2020 Chevrolet Traverse
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2020 models.

- Class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
- Body styles
- 4dr SUV AWD, 4dr SUV FWD
- Engines
- 3.6L 6-cyl
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
- MPG (best)
- 21 combined · 18 city / 27 hwy
- Length
- 204.3 in
- Curb weight
- 4,361–4,700 lb
- NHTSA rating
- ★★★★★
- Recalls
- 8 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- AWD / 4WD available
- 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
Watch out for
No weak spots against similar models in the data.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 17 similar 2020 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2020 Chevrolet Traverse is a standard SUV offered with a 3.6L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It measures about 204 inches long and 79 inches wide on a 121-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,700 lb (4dr SUV AWD).
EPA rates its most efficient version at 21 MPG combined (18 city / 27 highway), 8% better than the 2020 standard SUV average of 19.5 MPG, for an estimated $3,200 a year in fuel.
In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.
It has 8 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 234 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the engine.
What changed for 2020
- Engine dropped: 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Compared with 2019; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2019 Traverse →
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr SUV AWD | 204.3 in | 78.7 in | 70.9 in | 120.9 in | 67.3 / 66.9 in | 4,700 lb | 58/42 |
| 4dr SUV FWD | 204.3 in | 78.7 in | 70.9 in | 120.9 in | 67.3 / 66.9 in | 4,361 lb | 58/42 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse FWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic 9-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 / 27 / 21 | +8% | $3,200 | 420 |
| Traverse AWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | Automatic 9-spd | All-Wheel Drive | 17 / 25 / 20 | +6% | $3,350 | 442 |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2020 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Driver / passenger | Side | Side pole | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 5★ / 4★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 15% |
| 2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 5★ / 4★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 16.9% |
Similar 2020 standard SUVs
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (this car) | 21 MPG | ★★★★★ | 8 |
| 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser | 14 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2020 Ford Explorer | 28 MPG | ★★★★★ | 35 |
| 2020 Toyota Highlander | 36 MPG | ★★★★★ | 5 |
| 2020 Kia Telluride | 23 MPG | ★★★★★ | 7 |
| 2020 GMC Yukon | 18 MPG | ★★★★★ | 4 |
| 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe | 18 MPG | ★★★★★ | 3 |
Recalls (8)
Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain · Mar 31, 2022
NHTSA campaign 22V210000 · 89 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
- Risk
- Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212352140.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission · Oct 18, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V817000 · 639 vehicles
- Problem
- Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place may chafe against the transmission case, possibly resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
- Risk
- A transmission fluid leak can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
Tires · Feb 25, 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V115000 · 33,838 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
- Risk
- Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
Tires · Nov 5, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V684000 · 7,516 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
- Risk
- Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission · Oct 29, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V668000 · 194,105 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
- Risk
- Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump · Oct 15, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V639000 · 2,781 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.
- Risk
- Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202314760.
Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain › Inflator · Jul 30, 2020
NHTSA campaign 20V446000 · 769 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
- Risk
- If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.
Structure › Frame And Members · Sep 6, 2019
NHTSA campaign 19V643000 · 3,420 vehicles
- Problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The right-hand frame rail in the engine compartment may be cracked.
- Risk
- A crack in the frame rail may reduce crash performance, increasing the risk of an injury.
- Fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N192268310.
Not every 2020 Chevrolet Traverse is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2020 Chevrolet Traverse buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 8 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Engine — 70 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
- Power Train — 39 owner reports. Test-drive through all gears, including reverse; note slipping, harsh or delayed shifts.
- Electrical System — 26 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 52,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Traverse years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Traverse | 22 | – | Not rated | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 Traverse | 22 | 204.3 in | Not rated | 1 | 26 |
| 2025 Traverse | 23 | 204.3 in | ★★★★★ | 0 | 185 |
| 2024 Traverse | 23 | 204.3 in | ★★★★★ | 0 | 143 |
| 2023 Traverse | 21 | 205.9 in | ★★★★★ | 2 | 94 |
| 2022 Traverse | 21 | 205.9 in | ★★★★★ | 1 | 101 |
| 2021 Traverse | 21 | 204.3 in | ★★★★★ | 3 | 92 |
| 2019 Traverse | 22 | 204.3 in | ★★★★★ | 3 | 412 |
| 2018 Traverse | 22 | 204.3 in | ★★★★★ | 2 | 464 |
| 2017 Traverse | 18 | 203.5 in | Not rated | 3 | 361 |
| 2016 Traverse | 18 | 203.5 in | Not rated | 5 | 292 |
| 2015 Traverse | 19 | 203.5 in | Not rated | 5 | 313 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Chevrolet. How we calculate this →