VIRTUAL REALITY PERFECTS CHEVROLET COLORADO ACCESSORIES

 

By General Motors, Detroit - With a giant screen that has more pixels than an IMAX theater, the temptation is ever present to watch a movie or hook up a video game console.  At Chevrolet, however, this high-tech display is instrumental to refining vehicle design.

The 4K ultra-fine resolution PowerWall system, capable of displaying both 2D and 3D content, allows designers and engineers to compare versions of part designs and ideas without the need for expensive physical prototypes.  The team can quickly examine several concepts and speed a decision on the best solution.

The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado was a major focus of the PowerWall.  The 2015 MOTOR TREND Truck of the Year is customizable with accessories that match the owner's personality.  Making these features fit right and look good is time consuming.

For example, the Colorado's chrome assist step was designed with black treads in part to avoid the unslightly reflection of drain holes in the bottom edges of the cab.  The treads on the Colorado assist step were evaluated for this issue with the PowerWall more than a year before a physical prototype was available.

"That's the beauty of this kind of high definition.  Using the math data, we can render the vehicle as the customer will see it in the 'as manufactured state'", said Joe Guzman, engineering group manager for Global Virtual Design Process & Operations.  "Designers and engineers can then scrutinize every detail to make sure they are spot on."

In addition to the assist step, the GearOnTM, customizable and adjustable cargo system for the truck bed was evaluated on the PowerWall to assure it looked and performed as intended.

Guzman, who started as a wood model maker, said the PowerWall won't replace clay modeling or other physical prototypes anytime soon.  But for dozens of minor and major decisions, the technology's speed, precision and lifelike accuracy allow attributes like reflections, finishes, glare and lighting to be assessed many months or years before the first physical vehicles are built.

The PowerWall solution comprises a 240 square-foot solid glass screen, and two Christie Mirage 4K25 DLP 3D projectors, powered by eight computers and two Christie Spyder X20 video processors.  The team of virtual reality experts includes three visualization specialists, an IT technician and a Christie hardware engineer.

ONSTAR OFFERS REAL-TIME UPDATES ON SANTA'S PROGRESS

 



By General Motors, Oshawa - For the sixth consecutive year, OnStar is providing U.S., Canada and Mexico subscribers the opportunity to learn Santa's whereabouts on his journey across the globe Christmas Eve.  With a press of the blue OnStar button, subscribers can be informed of Santa's location at that moment in time.

Through collaboration with the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Tracks Santa program anyone with an active OnStar subscription can request a "Santa Update" between 7 a.m. on December 24 until 5 a.m. EST on December 25.  OnStar advisors will provide Santa's location based on NORAD's official Santa Tracker Map.

"My 2-year-old son has finally reached the age where he is excited about Santa," said Keitha Martin, a GMC Acadia owner and OnStar subscriber.  "This year we will be following Santa's journey to deliver his gifts through OnStar.  My husband and I are just as excited for this magical experience!"

OnStar is dedicated to the safety and security of subscribers year-round.  To accommodate the volume of calls seeking Santa's location, advisor staffing is adjusted to accommodate the extra traffic.

"We are happy to provide our subscribers with a special way to get into the holiday spirit," said Terry Inch, OnStar chief operating officer.  "OnStar's advisors enjoy responding to these calls and helping make the season a little more joyous."

Individuals without an OnStar subscription can follow Santa's journey via the NORAD Tracks Santa website, Facebook page, Twitter hashtag #NORADSanta or by calling the hotline at 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723).

NEXT-GEN CHEVY VOLT GETS CORVETTE LOOKS, ADJUSTABLE REGEN LEVELS

 

By Danny King, Autoblog.com - The hood may say "full speed ahead".  The regenerative braking system says "slow down a bit".  One person's automotive improvements is another's identity crisis, all in a day's work analyzing the new Chevrolet Volt.

