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.
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.
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