A Week With: 2024 Chevrolet Trax Activ

The earlier Chevrolet Trax was an innocuous wart, one with presence for all of the incorrect causes.

It actually proved problematic for these with Y-Chromosomes, which makes the 2024 Chevrolet Trax a much more promising proposition as a non-emasculating automobile, one which not sports activities a depressingly low cost inside in a category identified for downmarket cabins.

It’s much better than the automobile it replaces because of a further 11 inches in size and a pair of inches in width. It’s actually transformative.

Overview

Supplied in ascending LS, 1RS, LT, 2RS, Activ trim ranges, the Chevrolet Trax now resides because the bottom-feeder of Chevrolet’s American line-up with a beginning worth of $21,495. If that doesn’t appear so cheap, nicely, it isn’t. Nonetheless, it could be a matter of perspective as GM appears to favor its Chinese language clients to its American ones — the automaker gives the compact Chevrolet Monza sedan at a beginning worth of ¥94,900, or $13,365. 

However, once more, not in america, the place entry-level transport means a automobile that resembles an SUV, even when it has little, if any, of its off-road functionality. However that’s OK, it’s the seems that rely. And it seems fairly good for a automobile that resides on the backside of the ladder, as if it needs to be a Blazer when it grows up. 

Exterior

Whereas its dynamic look appears barely younger and energetic than the Chevrolet Trailblazer launched final yr, it’s half an inch decrease that its older sibling. In any other case, they share the identical wheelbase and size for a number of hundred {dollars} extra.

However the Trax seems higher to those eyes.

Certain, it seems extra like a tall wagon than a real SUV because of its decrease experience peak, nevertheless it endows it with a sportier vibe. Nonetheless one will get the sense that Chevy tried to make it look smaller than the Trailblazer, however one way or the other it simply doesn’t. They’re extra like peas in a pod which are prone to be confused among the many nice unwashed.

Inside

However the extra you have a look at it, the higher the Trax seems. Its EPA passenger quantity rankings is an identical to the Trailblazer’s, as is its cargo quantity ­­— with the second-row seats up. Fold them, and the Trailblazer has a further 4 cubic toes or so because of its taller roof. 

The driving place deems practically carlike, one thing not true of the Trailblazer, which ought to please those that favor automobiles to wagons disguised as vehicles. The seats are snug for brief hops, however show flat and spongy because the miles move.

The seatbacks have aspect bolstering, nevertheless it’s minimal, which means even these broader of beam will discover consolation. Regardless, the 2024 Chevrolet Trax gives a stunning quantity of area for the worth. Legroom is nice up entrance, and surprisingly good within the again seat. The cargo bay can be capacious contemplating its value. 

Materials high quality is about what you’d count on from an entry-level automotive, though our automobile had plenty of small design particulars on the instrument panel that livened up what would in any other case be a dismal inside, corresponding to the intense detailing that matched the Trax’s fetchingly dayglo exterior shade. In an period the place each SUV is black, silver, beige or white, the supply of true shade is a refreshing, welcome, and long-overdue change. Extra, please.

Powertrain

Up entrance, you’ll discover a Lilliputian powerplant, a 1.2-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine that places out 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque by a 6-speed automated transmission. Entrance-wheel drive is normal; all-wheel drive just isn’t provided. Fortunately, neither is a repeatedly variable transmission or CVT, an issue that afflicts the Trailblazer on its base driveline, which is an identical to the Trax. Higher stage variations of the Trailblazer get an added 18 horses and extra subtle 9-speed automated — should you order all-wheel drive. However front-wheel drive has 80% of the traction of all-wheel drive, so until you reside within the frozen tundra, this may occasionally not matter.

Security and Expertise

Neither the Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration nor the Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security have crash examined the 2024 Chevrolet Trax.

Commonplace driver help know-how contains Automated Emergency Braking, Entrance Pedestrian Braking, Lane-Maintain Help with Lane-Departure Warning, Ahead Collision Alert, automated high-beams, Following Distance Indicator and a Rear Imaginative and prescient Digicam. Adaptive Cruise Management, Lane Change Alert with Aspect Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Visitors Alert and Rear Park Help are non-compulsory.

However oddly, engineers positioned the automotive’s journey laptop within the infotainment display, as a substitute of the instrument cluster. And the infotainment display show can’t be cut up amongst totally different features; it solely shows one merchandise at a time. So, should you’re tuning in a radio station you’ll be able to’t see the journey laptop. With all the brainpower at Normal Motors, who thought this was a good suggestion? At the least it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though who is aware of for a way lengthy, as one other whiz bang at GM has determined to drop each companies.

Driving Impressions

Contemplating how little energy is underneath the hood, Chevrolet engineers have made probably the most of what’s obtainable. There may be turbo lag, however by and huge there’s sufficient gumption down low to maintain this little trucklet within the thick of issues. But it’s a relaxed cruiser, by no means feeling frenetic. Shifts come as anticipated, and the 6-speed slushbox proves to be a succesful dance companion. Steering is gentle, however correct. 

Pedal really feel is soggy in its responsiveness, which is typical of financial system automobiles. And whereas street and tire noise are average round city, there’s an terrible lot of it at freeway velocity. Even worse, the entire automobile vibrates at idle because of the little buzz bomb underneath the hood. Gas financial system is first rate at 28 mpg.

And whereas the Trax is extra refined than earlier than, it’s not prime of the category. It detracts from what in any other case is a reasonably refined driving expertise with good bump absorption and modest physique lean in corners. Nevertheless it performs the a part of the archetypal financial system automotive, a task it fills admirably. Energy is adequate, dealing with is agreeable, if not at all times partaking and area appears ample for the worth.

2024 Chevrolet Trax Activ Specs

Wrap Up

Whereas the 2024 Chevrolet Trax is large enchancment from its predecessor, and aggressive with the numerous autos on this phase, and in some methods higher than the Trailblazer. Its type is extra eye-catching, its inside area equal and its function content material simply as wealthy. The Trailblazer’s solely benefit is its all-wheel-drive powertrain, one thing that the majority motorists may stay with out. 

Why Chevrolet gives each is mystifying. However it appears that evidently Trax may simply rob the Trailblazer of shoppers. In spite of everything, why pay extra? The additional ponies within the Trailblazer aren’t sufficient to warrant the additional value of all-wheel drive, notably given its sometimes larger operating prices. 

It seems just like the Trailblazer simply met its extra in style, and better-looking, youthful sibling. 

2024 Chevrolet Trax ­— Incessantly Requested Questions