Chevy Traverse CUV Has Fat Belly Full of Siblings

March 19th, 2008 2:52 PM

GM's cross-brand cannibalization continues. The inbred Lambda triplets (Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook) now have a fourth sibling: meet the Chevy Traverse. To accommodate the family shopper-required third row, it looks pudgy and pregnant the way the Enclave does, except with a giant Chevy bowtie on the front. Since Ford's Edge outsells any of the Lambdas (and almost outsells them combined) and there were issues with supply for the Enclave, GM's reasoning for introducing this crossover behemoth escapes this writer. "Because some customers want Chevy products" is not an explanation. Engines and options are the same as the other siblings. Even the name is bad: with the TrailBlazer name familiar to many, and the TrailBlazer itself in a permanent vegetative state, there's no reason for Chevy to introduce yet another new product name. But above all else: didn't GM promise to stop with the senseless rebadges?

Click here for Pixamo gallery

Comments

Join the conversation

4 of 24 comments

Morbo on Mar 19, 2008
release a Chevy version that looks identical to the Buick version. Why didn’t they make it look like the Saturn Outlook? I still miss Olsmobile. Even if they were tarted up Chevy's or diluted Buick's, they were special. Saturn is no substitute for Olsmobile. I say GM could do us all a favor and go back to 1 car per division. Chevy could be special and have 1 car, 1 truck, AND 1 SUV. fastest way to weed down the bloated dealer network at low cost Chevy Impala Chevy Colorado Chevy Tahoe Pontiac Solstice Saturn Aura Buick Enclave Cadillac Sedan Deville (or whatever alphanumeric nonsense they use now) Cadillac Coupe Deville (ditto) GMC Sierra GMC Suburban Saab Whatever they sell now Hummer H2/H3 And their you have a lean, organized GM. Which will never happen.

Like Reply
Rix on Mar 20, 2008

Quote: "So when do the Saab and Suzuki versions of this turd roll out?" That would be right after the Hummer and the Daewoo version. GM's Badgineering department is a bit overworked right now.

Like Reply
Brendino on Mar 20, 2008

@CarShark - overlap is a more fair term. and it's also fair to say that they could utilise this platform better. longer/shorter wheelbases, different engine choices, etc.

Like Reply
Jonathon on Mar 20, 2008
I thought we defined badge engineering as just swapping grilles, a la the old tauruses and sables? That's how I'd define badge engineering too, despite what I said in my earlier post. Someone mentioned the old GM A-bodies, and those were a prime example, too. The Lambdas are more an example of platform sharing, though I agree that more could be done to differentiate them.

Like Reply