It's a Chevy Traverse. Apparently, a squishy cross-over is the same as a mini-van because you can sit eight people in it. At least according to the rental car place, but, here's the secret, it's not the same. Vans are a lot more functional and after spending two weeks with this gem, I don't think I would ever buy a car like this.
The back row of seats is only accessible if you move the second row out of the way, which in our case necessitates the orchestrating of car seat movements. Getting Seth strapped in his car seat was also frustrating because I had to climb into the car to reach the seat belt catch. The kids had no leg room. Then there were the head rests. Which basically made you sit so far forward that it really didn't matter there was a seat there. And I'm pretty certain that an army tank has less blind spots that this puppy does.
My ten year old mini-van gets the same gas mileage (aren't we suppose to be improving gas mileage?, the newer Odyssey's have better gas mileage). The handling was not as good as the mini-van. The Odyssey really feels like you are driving a smaller car because it handles so well. I felt every centimeter of the size of this guy, and as SUV's go, it's not that big.
If you are thinking about buying one of these cause they are stylish or what ever, yet still have that coveted third row of seats, let me warn you that when you have three kids and two are in car seats and you have to keep moving that seat back and forth, you are going to be eyeing my van and experiencing something I like to call envy. You'll feel it when your ten year old is too tall for the leg room and you'll feel it when you try to move over in traffic because even with the mirrors and looking over your shoulder, you aren't going to be able to see any one in the other lanes.
The good thing about this experience? It makes me love my van more. It was such a relief to get it back.
2 comments:
You didn't mention that it smelled like stale cigarette smoke. Of course *that* wasn't Chevy's fault. But, yeah, agree that I did not enjoy driving this vehicle.
I agree on the gas mileage thing. My 1990 Subaru station wagon was slightly smaller than my current (2004) station wagon but got about 33% better gas mileage!
Post a Comment