2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS Adds Turbo Power for $43,095

The Chevrolet Equinox, Cruze, and Malibu beat the Traverse in overall sales last year. But the midsize SUV grew 5.8 percent and the Equinox jumped 19.9 percent from the prior year while the passenger cars were down, a subtle sign of the growing popularity of utility vehicles. Now, Chevrolet is expanding the Traverse lineup with an RS model.

The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS dons a blacked-out grille, window trim, roof rails, and bowtie emblems. Also look for 20-inch aluminum wheels with a Dark Android finish.

More importantly, the Traverse RS ushers in a new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to the lineup. This unit makes 257 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. All other Traverses come with a 3.6-liter V-6 engine delivering 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. Both engines come paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The RS offers the fuel economy advantage, achieving an estimated 20/26 mpg city/highway. But it’s not available with all-wheel drive like the V-6 version.

The base Traverse starts at $30,925, but the RS is selling for $43,095. Fortunately, that price brings along a fair number of standard features, including an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, tri-zone auto climate control, 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot, power liftgate, leather-appointed surfaces with heated front seats, Bose 10-speaker sound system, active aero shutters, lane change alert, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, and more.

The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS is now on sale.

Source: GM