Bringing small and compact SUVs to market is the main priority for many automakers, but Chevrolet reportedly plans a new, bigger model.
According to three people familiar with the plan cited by Automotive News, Chevrolet plans a new three-row model that would slot above the compact Equinox and below the full-size Traverse in the middle of the brand’s crossover lineup. But in order to make room for it, Chevrolet will have to make some adjustments to the existing models.
First of all, the automaker will need to make the Equinox slightly smaller when the next-generation model arrives in early 2017. The upcoming Equinox will be based on GM’s global compact platform alongside the all-new Chevrolet Cruze and Opel Astra.
By shrinking the Equinox, Chevrolet will create more room for the new three-row crossover, which will be positioned above the Equinox and below the Traverse, which also is scheduled for a redesign in mid-2017. Actually, the new crossover will be a short-wheelbase version of the upcoming Traverse, the sources said.
However, it’s unclear what name Chevrolet will choose for the new crossover, which should arrive in the second half of 2017. With the new model, Chevrolet would have three core crossovers to rival Ford’s Escape, Edge and Explorer.
The platform will be used for other GM brands as well. The Cadillac XT5, the successor to the SRX, will also be based on the shorter wheelbase architecture, as will the next-generation GMC Acadia, which will shrink to a three-row midsize format when it arrives in mid-2016.
While the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave will remain full size, it is unclear whether GMC will continue to offer a large crossover based on that same platform after the Acadia becomes smaller. As for Cadillac, it won’t use the platform for the full-size crossover that it’s currently developing, the sources said.
Note: 2016 Chevrolet Traverse pictured
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