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Chevrolet Traverse Sales Increase 3 Percent To 32,908 Units In Third Quarter 2018

Chevrolet Traverse sales increased in the United States and in Canada in the third quarter of 2018.

Chevrolet Traverse Sales - Q3 2018 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Traverse deliveries totaled 32,908 units in Q3 2018, an increase of about 3 percent compared to 31,906 units sold in Q3 2017.

In the first nine months of the year, Traverse sales increased about 20 percent to 106,998 units.
MODEL Q3 2018 / Q3 2017 Q3 2018 Q3 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
TRAVERSE +3.14% 32,908 31,906 +20.41% 106,998 88,864

Chevrolet Traverse Sales - Q3 2018 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Traverse deliveries totaled 1,551 units in Q3 2018, an increase of about 23 percent compared to 1,259 units sold in Q3 2017.

In the first nine months of the year, Traverse sales increased about 60 percent to 5,147 units.
MODEL Q3 2018 / Q3 2017 Q3 2018 Q3 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
TRAVERSE +23.19% 1,551 1,259 +59.99% 5,147 3,217

Chevrolet Traverse Sales - Q3 2018 - Mexico

In Mexico, Chevrolet Traverse deliveries totaled 289 units in Q3 2018, an increase of about 15 percent compared to 252 units sold in Q3 2017.

In the first nine months of the year, Traverse sales totaled 866 units.
MODEL Q3 2018 / Q3 2017 Q3 2018 Q3 2017YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 YTD 2018 YTD 2017
TRAVERSE +14.68% 289 252 * 866 0

2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS exterior 002 rear

Competitive Sales Comparison

After a 30 percent growth in the second quarter, Chevy Traverse sales fell to a less break-neck pace in the third quarter. The growth rate underperformed the 16 percent segment average growth rate during the quarter.

The performance puts full-size Chevy crossover in fourth place in its segment, behind the Ford Explorer (see Ford Explorer sales) and its police-duty variant – the Police Interceptor Utility (see Police Interceptor Utility sales), Toyota Highlander, and Honda Pilot, but ahead of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Dodge Durango (see Dodge Durango sales), Nissan Pathfinder, Volkswagen Atlas (see VW Atlas sales), Subaru Ascent, and Mazda CX-9 (see Mazda CX-9 sales).

We should note that sales figures for the Hyundai Santa Fe are rather misleading in this report, since they include the “regular” Santa Fe three-row full-size model, which competes directly with the Traverse, as well as the Santa Fe Sport two-row midsize model, which is smaller and less expensive than the Traverse.

Sales Numbers - Mainstream Full-Size Crossovers - Q3 2018 - United States

MODEL Q3 18 / Q3 17 Q3 18 Q3 17 YTD 18 / YTD 17 YTD 18 YTD 17
EXPLORER +8.65% 60,611 55,786 -1.62% 171,416 174,247
POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY -1.87% 7,553 7,697 +2.69% 25,454 24,787
HIGHLANDER +14.13% 66,445 58,221 +14.22% 180,699 158,196
PILOT +46.82% 43,822 29,848 +42.40% 119,901 84,203
TRAVERSE +3.14% 32,908 31,906 +20.41% 106,998 88,864
SANTA FE -16.44% 29,784 35,643 -6.99% 88,969 95,655
DURANGO +4.84% 16,819 16,043 -5.96% 49,541 52,681
PATHFINDER +1.22% 16,450 16,252 -18.74% 50,152 61,719
ATLAS +80.85% 14,844 8,208 +251.58% 43,002 12,231
CX-9 +8.36% 6,468 5,969 +17.16% 21,184 18,082
ASCENT * 14,683 * * 16,580 0
TOTAL +16.87% 310,387 265,573 +13.40% 873,896 770,665

The mainstream full-size crossover segment grew nearly 17 percent in the third quarter of 2018 and 13.4 percent in the first nine months of 2018.


