After taking the 2023 model year off, Chevrolet redesigned the Trax for 2024. The new model is almost a foot longer than the previous version, making it about the size of the Chevrolet Trailblazer. In fact, the two vehicles are built at the same factory in South Korea. The biggest difference is that the Trax is only available with front-wheel drive, without an all-wheel-drive option.
In terms of features for the money, the new Trax is a slam dunk: You can get heated front seats, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, an 11-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a wireless charger, all for under $25,000 as-tested. Plus, it gets good fuel economy. But an uneven power delivery, pronounced cabin noise, and barely tolerable front seats resulted in a mediocre road-test score. The lack of all-wheel drive also puts the Trax in tough company compared with SUVs we’ve tested that are available with that feature, such as the Honda HR-V and Toyota Corolla Cross. And front-wheel-drive competitors, such as the Kia Niro and Soul, and the Nissan Kicks, all have better road test scores and rank higher overall in our ratings.
The Trax’s 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder feels energetic for such a small engine, with a surprisingly healthy amount of midrange power. It makes the most of its modest 137 horsepower, and the 9.5 seconds it takes to scoot from 0 to 60 mph is a second quicker than the Nissan Kicks, though that’s slower than the Hyundai Venue and Kia Soul. But we dislike the hesitation the Trax gives when stepping back on the gas pedal during rolling stops, made worse by an uneven burst of power that follows. The six-speed automatic transmission is often hesitant to downshift, keeping the engine in too high of a gear where it sounds and feels a bit rough. On the bright side, the 31 mpg overall it achieved during our testing is competitive.
The suspension absorbs bumps decently, better than some of the Trax’s direct competitors. Yes, there’s a firmness to the suspension, but it isolates most bumps well and minimizes side-to-side jostling of occupants. Vague, overly light steering contributes to a mundane feel through corners, although it managed an impressive 55 mph through our avoidance-maneuver exercise, where it proved very secure as our testers whipped it quickly back and forth through the coned-off course.
Between the engine’s distinct, gravelly three-cylinder sound and elevated road and wind noise, the cabin is quite loud. Neon-yellow trim around the air vents seems to be Chevrolet’s attempt to spruce up what is an otherwise drab and cheap-feeling interior full of dull, hard plastics. But we appreciate that heated front seats and a heated-and-leather-wrapped steering wheel are bundled into a reasonably priced option package.
The driver has plenty of headroom, good sight lines out over the hood, and a clear view of the gauges. But the plastic center console intrudes on the driver’s right knee space, and the door armrest is completely unpadded—it’s just hard plastic, a rarity even for this lower-priced class. Most of our drivers found little to like about the front seat: The padding is hard, the bottom cushion is short on thigh support, and discomfort quickly sets in. The rear seat is fairly comfortable and spacious for the class. It has good foot room under the front seats and decent thigh support, though taller passengers might find headroom limited. Cargo room is generous, considering the Trax’s small footprint.
We appreciate that the controls are mostly straightforward, with a simple infotainment touchscreen and easy-to-use knobs and buttons for the climate system. However, the audio buttons for volume and radio station/track-advance that are located behind the steering wheel take some acclimation and memorization, since you can’t see them. We also like that the Trax has a traditional “PRNDL” gear selector lever.
The Trax comes with the “Chevy Safety Assist” suite of active safety and driver assistance features. Standard systems on the Trax include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, and automatic high beams. Disappointingly, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are optional instead of standard (although at least they are low-cost options), and automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds isn’t available. Adaptive cruise control is optional.