Last week in New Hampshire, a serial bank robber suspect held up a bank and then fled in a silver Chevrolet Traverse. Later, what was believed to be the same Traverse was pulled over on a traffic stop and the driver took off, leading police on a car chase. He crashed the car and then was taken into custody. Initially, I was skeptical of the suspect's choice of getaway cars. I mean, really? But after going back and reading the track test notes on our 2010 Chevrolet Traverse, it might have held its own OK. Wish there was video of the chase!
Acceleration Comments: Turning off the aggressive traction control allows just enough spin to keep the engine on the boil. Engine feels torque-rich and free-revving with a relatively high (7,000 rpm) fuel cut-off. Very smooth upshifts in Drive, but "L" with manual shifts proved slower.
Braking Comments: Good power/effectiveness and fade resistance. Pedal stops short of going all the way to the firewall and remained so throughout.
Handling Comments: Slalom: It feels far more confident and capable than the physics and ESP will allow, where understeer is rectified with both throttle bleeding and brake application.
But, hypothetically speaking, of course, would you pick the Traverse as your getaway car?
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
carguy622 says:
12:39 PM, 12/27/10
I would pick a gold Camry LE, they'd never be able to find me.
caroscuro says:
12:58 PM, 12/27/10
LOL good point!
questionlp says:
01:04 PM, 12/27/10
Of course, it *had* to be one with Oregon plates on it. If someone had cropped the picture to only include the Traverse, I would have thought that it was one of many people who can't drive when the rain hits.
Wait... people just can't drive period.
brendan_m says:
02:05 PM, 12/27/10
I believe a silver Traverse also appears in the movie "The Next Three Days," in a chase/escape scene, no less.
adavis2493 says:
02:11 PM, 12/27/10
Well, it seems to have been a rental car. Note the Oregon Tags (in NH), and the barely noticeable barcode sticker on the rear window.
I would have preferred a Grand Caravan as my getaway car....