The next-generation version of General Motors' first extended-range plug in will include design touches taken from the new Chevrolet Corvette, GM's iconic sports car.  Hexagonal taillights and a "taut" hood will be part of the new package, Automotive News says, citing General Motors design chief Ed Wilbur.

But does that mean the Volt is shedding any of its green-car cred?  Not at all, if one considers that the Volt will also let the driver adjust the degree of regenerative braking using steering-wheel paddles to dial up and recapture as much energy as possible and engage in "one-pedal" driving or turn it down for easier coasting.

GM will have more details for us when it unveils the 2016 Chevy Volt at the North American Auto Show in Detroit next month.  The new version is said to have a larger battery, a longer all-electric driving range and more power, but Chevy's been fairly mum on those sorts of performance details so far.

CORVETTE ENGINE REPEATS WIN AS WARDSAUTO 10 BEST

 

By General Motors, Detroit - The high performance, technology-packed LT1 Small Block 6.2L V8 that powers the 2015 Corvette Stingray is a Ward's 10 Best Engine for 2015.  The engine also was recognized with this award in 2014.

WardsAuto reviewed 37 engines and propulsion systems from 12 manufacturers in this year's competition, which looked at power, fuel efficiency, new technology and refinement and compared the attributes with data for similar engines.

"This recognition is another step in earning customers for life," said Dan Nicholson, vice president, GM Global Powertrain.  Having the WardsAuto experts choose the LT1 as one of the best in the industry two years in a row is proof of what this Powertrain team can deliver - uncompromised performance, durability and efficiency that helps make the Stingray one of the best sports cars in the world today."

The LT1 Small Block technologies contribute to making the new Corvette the quickest, most powerful and most fuel-efficient standard Corvette ever.  The engine delivers an SAE-certified 460 horsepower, helping propel the car from 0-96 km/h in 3.8 seconds and a quarter mile in 12 seconds while offering a fuel consumption rating of 8.1 L/100 km highway with an 8-speed automatic or 7-speed manual transmission.

"The 6.2L LT1 V-8 is the heart and soul of the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette, and it proudly upholds the 60-year legacy of small-block engines from General Motors," said Tom Murphy, executive editor of WardsAuto World digital magazine, based in the United States.  "This one's been re-engineered from head to torque converter, and the LT1 is the crown jewel of this massive engine family."

"In the Corvette, this 260hp V-8 barks with authority, delivering an exhaust note reminiscent of Detroit's finest muscle cars.  And it's efficient, too.  WardsAuto editors flogging the 'Vette for more than 300 miles managed better than 20 mpg with the new 8-speed automatic."

The LT1, part of the Gen 5 family of Small Block engines, combines several advanced technologies - direct injection, Active Fuel Management, or cylinder deactivation, and continuously variable valve timing - to support an advanced combustion system.

Direct injection is a primary contributor to greater combustion efficiency by ensuring a more complete burn of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture.  This is achieved by precisely controlling the mixture motion and fuel injection spray pattern.  Direct injection also keeps the combustion chamber cooler, which allows for a higher compression ratio.

Increased power and efficiency result from more than 10 million hours of computational analysis including computational fluid dynamics, to make the most of the combustion system, the direct injection fuel system, active fuel management and variable valve timing systems that support it.  The combustion system itself benefited from 6 million hours of dedicated CPU analysis time.

Other variants of the Gen 5 Small Block include the 4.3L V6, 5.3L and 6.2L V8 truck engines offered in the Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, the GMC Sierra pickups, Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade SUVs.  The LT1 is manufactured in Tonawanda, N.Y.

CHEVY WORKING ON PRODUCTION IMPALA MIDNIGHT EDITION

 

By Jonathon Ramsey, Autoblog.com - To put together the Impala Blackout concept for SEMA, Chevrolet didn't need to go much further than its accessories catalogue.  The in-house connection is what could make it possible for Chevy to get a production version of the Blackout into dealers this model year, with its few bits of chrome trim and dark detailing on the 19-inch aluminum wheels set into an abyss of gloss black paint, black Bowtie, grille surround, rear spoiler and mirror caps.  The interior is black leather, with stainless steel for the sill plates and pedals, and an 11-speaker Bose audio system, and it gets the optional 305-horsepower, 3.6-litre V6.

