Like the ugly kid in high school showing up 10 years later just to show everyone up at the reunion
If you’ve ever seen the 2006 Ryan Reynolds movie Just Friends, you’d know that the new Chevy Trax is simply a reiteration of the story of the picked-on kid in high school. He goes and becomes a rich millionaire, loses weight, and somehow turns into Ryan Reynolds. This time… the Trax plays the dweeb and Ryan Reynolds. Somehow one of the most laughable cars in Chevy’s lineup and maybe its history turns into possibly one of the best ones.
Bullied Turns into the Bully
Ditching the old stubby look of the outgoing Trax, the new one looks sportier and more athletic. Wider, longer, and lower than the previous eyesore, the new 2024 Trax seems to be following in the footsteps of the just announced Chevy Blazer EV. Chevy has decided to position the new Trax at the forefront of its lineup, allowing it to be the cheapest car in the fleet with the nixing of the beloved tiny Spark hatchback. Starting at $21,495 the Trax just narrowly takes the edge with the Trailblazer coming in a close second at $23,295.
The Trailblazer and the new Trax do have a lot in common, including the same 3-cylinder turbocharged engine they share. However, the Trax is marketed as a more economical alternative to the Trailblazer with no AWD offering on the former. While the Trax is bigger than the Trailblazer, that’s where the woes of the engine start to catch up.
The 1.2 L 3-banger used in the Trax feels vastly underpowered, especially for a vehicle that has gotten more bulkier than the previous generation. That 3-cylinder engine puts out a measly 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, chained to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Let’s just say you won’t be taking the Trax around Daytona
A Boatload of Trims
In typical GM fashion, the Trax receives a multitude of trims all uniformed by a hodgepodge of letter and number soup. “LT”, “1RS”, when did trim levels lose their one-word charm? The base model LS will be possibly the cheapest SUV on the market competing with the Hyundai Venue for cars you probably could pay off with your piggy bank. The Venue starts at $19,000 but is also smaller and even more underpowered with 121 horses.
The highest trimmed 2RS gives the Trax a sporty appearance with 19-inch wheels, blacked out badges, and a more muscular look. Chevy says the Trax uses all of its new dimensions to create about 12% more space in the cargo compartment. In addition, the Trax gains 3 inches of rear legroom, something that came at a premium in the previous Trax.
Other options that the trims get are the addition of a larger screen, adaptive cruise control, automatic climate control, and a sunroof. The Trax comes standard with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto projected onto an 8-inch screen, LED running lights in the front, and a digital gauge cluster.
The Chevy Look
Recently, we can see the design element of sharp edges and sportier designs make their way into Chevy SUVs. Take for example the Chevy Blazer and the Equinox EV. The Blazer was touted as the SUV version of the Camaro, and the Equinox for its aggressive design styling. We can clearly see this make its way into the new Trax, especially with the Activ trim receiving chrome accents and a fake skid plate.
The Trax will go on sale next spring and will be made in South Korea. For a MSRP of less than $22,000, it seems like a bargain buy pre-dealership markup.
