The 2016 Chevrolet Trax may best be described by an all-but-forgotten 1960s beach party song titled “You Can’t Take My Boyfriend’s Woody”. Honestly, that really was a song and the chorus went like this:

Oh no, you can’t take (touch) my boyfriend’s woody
He can’t even keep it locked in first
It don’t look like much but when he pops that clutch
He’ll make you think you’re in reverse

And that, dear LTBGs, pretty much sums up the still-new-for-2016 Chevy Trax. It don’t look like much and, unfortunately, when you pop the clutch (it’s an automatic), you just may think you’re in reverse, sorta. But remember those dates you had with people who reeked of sincerity but had nothing exciting to offer? Remember how you thought that dullard may prove to be true love, offering almost everything you really wanted from a relationship? Well, the Chevy Trax ain’t that either, but it is a reliable, affordable small SUV great for families who need ease of access in and out of car. In short, it don’t look like much (kinda reminds me of the PT Cruiser) but it should be on your short list for a somewhat peppy mini-SUV that is good on gas, easy to park and has decent room for all your friends and family of size.

The bad news, in short, is that interior styling is okay and acceleration is also okay. And when I say ‘okay’, I mean ‘it ain’t bad’. At a base price of around $21K, you still could be looking at a monthly payment of around $350, but given that the Trax has decent interior room, good average mileage of 29 mpg and maneuvers like a Smart Car, this may be just what you need if you are a parent of humans, animals or both, have to play chauffeur most of the week but still like to go to all the gay spots that are long on fizz and short on parking. It’s not a bad looking car, but to make sure it has some ‘wow’, get an exterior color like Crimson Metallic or Orange Rock Metallic (the interior is always some variation of black).

For the base price, you get full power accessories; no more ripping your gown trying to roll down to window to get your chili fries at the drive-thru counter. For all you Big Bang Theory types, you get Chevy’s MyLink interface system, which really connects well with all your personal electronics. And in case that may be too much for you, USB and Aux-In jacks are standard. Yeah, yeah, I don’t understand all that stuff either; thank goodness my nephew can help me with all that. If you can afford more than $21,000, you can get things like remote engine start, Bose premium audio and even All-Wheel Drive. There’s the ‘wow’.

Other vehicles in this category include the Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3. To be honest, I really like all four of those vehicles and am only moderately less impressed with the Chevy Trax by comparison. Still, I would check out the 2016 Trax (same as the 2015) if you are set on getting a subcompact SUV. The Trax is easy to operate for those of us who are technologically-challenged, and the view from all windows is exceptional. There were effectively no blind spots from any point while in the driver’s seat.

Fortunately, picking a car these days is much easier than picking your soul mate. And anymore, even picking the boy-friend of the month has become more time-intensive. By choosing the 2016 Chevy Trax, you just might be quietly saying ‘I’m smart and practical but not flashy and self-absorbed’….

…. assuming that’s what you really want to say to everyone at the trendy espresso bar where a small drink can cost more than a tank of gas.