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The 2024 Chevy Traverse arrives with a bolder exterior design and a classy cabin featuring a huge 17.7-inch infotainment display as standard.The V-6 engine has been swapped out for a new turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four producing 315 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.Chevy has added an off-road-oriented Z71 trim which features a unique all-wheel-drive system, Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, and a redesigned front bumper.Three-row SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for the suburban American family, and Chevrolet expects the segment to get even more popular in the next five years. Hoping to capitalize on that growth, Chevy has revealed the new 2024 Traverse with an in-your-face design, a more potent powertrain, and an expanded lineup that now includes an off-road-focused Z71 model.Fresh Looks, Bigger ScreensThe 2024 Traverse’s design isn’t a huge departure from the outgoing crossover, retaining the boxy profile, high-mounted LED running lights (with the main headlamps below), and a squared-off grille. But the 2024 model looks more assertive thanks to a more athletic stance and a larger grille, and the LED taillights mimic the L-shaped units on the 2024 Trax. Chevy didn’t provide specific dimensions but told Car and Driver that the 120.9-inch wheelbase remains the same.The cabin has been fully revamped with a clean, cohesive design centered around a new standard 17.7-inch touchscreen, a huge upgrade over the 7.0- and 8.0-inch units in the previous Traverse. Luckily, the Traverse still has physical controls for volume and the climate-control system. An 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster and six USB ports are standard while a WiFi hotspot and wireless phone charger are also available. A pass-through under the center console opens up extra storage space.The base LS trim comes standard in eight-passenger configuration, also offered on the LT. The Z71 and top-of-the-line RS are exclusively seven-seaters due to the second-row captain’s chairs. Heated front seats, second-row outboard seats, steering wheel, and sideview mirror are all available, while a power-folding second row that moves at the press of a button for easy access to the third row is exclusive to the RS. The LT and Z71 can be spec’d with General Motors’ Evotex faux-leather upholstery, while the RS wraps the first two rows in leather.The RS model also brings black 22-inch wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, and red accents on the black interior for a flashier look. The RS’s suspension receives a sportier tune and a lighting animation plays as owners approach the vehicle with the key. A panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade is offered on the LT and Z71 and is standard on the RS.More Power and More CapabilityUnder the hood, the 2024 Traverse ditches the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6 for a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder. The inline-four pumps out a healthy 315 horsepower, up by five over the V-6, while torque is up a substantial 51 pound-feet for a total of 317. The motor links to an eight-speed automatic transmission in place of the old nine-speed unit, and the Traverse comes in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Chevy claims the new engine returns better fuel economy, with the outgoing V-6 rated at a combined 21 mpg with front-wheel drive. Depending on the configuration, the Traverse can tow up to 5000 pounds.For the first time, Chevy is offering the Traverse in a more adventurous Z71 model. The Z71 rides about one inch higher with a slightly wider track, which Chevy says improves stability and handling. The front end wears a beefier bumper with an aluminum skid plate and red tow hooks, and Chevy says the Z71 has a better approach angle than other Traverses. The Z71 also features a unique twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system designed specifically for off-roading, as well as special dampers with hydraulic rebound control that should help smooth out the ride over rough terrain. The Z71 rides on tough-looking 18-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires and includes a dedicated Terrain mode, hill descent control, and a standard trailering package.Safety FirstOf course, the Traverse is fitted with a host of driver assistance technologies to keep the whole family safe, including standard lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and forward-collision warning. The Traverse can also be fitted with adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, reverse automatic braking, and a suite of parking cameras and sensors. Every Traverse gets a new “Buckle to Drive” system which requires the front occupants to strap in before getting underway, while a rear seatbelt reminder prompts occupants in the back to do the same.The Traverse will also be offered with the latest version of Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driver assistance system that takes over steering, acceleration, and braking duties on divided highways. The system now automatically executes lane changes and still works when towing a trailer.Sales of the 2024 Traverse will begin early next year, with production taking place at GM’s Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production, and we expect a slight increase over the outgoing model, with prices starting around $39,000. While the range currently tops out with the RS, a luxe High Country trim might join the lineup in the near future.More New ChevroletsThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

