Demystifying the Divide: Chevrolet Traverse RS vs. LT – Which Fits Your Style?

The vehicle line we love to provide and service so much here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse never shows up light-handed on options, as our variety of well-equipped family haulers come in so many shapes and sizes! The Chevy Traverse received an extended makeover for the 2024 year, officially marking the 3rd-generation variant of this capable 3-row crossover. It shows up for duty with a bit more rugged of a persona, and power coming from an incredibly gutsy and efficient new 4-cylinder. 

Even though the powertrain has fewer cylinders, it still cranks out 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. Decidedly all-in and punching the pistons for duty every day are two new dual overhead camshafts, variable valve timing, and spark ignition direct injection. This savvy and persistently strutting turbo engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive or an optional all-wheel drive setup. The 2024 model year also brings about another thrilling first, as the mud and sand-conquering Z71 trim adds some fine bits of off-road-ready extras.

The wilderness-ready Z71 has a twin-clutch all-wheel drivetrain, which executes torque vectoring between the left and right rear wheels to help conquer uneven and demanding terrain. This year’s Traverse will arrive right here at the Powerhouse in LS, LT, Z71, and RS trim grades. The RS resides at the top of the range, offering more aggressive looks and other bits of performance-enhancing equipment. The RS also features 22-inch wheels with all-season tires, a heavy-duty cooling system, and a 220-amp alternator. 

The very cool front grille has an entirely different blacked-out look in the front, and the RS also features active noise cancellation, power and ventilated front seats, a flat bottom steering wheel, and a crisp 10-speaker Bose sound system. The LT trim comes in front or all-wheel drive and offers 3-row seating for up to seven. It comes equipped with 18-inch wheels and all-season tires, and its major difference from the RS is the added brightwork and body-color moldings. The LT trim comes equipped with the standard 170-amp generator, with the more powerful 220-amp model available as an option. 

The LT model still comes with the 17.7-inch infotainment system, while offering a six-speaker sound system instead of ten. Coming as standard in the RS trim and optional for the LT, GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving technology incorporates GPS and very high-tech cameras to help automatically steer and maintain position. Real-time corrections and map data within the application closely determine your vehicle’s location, and then the Lane Sensing Camera detects marked lanes to assist with this “glimpse of the future” that takes over steering and staying on point. 

Pushing minivans out of favor with most of the driving public, well-equipped SUVs such as the Traverse have now become even more trucklike and solid. This year’s Traverse can still tow 5,000 lbs, which is yet another win for the smaller and quite remarkable 4-cylinder! The Motor Trend crew claimed after their test drive this winter that “GM continues to have one of the smoothest, most seamless auto start-stop systems in the business- you don’t even notice it!” Second-row passengers enjoy cubbies in the front-seat backs, USB outlets, power for a laptop, HVAC controls, and a very useful tray for a wallet, glasses, or phone. 

Many excellent safety features come as standard on the new Traverse, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision alert, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, high-beam assist, and automatic braking when pedestrians and cyclists are detected. When the Autoblog team set out on a mission to see how the 2024 Chevy Traverse ranked up against the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, they claimed that they were “excited to get more time behind the wheel with a teeming load of passengers and cargo- especially in that Z71!”