The second-row bench seat fits three adults easily and there is plenty of head and leg room. For greater comfort, buyers can opt for second-row captain's chairs; and a second-row center console is available in the LTZ model.

The third row is easy to access because the second row tilts and slides forward. With the second-row captain's chairs, there is a handy walkthrough to the third row. Three children can ride comfortably in the third row, and there is also enough head and leg room for two adults to fit back there. Adults won't be comfortable during long trips, though, because the seat cushions are set too low.

In terms of cargo space, the Traverse has more room behind the third-row seat (19.7 cubic feet) than in any midsize SUV, and GM provides a handy, though shallow, under-floor bin. With the second and third rows folded down, cargo volume is an impressive 116.4 cubic feet, near the top of the class and almost eight cubic feet more than in the full-size Tahoe. Those two rear rows fold easily, each with the flick of a lever, creating a nearly flat load floor. A strap on each section of the split third-row bench makes it easy to pull the seatbacks upright from the tailgate area. An available power rear liftgate also eases access to the cargo area.

Getting in and out is easy because the Traverse sits lower than traditional truck-based SUVs. Still, the driver is perched higher than in a car and therefore has a clear view of the road ahead. Visibility to the front is generally good, but the Traverse is bigger than it feels, so it can be tough to see over the driver's right shoulder and objects immediately behind can hide. With this in mind, it makes sense to get the rearview camera. Not only does it add an element of safety, helping avoid the tragic mistake of backing over a child, it also proves to be highly useful in everyday parking situations, making maneuvering in tight quarters easier and quicker.

Up front, the driver is surrounded by an attractively designed dashboard that has nice graining but uses more hard plastics than customers might expect for a $30,000 vehicle. The instrument cluster has two deep-set pods with electroluminescent gauges on a black background. It's easy to read and never washes out in bright sunlight.

The center stack features a navigation screen or the radio, plus the climate controls. All of the controls are clearly marked and easy to reach. The radio has an audio input jack but no iPod interface. Models equipped with the navigation system and rearview camera show the camera's image on the navigation screen. The rearview camera is available without the navigation screen, in which case a smaller image is shown on the rearview mirror. We've found this type of setup of little use. In a messy Chicago winter, the camera lens became speckled with dirt and salt, making the image hard to see in the rearview mirror. A larger image on the navigation screen would have been easier to see and more helpful. We recommend the full navigation screen/rearview camera system.

Small items storage throughout the cabin is plentiful. The front center console has a deep bin on the bottom and another shallow bin on top. The top section slides forward and back to act as an adjustable armrest. There are cup and bottle holders galore, including two on the center console, one in each front door, and two in each rear door.