Fuel efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to every new vehicle, big or small. There are government-imposed standards to meet, after all. But even a state-of-the-art naturally aspirated V6 can be efficient and powerful at the same time. That's the lesson Chevrolet has apparently learned regarding its popular Traverse three-row crossover.

According to GM Authority, the automaker has discontinued the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four engine option. Although this turbo mill had been available since the second generation Traverse launched last year, Chevy has ultimately decided to drop it for the mid-2019 model year. This means the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 is now the Traverse's sole engine choice.

Dealerships can apparently no longer place orders for the turbo engine, which was rated at 257 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It was offered only for the Traverse RS, a trim that added a touch of sportier styling such as a black grille and fog lamp bezel, 20-inch Dark Android-painted aluminum wheels, and gloss black window trim. But still, the Traverse is big and heavy, tipping the scales at just over 4,300 pounds. Is 257 hp enough in that case? Or did the RS Trim simply not catch on? It wasn't a base model by any means with an MSRP of $44,295. The Traverse begins at $31,125. Whatever the case may be, the V6 has a total of 310 hp and 266 lb-ft of twist. In short, horsepower is up and torque is down.

The only transmissions remains a nine-speed automatic that sends power to either the front or all four wheels. The rest of the Traverse trim lineup appears to remain unchanged, starting with the L, LS, LT Cloth, LT Leather, Premier, High Country, and Redline Edition. In a couple years' time, the facelifted Traverse will arrive and it's possible, though not by any means confirmed, the now discontinued 2.0-liter's successor, dubbed the TriPower 2.0 LSY, could become available. It's already set to be offered on the refreshed 2020 GMC Acadia and 2020 Cadillac XT5 crossovers.