The brand's marketing director for cars and crossovers, Steve Majoros, told Edmunds that it could come in late spring, and that it will be called "Midnight Edition".  Majoros didn't give any indication of pricing or if the production car will be spec'd out like the concept.

If you simply don't want to wait for late spring, you could work your DIY mojo by putting one together the same way Chevrolet did: give the accessories catalogue a workout.

2015 CHEVROLET TRAX: SMALL SUVs GRABBING BIGGER MARKET SHARE

 

By Karl Brauer, Forbes - Entirely new vehicle segments don't materialize every day, but we're witnessing one in rapid blossom right now.  The subcompact SUV segment is about to go nuclear, jumping from three entries to eight in just the next 5 months.  If a segment averaging one new model a month sounds unprecedented it should, because it is.  Yet unprecedented doesn't mean unjustified.  At KBB.com we've witnessed increasing shopper activity in small SUVs for the past 18 months.  In fact, one could argue any mainstream brand not entering this segment before the end of 2015 is already late to the party.  GM's volume brand won't be tardy, jumping in this month with its 2015 Chevrolet Trax.

The Chevrolet Trax is based on GM's global subcompact platform and is already sold in over 60 markets across the planet.  The small SUV is built in Bupyeong, South Korea and shares much of its underpinnings with Chevrolet's other small car, the Sonic.  It's not hard to miss some borrowed styling elements between the two, but the Trax certainly has the popular crossover proportions buyers are seeking these days.  It's also got that magic combination of price, size, flexibility and fuel efficiency sought by everyone from millennials to small families to empty nesters and retirees.  Yet with so many subcompact SUV players entering showrooms by next summer how will the Chevy Trax measure up?

The folks at Chevrolet assembled an impressive list of segment-first/segment-only claims for the Trax, but let's start with the basics.  Constructed of 66 percent high-strength steel, and riding on a MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension, the Trax felt as solid as it looks while we drove one through downtown San Diego in pouring rain.  The electric rack-and-pinion power steering proved responsive, while its small exterior size made navigating heavy traffic and executing tight parking maneuvers easy.  It's this small exterior footprint, combined with 18.7 cubic feet behind the second row seat, and 48.4 cubic feet of space with the 60/40 second row seat folded down, that makes small SUVs like the Trax so appealing.

A fold flat front passenger seat, one of the Trax's segment-only features, further expands its functionality.  With that seat, and the second row, folded down the little SUV can haul big items measuring up to 8 feet long.  Smaller items can be placed in one of the Trax's 15 interior storage bins, including upper and lower glove boxes, a central storage bin above the dash and multiple door pockets.  The upper glove box features a standard USB port for connecting music players, and every Trax comes with a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot (a 3 month subscription is included in the purchase price).  Chevrolet knows technology is important to much of the Trax's target demographic, so a 7-inch color touchscreen with MyLink functionality is standard.

The Trax also supports Siri Eyes Free voice control and the BringGo mobile app that mirrors mobile phone navigation on the Chevy's display screen.  Technology plays a role under the Trax's hood, too, where a 4-cylinder, 1.4-liter turbocharged engine provides 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of drive form and 3,208 pounds when equipped with all-wheel drive.  The turbo engine delivers peak torque at a low rpm and maintains it across the engine's rev range, giving the Trax capable forward trust while making smart use of the 6-speed automatic.  It's not a performance machine, yet target buyers will find the Trax's combination of acceleration and fuel efficiency (26 city mpg, 34 highway mpg and 29 combined on front-wheel drive models), exactly what they're after.

