
this all the 17 feet
Well guys really enjoyed watching the first in-depth look at the 2019 cadillac escalade esv plat
Stay watching for a quick overview of the pricing and don't forget to those like and subscribe buttons below
We'll catch you next time as we see it for more of the latest automotive dullness