Journal-News

If you've studied General Motors' sales figures for a while, you know who its consistent performers are. Spend a few moments with the corporate January results grid, and it won't take long before you see the impact a new vehicle can have on those numbers.

Sure, there's the perennial stars, the Chevy Silverado and, to a lesser degree, its fancier twin, the GMC Sierra. There's the Chevy Malibu, Impala, Tahoe and Equinox. There's Pontiac's G cars and the Vibe. They're consistently popular with buyers.

It may be time to add a new name to the list. For 2008, GM trotted out a trio of midsize/largish crossovers — Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook. Today we'll take a look at the version created for Chevrolet — the 2009 Traverse, which even in this challenging climate is selling thousands per month.

What the company says

"The Traverse is the right vehicle at the right time," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "It has great looks, utility and safety, with a driving experience typically found in smaller vehicles. But Traverse delivers it with three rows of seating — including a third row that fits adults — and class-leading cargo space."

In a nutshell

An exterior resemblance to the Malibu is evident in the Traverse, as is a sleekness honed in wind tunnel tests to reduce drag. A dual-cockpit instrument panel, flexible seating involving buckets, captain chairs and bench seats for seven or eight people and the capacity to swallow a considerable amount of cargo are found inside.

Under the hood

An impressive 3.6-liter V-6 tied to a 6-speed automatic transmission saves fuel but also retains the oomph to tow up to 5,200 pounds.

Driving

Easy to drive, smooth and relatively quiet, any of the family's drivers will feel confident behind the wheel.

Pricing

There are three trims for the Traverse: the LS, LT and LTZ. All-wheel drive adds $2,000. Prices start at $28,255 for the front-wheel drive LS and top out at $39,025 for the FWD LTZ. Destination charge adds $735.

The fun stuff

While the least expensive Traverse comes with a year of OnStar service, satellite radio, remote keyless entry and a full slate of safety features, the LT adds a rear obstacle detection system, heated power mirrors with turn signals. The LTZ has as standard leather upholstery, tri-zone climate controls, navigation system with voice recognition and traffic information, a power liftgate and wireless cell phone link.

Amy Rollins is Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-6901or arollins@coxohio.com.