Everything mentioned so far is included on the base 2015 Chevrolet Trax LS, with front-wheel drive, for a starting price of US$20,995.  For another US$1,500 a buyer can add all-wheel drive, while everything from heated leather seats, rear park assist, a sunroof, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and a Bose audio system are either standard or optional on the LT and LTZ trims.  Chevrolet reps told us even a loaded up Trax LTZ won't hit US$30,000, giving buyers looking for maximum luxury as well as maximum flexibility an affordable option in the 2015 Chevrolet Trax.  Of course, more subcompact SUV choices will appear in competing brands' showrooms over the next several months, so choose wisely.

SHAREABLE CHEVROLET HOLIDAY MESSAGE BENEFITS UNITED WAY

 



By General Motors, Oshawa - Chevrolet today released a holiday message that Facebook and Twitter users can share to brighten their friends' days while giving back to their communities through United Way.  Chevrolet will contribute $1 to United Way for each share and retweet of Chevrolet's Facebook post and Tweet of the video up to a total of $50,000.

"Along with our commitment to customers, our company is dedicated to giving back and supporting the communities in which we live and work," said Bob McClelland, brand director for Chevrolet in Canada.  "We hope Canadians will take a moment to share the spirit of giving with their friends and family while helping United Way."

This extends GM Canada's ongoing support of United Way and its mission to improve communities and individual lives by focusing on education, financial stability and basic needs, such as food and shelter.

FIRST 2015 CORVETTE Z06s ON THEIR WAY TO CUSTOMERS

By General Motors, Bowling Green, Ky - Chevrolet is now shipping the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06 coupe from Bowling Green Assembly and some early customers could receive the much-anticipated supercar later this week.

"It has been an incredible opportunity to work on Chevy's most capable model," said Jeff Lamarche, plant manager of General Motors' Bowling Green Assembly plant, "It truly is an amazing car, and we're thrilled to get them into the hands of our eager customers."

The new Corvette Z06 offers the most choice for customers in the model's history.  It is the first Z06 to offer an available eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel.  In addition, it is the first time since 1963 that the Z06 is available as a convertible - which will arrive in early 2015.

The new LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm - making the 2015 Corvette Z06 the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of the most powerful production cars available in North America.

To balance performance and efficiency, the LT4 leverages a trio of advanced technologies - direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing - with a new, more efficient supercharger.

The LT4 helps make the Corvette Z06 the most capable car in the brand's history.  The Z06 accelerates from a rest to 96 km/ in only 2.95 seconds when equipped with the all-new, available eight-speed automatic transmission - and achieves it in 3.2 seconds with the standard seven-speed manual transmission.

A quarter-mile sprint takes just 10.95 seconds with the eight-speed automatic and 11.2 seconds with the seven-speed manual.  With both versions, the Corvette Z06 hits 204 km/h at the end of the quarter-mile.

When it comes to braking performance, the Z06 can stop from 96 km/h in only 30 metres.  That's the best braking performance of any production car GM has ever tested.  Additionally, the Corvette Z06 achieves 1.2 g in lateral acceleration compared with the Corvette's previous best 1.13 g.

All test results were achieved with Z06 coupes fitted with the Z07 Performance package, which adds Brembo carbon ceramic brake rotors and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.  The Z07 package also features the most aggressive aerodynamic package available on the Corvette Z06, which delivers the most downforce of any production car GM has ever tested.

The Z06 also offers the industry-first Performance Data Recorder - or PDR - which enables users to record high-definition video, with telemetry overlays, of their driving experiences on and off the track.  The racing-derived system is included with the available navigation system.

Pricing for the 2015 Corvette Z06 in Canada starts at $85,095 plus a $1,800 destination charge, while the convertible model will start at $90,595.