For informational and comparative purposes, we are also providing sales figures for large crossover SUV models that overlap with the models that compete directly in the Traverse’s segment, albeit are not in it directly:

  • GMC Acadia (see GMC Acadia sales), Kia Sorento, and Mitsubishi Outlander – which are midsize crossovers with three rows
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee (see Jeep Grand Cherokee sales), Nissan Murano and Ford Edge, which have two rows of seating but is sold at a similar price point to the Traverse and therefore overlap the full-size crossover segment

Sales Numbers - Overlapping Crossover Sales - Q3 2018 - United States

MODEL Q3 18 / Q3 17 Q3 18 Q3 17 YTD 18 / YTD 17 YTD 18 YTD 17
ACADIA -49.65% 13,485 26,783 -23.30% 63,493 82,778
SORENTO +21.71% 32,932 27,057 +10.84% 85,692 77,313
OUTLANDER -10.44% 7,304 8,155 +17.80% 30,810 26,155
GRAND CHEROKEE -11.60% 57,340 64,866 -8.05% 166,653 181,245
MURANO +34.12% 24,425 18,211 +19.50% 63,225 52,907
EDGE -7.71% 30,890 33,470 -5.53% 98,938 104,727

2018 Chevrolet Traverse High Country interior live reveal 001

The GM Authority Take

It’s nice to see Chevrolet Traverse sales grow during the third quarter – not a terribly difficult feat in a market that is very hungry for crossovers. Meanwhile, key rivals from Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, and Subaru saw sales take off, thereby stifling Traverse sales growth. Notably, the Explorer and Highlander outsold the Traverse by a factor of two, despite both vehicles being older and less competitive than Chevrolet’s offering.

We believe that Traverse sales during the third quarter were hamstrung by subpar Chevrolet sales operations, including GM’s strategic decision to have less sales volume and higher per vehicle transaction prices. In addition, it’s also very much possible that newer offerings from Volkswagen and Subaru are more attractive to many consumers.

Going forward, we expect Traverse sales to continue increasing, so long as Chevrolet sales operations, availability and market direction react quickly enough to changing market conditions.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Traverse Q3 2017 sales
  • In the United States, there were 76 selling days in Q3 2018 and 78 selling days in Q3 2017
  • In Canada, there were 75 selling days in Q3 2018 and 76 selling days in Q3 2017
  • Ford Police Interceptor Utility is the police version of the Ford Explorer; Police Interceptor Utility sales are not not included in the Explorer line item
  • Hyundai Santa Fe sales figures include two distinct models:
    • The “regular” Santa Fe three-row full-size model, which competes directly with the Traverse, and
    • The Santa Fe Sport two-row midsize model, which is smaller and less expensive than the Traverse
    • Hyundai reports sales for both of these distinct models on one line, which would be the equivalent of Chevrolet reporting sales of the Blazer and Traverse on a single line

2019 Chevrolet Traverse - Exterior 002

About Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevrolet Traverse is a full-size crossover utility vehicle (CUV). It is the biggest Chevrolet crossover currently offered, slotting above the subcompact Chevrolet Trax and compact Chevrolet Equinox. It will also slot above the much-rumored, future Chevrolet Blazer.

The current model was introduced for the 2018 model year and represents the second generation of the Traverse nameplate. It rides on the extended-length GM C1 platform shared with the second-generation Buick Enclave. A shorter variant of the same platform underpins the second-gen GMC Acadia, first-gen Cadillac XT5 and all-new 2019 Chevy Blazer.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse Redline Edition exterior - 2017 Chicago Auto Show 003

Compared to its first-generation predecessor, the second-gen Traverse is an all-new vehicle that is larger, lighter, sleeker and more modern. It also introduces new trim levels, including High Country and RS - neither of which were present on the first-generation model.

The Chevrolet Traverse is built at the GM Delta Lansing Township factory in Michigan operated by GM USA. It is currently the only plant that builds the Traverse in any part of the world.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse RS exterior 002 rear

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Comments

  1. My wife and I bought a new 2019 Traverse a few months ago. It was more expensive than other products in the segment, with little to no discounting, along with being much bigger. While we needed the bigger size, my guess is most do not, nor can they afford the higher ATP.

    Reply
  2. The Traverse looks good on the road like a baby Tahoe. At the same time Highlander looks more “professional grade,” as does Explorer.
    Perseonally I like Durango. FCA seems to have picked up where GM left off.

    Reply
  3. Test drove the Traverse and didn’t like it as much as the Sorento SXL. Tried the Pilot and Highlander and ended up with the Sorento 2019. Am very happy getting 28 mpg average. My husband Ben Dover loves it too. It fits his bottom well.

    Reply
  4. We bought the 2018 traverse, it has been a nightmare, so far we have had lots of problems with it . We have towed it to the dealer, we hqd a fender bender ans when it was opened to fix it the found they didn’t sealed the pieces. We contact the dealer but they never contacted us. I am sorry we bought it for all this reasons. It feels very heavy and it’s hard to manœuvre to park .

    Reply
  5. Keep buying the behemoths people. I bet most do it to keep up with the Jones.

    Reply
  6. They would sell alot more of them, if you could disable the engine start/stop feature. Having that is a “no-sale” item for many buyers.

    Reply

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