2026 Chevrolet Traverse
Gas Midsize / large SUV
The 2026 Chevrolet Traverse is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize or large SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Traverse FWD, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 22 complaints, most often about forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Traverse AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 24 | 21 | $2,950 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (1)
Equipment
highProblem: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the req
Risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 2
NHTSA investigations
Service Brakes — Electronic Brake Module Component Failure (open)
On April 11, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24011 after receiving complaints concerning a loss of brake assist in 2023 MY Cadillac Lyriq vehicles. These complaints allege a hard brake pedal, followed by a “Brake System Failure� message at start up or while driving. GM shared records regarding several internal investigations for loss of brake assist due to alleged spindle fractures in the eBoost system. GM has stated that in the event of a spindle fracture, anti-lock brakes (ABS), stability control, and traction control remain functional until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. At this point, ABS, brake assist, stability control, and tra
Opened Aug 21, 2026 · action EA26006
Owner complaints
22 complaints filed
2 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2025: 5 · 2026: 17
Most-cited components
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 7
- Electrical System — 6
- Engine — 4
- Service Brakes — 4
- Power Train — 3
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Traverse model years
2027 Traverse
0 recalls · 0 complaints
A2025 Traverse
0 recalls · 174 complaints
A2024 Traverse
0 recalls · 134 complaints
B2023 Traverse
2 recalls · 87 complaints
A2022 Traverse
1 recalls · 96 complaints
D2021 Traverse
3 recalls · 89 complaints
F2020 Traverse
8 recalls · 224 complaints
D2019 Traverse
3 recalls · 403 complaints
C2018 Traverse
2 recalls · 459 complaints
C2017 Traverse
3 recalls · 361 complaints
F2016 Traverse
5 recalls · 291 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 49550, 49574). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.