My sister called a couple of weeks ago. Her Honda Odyssey that she loved and raised three kids was nearing its end…at over 250,000 miles! She still has tuition payments and dorm fees for my niece and nephews, so she needed a new car that was affordable, but also efficient, stylish and fun-to-drive. She found a Chevy Trax at the right price and asked what I thought. I said, “Buy it!”
By coincidence, I had a Trax scheduled for a round-trip from Indianapolis to Memphis and back, hauling tail across cornfields, city freeways and undulating hills through Corvette country and Music City on the way. I’ve tested the sporty RS trim before, but chose my sister’s middle-class LT instead.
It does without the RS’ red flourishes and black chrome grille, not to mention 19” wheels, but the LT looks just as handsome wearing 17s with flashes of chrome decorating the Camaro-inspired grille. Compared to its ungainly predecessor, this longer and lower version throws even more attitude than the similar Buick Envista. It’s pretty stealth in our car’s Sterling Gray Metallic paint, but is clearly inspired by the more upscale Trailblazer, Equinox and Blazer.
If there’s Camaro on the outside, Corvette seeped inside with the twin-screen arrangement for gauges and infotainment. Devices connect via wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto or click into USBs. Our LT trim had cloth seats and rubber steering wheel, but even during 800 miles of driving, the seats were supportive. Tap around and you realize the textured dash is hard plastic, seats are manually adjusted, and there’s only one zone for the automatic climate control, but the cabin is hushed with active noise cancellation.
One of my favorite parts of the Trax is its 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine that delivers a peppy 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque. And unlike many competitors, it routes that power through a proper six-speed transmission instead of a CVT. All of this allows the Trax to keep steam in reserve through the hills and shift like it cares when it doesn’t. It only comes in front-drive, so check the similar Trailblazer if you need all-wheel-drive. Fuel economy is rated 28/32-MPG city/highway. My sister claims over 40-MPG on the highway.
On paper, the chassis doesn’t look sophisticated, but where some competitors bump and thump over pavement, the Trax behaves much more like the larger Equinox or Blazer. It soaks up long roads with comfortable motions, but even when flicked through the twisties or tossed over rough pavement, seems balanced and sophisticated. GM is adept at developing chassis. Four-wheel disc brakes are right-now ready. You’ll barely notice the torsion beam rear suspension that keeps costs low.
Even in this value-conscious crossover, safety was a priority. Our Trax included forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, and rear cross traffic warning. Lane keep assist and blind spot warning kept me alert no matter the road or distance.
I asked my sister for things she likes and doesn’t like about her Trax. On the pluses, there’s plenty of room in the back seat and it drives very nice on the highway. Fuel economy is better than expected. Negatives include refocusing quite a distance from instruments to infotainment screen while driving. Especially for the price, she’s very happy.
And, what about that price? The least expensive Trax costs a bargain $21,700. Our LT came to just $23,200. What a deal. You’ll agree when you drive the Hyundai Venue, Kia Soul, Nissan Kicks, or Volkswagen Taos.
Storm Forward!
Send comments to Casey at AutoCasey@aol.com; follow him on YouTube @AutoCasey.