Crossovers and SUVs at General Motors don’t die—they multiply.
After the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse made its official debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a better picture of the automaker’s plans for the next generation of crossovers came into view.
Bookended by one of the most energy-efficient vehicles to ever hit the streets and one of the thirstiest, even the range of just the Chevrolet division’s crossovers and SUVs comes in more shapes and sizes than “The Fellowship of the Ring.”
Call it the awkward teenage years for GM crossovers. Some crossovers have grown, some haven’t; some are wearing fancy new clothes, others shouldn’t leave the house looking like that. What would your mother say about how you’re dressed right now? Can you see yourself in the mirror, young man? March yourself right upstairs and put on some clothes.
Oh. Anyway, if there were any doubt about GM’s intentions for the next few years, the 2017 Detroit auto show should settle it:
It’s crossovers all the way down, ma’am.
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016
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Chevrolet Bolt EV: Yeah, we don’t call it much of a crossover either. But Chevrolet’s all-electric hatchback with a high seating position is clearly the future for GM. Judging by its critical success already, expect this one to stay around for a while.
What’s next? More trim levels. Initially offered in LT and Premier trims, the Bolt EV should grow into Chevy’s usual lineup of trims; a price-leader LS seems inevitable and Tesla has proven that the sky is the limit for some buyers.
Chevrolet Trax: The small subcompact crossover finally received a needed makeover and finally looks like it should belong with other Chevy crossovers—the last generation, we mean. Although it doesn’t sell in the profane numbers like its bigger brothers, don’t expect the Trax to go anywhere anytime soon.
What’s next? Ahead of a likely facelift in 2019, the Trax should adopt the slightly more efficient and more powerful 1.4-liter turbo-4 found in some trims of the related Buick Encore.
Chevrolet Equinox: An all-new model is nearly here, and features a trio of turbocharged engines—including a turbodiesel. This is Chevy’s bread-and-butter model—any changes to this require a Council of Nicaea-type decree.
What’s next? This under-the-skin twin to the GMC Terrain is brand new, so it’s early to speculate on where Chevy will go. Expect the 9-speed auto on all models (the GMC pairs it to its base engine, while the Chevy utilizes a 6-speed), maybe a surround-view camera system too.