MOTOR TREND NAMES CHEVROLET COLORADO 2015 TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Midsize pickup outclasses competition in design,
engineering, efficiency, safety and more

 

El Segundo, Calif (Wednesday, December 3, 2014) - After its most comprehensive truck evaluation program in history, MOTOR TREND has selected the Chevy Colorado as its 2015 Truck of the Year.

MOTOR TREND's Truck of the Year program is only open to all-new or significantly updated trucks and vans for the upcoming model year.  For 2015, seven contenders were invited to compete; three competitors were asked to bring a powertrain and/or body style variant for a total of 10 vehicles overall:

• Chevrolet Colorado WT and Colorado Z71
• Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD
• Ford F150 2.7L EcoBoost and 3.5L Ecoboost
• Ford Transit 350 HR and Transit 150 MR
• GMC Canyon SLT
• GMC Sierra Denali 2500 HD

The 2015 Colorado emerged as MOTOR TREND's 2015 Truck of the Year by a rare unanimous vote.  The editors were particularly impressed with Colorado's handsome, clean-sheet design, "right-sized" package, excellent handling and overall capability.  Colorado's potent-yet-efficient powertrains also returned best-in-class fuel economy according to Real MPG and EPA testing.

"After days of testing, hundreds of miles on the road, and our most rigorous truck testing program to date, our editors unanimously selected the Chevy Colorado as our 2015 Truck of the Year," said Edward Loh, MOTOR TREND's editor-in-chief.  "Colorado is a smart, capable, and refreshingly honest truck that makes a strong value and efficiency statement.  It's perfectly sized and suited for the needs of many of today's truck users."

"The Colorado redefines the midsize truck segment, offering customers the versatility of a pickup in a powerful, refined, fuel-efficient midsize package, with an impressive 8.8 L/100 km highway fuel consumption," said Bob McClelland, brand director of Chevrolet in Canada.  "For Colorado to emerge from MOTOR TREND's thorough evaluation as the 2015 Truck of the Year shows how Colorado is changing the game by offering truck customers fresh new choices."

To determine which truck deserved top honors, the MOTOR TREND test team subjected all of the contenders to numerous instrumented and real-world road tests.  First up was standard MOTOR TREND testing, which included: 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) and 1/4-mile acceleration, 96-0 km/h (60-0 mph) braking, and maximum lateral grip - all without payload or trailered loads.

A specific payload was then added to each truck and van, and the vehicles were then driven more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the Arizona/Nevada border to evaluate ride quality and loaded fuel economy.  The vehicles were driven up and down the famed Davis Dam in Bullhead City, Arizona for further assessment, including an instrumented test designed to simulate a passing situation while carrying a load.

The team then moved to a world-class automotive proving grounds for instrumented acceleration tests with nominal weight trailers.  Truck and trailer were also driven through a short handling course to evaluate acceleration, braking, maneuverability and outward visibility.  The final phase of evaluation involved a 3--kilometer (21-mile) road loop through hills of Arizona's Hualapai Mountains.

Following the team's intensive evaluation, the trucks were shipped to MOTOR TREND headquarters in El Segundo to undergo proprietary "Real MPG" fuel-economy testing.  Using advanced exhaust gas and flow-rate analyzers, Real MPG measures tailpipe emissions every second during a three-hour, 141-kilometre (88-mile) drive around the Los Angeles area to record accurate real-world fuel economy.

Once testing was completed, select MOTOR TREND editors convened to determine which truck would be crowned Truck of the Year.  The winner is not chosen from a direct comparison against the other contenders, but rather as a result of how each contender performed in testing and against the award's six criteria:  Design Advancement, Engineering Excellence, Efficiency, Safety, Value and Performance of Intended Function.

2015 CHEVROLET TRAX: MORE EMPTY NESTER THAN EMO KID

By Seyth Miersma, Autoblog.com - After the obligatory product presentation for the 2015 Trax, I caught up with Steve Majoros, Chevrolet's director of marketing for crossovers and cars, and asked him to elaborate on which markets his planners believe will be the hot starters for this tiny CUV.  Without much hesitation, Majoros began to click off traditional sales havens for Subaru, namely, New England and the snowy bits of the East Coast, Colorado and the Pacific Northwest.

