Moving Into Kutztown With a Chevy Traverse

Move-in weekend at Kutztown University has a particular kind of chaos to it. One-way traffic through campus, a two-hour unloading window, a residence hall with no elevator, and a car that has to hold a semester of a person’s life. Families come at it from all over Berks County and Schuylkill County, and every August we get the same question in some form: will it all fit in one trip?

In a 2027 Chevrolet Traverse, usually yes. Here is how that actually plays out, and what to do the week before.

The number that decides it

With the second and third rows folded, the 2027 Traverse holds 97.6 cubic feet of cargo. Chevrolet publishes that figure as 98 cubic feet. What it means in practice is that a mini-fridge, a microwave, a mattress topper, two large plastic totes, a laundry basket, a desk lamp, a full-size suitcase and a duffel go in together without anyone doing the trunk-lid shove.

The more useful figure for move-in day is the other one: 22.9 cubic feet with all three rows up. That is the configuration you want if a sibling and a grandparent are coming along, and it is still enough for the essentials plus whatever gets bought at the store on Route 222 once you discover the room has no wastebasket.

The full set of dimensions, including what the vehicle measures across the mirrors for that narrow service road behind the dorms, is on our 2027 Traverse specs page.

Loading it so the second trip never happens

Fold the third row first and load heavy items against the seatbacks, low and centred. The 2027 RS folds both rear rows electrically, which sounds like a luxury until you are doing it in a parking lot with a queue of cars behind you. On the LT, the Smart Slide second row moves forward with a child seat still installed, which matters if a younger sibling is in the middle row for the drive up.

The AutoSense Power Liftgate on the LT opens hands-free, which is the single most useful feature of the day when both your arms are full. Details on which trim carries what are on the 2027 Traverse trims page.

If there is a trailer involved

Some families rent a small utility trailer rather than pack tight. The 2027 Traverse is rated to tow 5,000 pounds properly equipped, and the trailering equipment is included on LT, Z71 and RS, so you do not need a particular trim to get it. A single-axle utility trailer with a couch and a bed frame sits well inside that number.

The drive itself

From Hamburg it is a short run down toward Kutztown; from Reading or Schuylkill Haven it is longer, and either way it is a loaded vehicle in August heat. The 2.5L turbocharged four makes 328 horsepower, so a full car and a trailer on the grades is uneventful. Fuel economy is 22 MPG combined with front-wheel drive and 21 with all-wheel drive, which for a three-row hauling a dorm room is reasonable.

If the RS is the one you end up in, Super Cruise is standard for 2027 and handles the Interstate 78 stretch hands-free on compatible mapped highways, which makes the return trip a great deal less tiring than the outbound one.

Before you go

Two things worth doing in the week before move-in. First, get the tires rotated and the oil looked at if you are near the 7,500-mile mark, because a loaded vehicle in summer heat is the wrong time to discover you were due. Book a service visit and we will have you in and out. Our full schedule is on the Traverse service page.

Second, if you are still deciding whether the Traverse is the right size, the honest cross-shop in our showroom is against the smaller Equinox, and that comparison is here.

Come see one

We are at 1080 S 4th St in Hamburg, just off Interstate 78 near Cabela’s. Bring the totes if you want to try the fit; people do, and we would rather you know before August. See the 2027 Traverse in stock, book a test drive, or start with the Traverse research hub if you want the whole picture first. Common questions are answered on the Traverse FAQ page, and the model overview covers trims and pricing.

Call (610) 674-0598 and we will have one ready with the seats already folded.