Overlooked, but Not Forgotten: The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

I talked to a GM engineer before the bankruptcy, and you would not believe what beancounters did, and still do. The cost-cutting begins during the engineering-for-production phase, after a complete design for a very good vehicle is complete. What should be standard becomes optional, and features, especially suspension and steering, are "simplified" for production. The original interior design is gutted and old parts-bin parts substituted, making the interior look dated from day one. The cost cutting results in a base vehicle that's priced just a bit more than the well-optioned next smaller vehicle of the type, and people buy the bigger car for just a little more, with just a couple options. The people who moved up then find they bought an incomplete vehicle. The original complete design becomes available only as a special edition, but you can't get the original suspension/steering design, just a modest improvement over the base that was substituted. The people who buy that model find their optioned up vehicle is incomplete too. GM engineers cringe when they hear people who bought those vehicles call them POS, but there's nothing they can do. GM engineers design top-of-the-line vehicles, but they never get built as designed. Read what Murilee did with his 1965 Impala, practically rebuilding it into a very competent car with off-the-shelf GM parts that fit, and you'll see what GM could have built, but didn't.

Amen. Bought a GMC for my bride few years ago as it was what she wanted and yes, comfortable, nice v6, roomy but a complete piece of junk. Traded for a new Pilot 2 weeks ago and do not even care if I could have gotten a better deal now. Over the years I have enjoyed the following trips to my local dealer; water pump, struts, steering column, brake component, ac compressor, running lights, lift gate motor, windshield washer motor, Starter, drive shaft, Navi malfunction and heater hose. Granted some of the above was within warranty or recall. The last straw was a tranny about to go and within the last week of ownership some sort of engine noise that was probably a timing chain issue per a mechanic familiar with these rolling disasters. Can’t wait to see it pop up on autotrader and the 6 page car fax repair list that follows. Never wrecked and the original paint was shining with 4 matching Michelins. And this is from someone who takes care of his vehicles. During this entire time my daughter’s pilot which is almost a decade old with about the same mileage all we had to do is a starter and alternator but a timing belt is due soon.

Our prior GMC version Acadia Limited has been rock solid for 40K miles. It has needed nothing except for the last two oil changes after the dealership freebies were gone. She is a big girl and not very athletic but rides nice going down the road on twin flow shocks. But the thrum of the V6 on anything that is not flat or down hill invades the cabin where a 2.0T wouldn't at highway cruise.

@backtees My wifes XT5 has racked up 60k miles in 3.5 years with 0 problems so far. Just sayin...

@ttiguy NOW would be a good time to unload it, because once the warranty is done the repairs will be expensive. Not sayin' the repairs will be more frequent then a comparable Asian/American crossover, just way more pricey