That news might not surprise you, but it did me.  Perhaps it's something as basic as the Trax's tall-hatchback looks, or the emphasis Chevrolet put on the urban driving cycle during my test in San Diego.  But before my chat with Majoros, I'd considered this a crossover pointed at the Millennial city mouse more than his bumpkin cousin.

But a closer look had me re-examining the granola cred of Chevy's smallest crossover.  Having spent my fair share of time in New England and around New Englanders, I started by mentally listing the Trax's Subaru-like traits: practicality, thrift, all-weather ability and, well, just a dash of ugliness.  (I suppose a hatchback needn't always be ugly to sell in Maine, or Boulder or Portland ... but a 'distinctive' face doesn't seem to hurt.)

After a day of driving through sunny San Diego and its surrounds, I can say that Trax makes an interesting case for itself against the standard bearers of the L.L. Bean set, but I'm less sure of its argument for young urbanites.

The Trax looks a lot like an Equinox whose suit shrunk in the wash.

Chevy has downsized its own, rather conservative crossover styling to fit the proportions of the subcompact Trax; to my eyes, it looks a lot like an Equinox whose suit shrunk in the wash.  That's fine for offering a cohesive look for the Chevy family of crossovers, but it seems out of step with the rest of the segment.

If the Trax's current competitive set were the cast of a high school-based TV show, the Kia Soul would play the lovable nerd, the Nissan Juke perhaps the outsider musician and the Subaru XV Crosstrek the athletic outdoorsy kid.  Chevy may see the Trax as the hipster chick wearing intentionally ironic mom jeans, but to me the styling is a little too on the nose, more like an actual grownup trying to hand with the kids.  These mom jeans are genuine.

Per my earlier point, that quasi-conservative look may be just fast enough for staid New Englanders, but I have a hard time seeing the bluff, big-Bowtied front end playing in Bushwick or Wicker Park.

There's no part of the interior that feels youthful, or edgy, or otherwise indicative of must-have-it design.

Inside, the Trax is every bit as excitement-free.  Don't get me wrong, the styling of the cockpit is clean and refreshingly free of the kinds of faux-lux ornamentation that has turned many an entry-level GM vehicle into a gauche mess.  But there's no part of the interior that feels youthful, or edgy, or otherwise indicative of must-have-it design.

When viewed practically, though, the interior is the spiritual kinsman to a pair of duck boots paired with Carhartt cargo pants.  Visibility from the driver's seat is excellent, forward and side, though the smallish rear window and raked roofline detract a bit from the backwards visage.  The seat itself is cozy and upright, slightly flat, but not bad for a vehicle nobody will basically ever want to enter a hot corner in.  A raised ride height, relative to traditional hatchbacks, means getting into and out of the seat is a doddle, too.  Most importantly, cupholders and cubbies surround: there are two gloveboxes (lil' and big), and a pop-open nook at the top of the center console, goodly door pockets and four receptacles for front-passenger beverages alone.

The rear seats aren't nearly as commodious as the front, lacking especially in the headroom department, but there's still reasonable room for two adults back there.  (Assuming the adults aren't corn-fed Dutch boys like me.)

With the rear seats folded, the Trax will swallow 48.4 cubic feet's worth of stuff.

And, perhaps most important for the practical-minded, there's a great big load space to be found under the hatchbacked rear.  Even with the seats up, there seems to be enough room to lug a 3,000-watt generator and a week's worth of groceries up to the camp ... you know, as a general "for instance."

Chevy says that with the rear seats folded (something that seems to require the front seats to be far forward to accomplish), the Trax will swallow 48.4 cubic feet's worth of stuff.  That's a bigger hold than the Juke but smaller by 3.5 cubes than the Crosstrek's hatch, and way smaller than the clever Soul's 61.3 cubic feet of stowage.