What’s the one objective attribute all cars can be measured by to separate the good vehicles from the great ones? Speed! At its core, a lap time encompasses more than just the ability to go fast. It also encapsulates a car’s cornering, braking, and accelerating ability and embodies a car performing at its peak limits—all bundled into one neat little metric. This is precisely how we evaluate Lightning Lap contenders each year to determine which vehicles rank ahead of the pack. As you may know, we divide the cars into five classes, LL1 through LL5, based on price to evaluate the vehicles in the fairest way possible. Then it’s time to hit the track.Most Recent ResultsComing October 19For the past 17 years, we have taken on the 4.1-mile, 24-turn Grand Course configuration at Virginia International Raceway, one of the U.S.’s most challenging tracks, to conduct this ultimate test of speed. This year, we’re offering our readers the opportunity to join us at VIR and see everything that goes into Lightning Lap testing firsthand. Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 19, because you won’t want to miss this! Car and DriverObserve editors trackside as they go for the best lap times, chat with editors about the testing process, get a close-up look at the Lightning Lap contender vehicles, enjoy lunch at the clubhouse, and race go-karts on VIR’s 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide paved kart circuit. For a taste of what to expect, take a look back on the results of every Lightning Lap testing since its inception in 2006. 2024 Lightning Lap results will be published in the February/March 2024 issue of Car and Driver, but attendees who join us at VIR will get a sneak peek at lap times months before the issue is published. Spots are limited for this exclusive editorial experience, so don’t wait to register. We hope to see you at the track this October.For more ways to experience Car and Driver editorial testing, check out our invitations to Car and Driver’s 10Best, plus Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year. REGISTER HERE More

The light and nimble Lotus Elan was the embodiment of founder Colin Chapman’s design philosophy. This refurbished 1972 example is powered by a 1.6-liter engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission.This Bring a Trailer online auction ends on Wednesday, July 19.Car and DriverNo company exemplifies a philosophy of Less Is More the way Lotus does. When its tiny Elan launched in 1962, it was Jaguar E-type money, for which you got a small-displacement four-cylinder engine and a featherweight chassis. But where the Jag was muscular and beautiful, the Lotus was mongoose-agile and hard to catch.Related StoriesUp for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a late-model example of that Lotus magic touch. It’s a 1972 Elan Sprint, fitted with a five-speed manual for a little more livability, and painted in colors that recall the Gold Leaf-sponsored Lotus F1 racing team of the late 1960s.Bring a TrailerThe 13-inch wheels are fitted with 185/70 Avon tires, and behind them lurk disc brakes at all four corners. A limited-slip differential helps get the power down out back, and the cabin has been cosmetically refreshed (despite the small size, the Elan is surprisingly roomy inside).The Elan wasn’t the first roadgoing Lotus, but it remains one of the best of the breed. Certainly, Mazda’s engineers thought so, as the original Miata is very nearly a modernized clone of an Elan.Bring a TrailerBut even a Miata looms over this Lotus. Measuring just under twelve feet long and with a curb weight of around 1500 pounds, the Elan is all about cutting every gram. For instance, the fiberglass hood doesn’t even have hinges, but rather just slots into place.Under that hood in this case is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder twin-cam engine good for a claimed 140 horsepower. When new, this engine was rated for 105 horsepower, and an Elan would sprint to 60 mph in a little over seven seconds, so this car should be very quick. The five-speed manual is from a later Elan 2+2 and should make highway cruising a little calmer.Bring a TrailerBut it won’t be boring. The light weight of an Elan means that it has hardly any inertia to overcome when accelerating, braking, or turning. It flits and flickers over a winding backroad with its buzzy four-cylinder engine on the boil, an internal-combustion hummingbird. The closest driving experience to it is its descendant, the Lotus Elise, which ceased production in 2021.The brand’s most recent product, the all-electric Eletre, has strayed far from this ethos. It’s as fast as you like with up to 905 hp, but it’s also the size of a Honda Pilot and tips the scales at 5500 pounds.Here’s your chance to rage against the dying of the lightweight. Per pound, the Elan may look fairly expensive when the dust settles. But as a prime example of Colin Chapman’s “Simplify, and add lightness” maxim, it’ll be worth every penny.Bring a TrailerContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More