Mother Proof's view

Before I even test-drove the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, I was already a bit of a fangirl of the Traverse’s “raining shoes” commercial. I’ve had the raining shoe dream, and each time I see that commercial I just smile. So kind of like Jerry Maguire, Chevy “had me at hello” with the Traverse’s marketing campaign. I was only slightly disappointed when my test car didn’t include a load of new shoes in the cargo area. This year my sister and her two children hitched a ride with me and my three children and our dog for our annual trip to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving. For those keeping score, we had three adult-sized people, four children and an 80-pound mutt riding together in the Traverse. I was initially skeptical about how comfortable the five-hour ride would be, but after loading everybody in, I was truly impressed with the amount of people-space it provided. Unfortunately, we had to spend the trip mostly naked because of a lack of cargo space. Just kidding; our luggage was relegated to my brother-in-law’s car. If I were traveling regularly in the Traverse with that many passengers, I’d definitely invest in a cargo box for the roof. The Traverse is an unexpectedly large vehicle, nearly as big as a Chevy Tahoe, so getting 18-20 mpg on our trip seemed like a small victory. Loading the car was surprisingly easy: The third row pops up with a quick tug of a strap and the headrests snap into place. The second row’s center seat collapses and folds forward to allow easy access to the third row. Even without the shoes, I found my hours in the Traverse to be pleasant both as the driver and as the parent of potentially bored children. The level of creature comforts, including my must-haves of seat heaters and an iPod input jack, were just right. I’ve been impressed with the Traverse’s sister products from GM (Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook), and the Traverse is no exception.

The Traverse’s exterior evokes different reactions. I liked its simple, uncomplicated, Malibu-like looks, but a girlfriend of mine said it looked so much like a minivan she wouldn’t even consider driving it. Minivan intolerance – it’s ugly. Like a minivan, the Traverse is pretty easy to get in and out of; the low step-in height doesn’t require running boards. The cargo deck was also nice and low for loading the few things we could fit into it when we had a full load of passengers. I especially appreciated the automatic liftgate, which kept my hands relatively clean after the Traverse attracted a lot of mountain-road grime in my travels. The AWD, coupled with some giant 20-inch tires, made the climb up a mountain pass easy-peasy, even in stop-and-go traffic. The cars that were exacerbating the traffic problems on the mountain were those with inadequate tire tread, rear-wheel drive or both. The Chevy Traverse was a star winter performer.

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times

The Chevy Traverse is really easy to live in, whether you’re a front- or rear-seat dweller. Living in the car wasn’t much of an exaggeration for our return trip home, which took nearly 12 hours. With an expectation of heavy traffic, we rallied the troops early and piled half as many people and twice as much luggage into the Traverse. Unfortunately, an early morning snowstorm caused gridlock on mountain passes with no turnaround opportunities. On the bright side, it was the perfect opportunity to find all the Traverse’s interior features. My kids watched three movies on the DVD player, which could be operated with a remote control from the backseat. I liked this because I didn’t have to blindly try to find a movie’s special features using the front console. When necessary, managing things with the entertainment controls in the front was straightforward and intuitive. My sister and I oscillated between listening to the satellite radio and Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love,” which I’d downloaded to my iPhone before we left for home. Thank goodness for excellent in-car entertainment or we’d have been toast. As with any self-respecting family car, the Traverse had lots of storage space for all my little travel must-haves. My purse fit nicely between the driver’s door and seat, and the center dash console held my toll pass and a package of wipes. It could even accommodate a spare diaper if needed (I’m thankful I didn’t need that). The center console and cupholders were just right and even allowed for two different positions for your elbow — a fine feature indeed. One of the best features of the Traverse is the configurability of the second-row seat. It can slide forward or back to give legroom to second- or third-row passengers; it can be folded in multiple ways to easily allow munchkins, even 6-foot-tall ones, to crawl into the third row. The center seats recline, which should make child-safety-seat installation easier. For the teenage set, it offered a great place to lay back and catch some zzzzs. The deep tracks in the floor that allow for all this flexibility are really the car’s biggest nemesis. I don’t know about your children, but mine seem to come with crumbs and tiny toy pieces that were instantly attracted to the giant holes in the floor.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair/Galore

Rated a Top Safety Pick for 2009 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there’s a lot to love about the Traverse’s safety features. The most notable feature, and the one my kids loved every time I put the car into Reverse, was the camera display in the rearview mirror. It was tiny but effective. The Traverse comes standard with side-impact and side curtain airbags that extend through the third row. Antilock brakes and electronic stability and traction control are standard. All-wheel drive is optional.

FAMILY LIFESTAGE

In Diapers: Reclining feature on center seats will make installing child-safety seats a breeze.

In School: There was lots of room for everyone without any complaints, and the rear entertainment system was easy to navigate.

Teens: The second row moves back and forth to give teens plenty of legroom.