Chevy Trax receives five-star safety rating
wanting in the car” department.
My front-wheel-drive tester averaged 28 mpg in combined city and highway driving. All-wheel-drive is also available on all three of the Trax’s trim levels.
My $25,135 tester was outfitted with Chevrolet’s midlevel “LT” trim package. The overall cost included a driver confidence package with rear park assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and a convenience package highlighted by a power adjustable driver’s seat, keyless start and a leather wrapped steering wheel.
The Trax LT interior was a notch above what one would expect, with cloth seating and plenty of plastic surfaces along the dashboard “driver’s and center console.
I missed not having a storage compartment between the front seats but soon discovered 11 storage areas throughout the cabin, including a pullout drawer under the passenger’s seat.
The second row seats were fine for my three kids, but would be a little cramped for adults on a long drive.
A well proportioned 7-inch touch screen topped off a cleanly laid out center console with easy-to-reach climate controls and two USB ports. The infotainment system supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Trax has a total of 10 air bags and received the government’s highest, overall five-star safety rating when compared to vehicles of similar size and weight.
The 2017 Chevrolet Trax, which starts at $21,000, sits right in the middle of the “Cute Ute” segment that includes the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX3, Nissan Juke, and Subaru Crosstrek. The Trax makes sense for the city driver who might occasionally pack up the SUV for a weekend excursion or for parents looking for reliable and safe mini SUV for their young driver.