As I mentioned at the top, Chevy seemed to be heavily pushing the urban-driver's car theme by way of our prescribed driving route.  Starting at the airport, we did some coastal commuting up to La Jolla, got in a few quick turns on stretches by the ocean, and then traversed downtown San Diego as though we were residents.

Getting into and out of tight parking spaces is second nature for the vehicle, and its excellent visibility was of use in downtown traffic.

The Trax proved plenty nimble in low-speed city driving, aided by its short wheelbase and reasonably quick steering.  Getting into and out of tight parking spaces is second nature for the vehicle, and those excellent sight lines certainly were of use in downtown traffic, too.

But I can't say that the powertrain - a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder making 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque that you'll recognize from the Sonic, Cruze and the Trax's upscale Buick Encore cousin - was much fun when threading through sleepy California commuters.  Routed to a six-speed autobox and pushing 2,805 pounds of curb weight in the front-drive configuration I sampled, the blown four sounded rough when the throttle was opened up and didn't have much in the way of guts, either.  I really had to kick the throttle in its proverbial nuts to get the Trax moving, that or make use of the horrible thumb-switch gear-change button on the side of the shiftlever.  If and when I did those things, my rewards were still-mild response times and an exhaust/engine soundtrack that would make an EK Civic sound like an F40.

Not that one should throw the baby out with the bathwater, though - a Trax buyer who couldn't care less about engine response might still be happy to hear that the fuel economy is expected to be excellent.  According to the EPA, a front-drive Trax is good for 34 miles per gallon on the highway, easily besting the competitors I've already named, including the far less torque Kia.  City and combined figures stand at 26 and 29 mpg, respectively, which are just about equal to the 27/29 of the lighter but more powerful Nissan, too.

It's hushed on the highway and so smooth over rough roads that I hardly noticed a bump after the one pothole I intentionally steered toward.

The ride and handling story is a near parallel to that of the powertrain, vis-à-vis fun vs practical.  This isn't a chuckable hatchback.  The suspension is soft, the steering pretty flavorless and the biggest dynamic plus is the chassis' wheelbase-aided ability to rotate quickly.  All of those same tuning choices do make the Trax a quiet, controlled and docile thing, too.  It's hushed on the highway and so smooth over rough roads that I hardly noticed a bump after the one pothole I intentionally steered toward (San Diego County is not rife with the things, I'll admit.)

For those of you keeping score at home, that brings us to four checkmarks for the Trax in the practical column and zero in the young/fun column.  Of course, the biggest deciding factor for the bulk of both groups is price.

Chevy asks $20,995 plus $875 in delivery and destination for its most basic, front-wheel-drive Trax model, and you'll need to add $1,500 to that for the all-wheel drive that lets this CUV play in the Snowbelt and mountain regions of our fair nation.  That $23k total rings up as about $500 less expensive than the always-all-wheels-driven XV Crosstrek with the Optional CVT, for the best apples-to-apples comparison.  A Juke S AWD is slightly cheaper than both of them, at $22,995.  Front-driver comparisons are less kind on the Trax, headlined by the base, 1.6-liter Soul that retails for just $15,900, delivered (the Kia doesn't offer all-wheel drive).

The parsimonious and the sensible buyer should love this small crossover, which excels in its reasonableness above all.

Don't forget, the newly announced Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 will have something important to say about this segment next year, too, as will the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade.

Whenever a small, affordable vehicle is launched, its automaker hopes a river of new, young buyers will flow into the brand.  Such is the case with Trax, and I'm sure that its size and low price point will bring some young 'uns into Chevy showrooms.

But I like Majoros' sales story better, based on both my test and my understanding of the (for lack of a better term) Olive Kitteridge demographic.  The parsimonious and the sensible buyer should love this small crossover, which excels in its extraordinary reasonableness above all.