2024 Chevrolet Trax: Bigger footprint, screens, style at an entry-level value

Chevrolet was among the first brands to scout out the subcompact crossover segment with the Trax, and the market has become one of the hottest in recent years — nearly doubling in size to more than 1 million sales since 2016 — and General Motors' biggest division is ready to double down in it, again.

After a brief hiatus (it sat out the 2023 model year), the Trax has been reimagined as a new gateway to Chevrolet, slotted just under the Trailblazer. The redesigned 2024 Trax — bigger, wider and lower; part hatchback and part sporty crossover — features a 1.2-liter turbocharged inline-three engine that produces 137 hp and 162 pound-feet of torque mated to a six-speed gearbox.

Optional all-wheel drive has been dropped.

Five trims — LS, 1RS, LT, the sporty 2RS and Activ — are available, with options including LED headlamps; 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels; four-wheel disc brakes; and active noise cancellation. Extra features on most trims include push-button start, automatic climate control and wireless phone charging. Cruise control is standard equipment on all models, with adaptive cruise control available on some trims, a first for the Trax.

Chevrolet is pitching the Trax as a roomier, wider version of the Trailblazer — one that can hold more cargo and people — at a lower price. Every Trax is priced below $25,000, including shipping, creating a value proposition that Chevrolet officials predict will make it the brand's No. 3 seller after the Silverado pickup and Equinox crossover.

Journalists recently had an opportunity to drive the Trax in North Carolina, and we've sampled some early reviews.

"Significantly longer, lower, and wider than the old, awkwardly tall Trax, the nicely proportioned new model has an almost wagonoid look about it. The base LS model looks pedestrian with its hubcaps and lack of bright trim, but the LT, RS, and Activ trim levels are relatively stylish thanks to nice wheels, interestingly shaped headlights and taillights, and distinctive grille trim up front. Several bright paint colors are available too.

The Trax's stretched-out shape also pays dividends inside, as rear legroom and cargo space are significantly increased thanks to the drastically longer wheelbase and wider track. Chevrolet also managed to package a flat floor in the rear, making the middle seat habitable for shorter trips. This could be a popular choice for Uber drivers. Analog gauges and an 8.0-inch touch screen are standard, but the optional digital gauge cluster and 11.0-inch central screen give the Trax a good amount of display real estate for a vehicle in this class.

We're not too down on the Trax's cheap-feeling interior materials given the low price point. The plastics are hard and scratchy, but the crucial areas — the dashtop, the door panels, and the upholstery — at least have some interesting textures to keep them from looking too bargain basement. The driving position is low and carlike, a welcome change from the chairlike seating arrangements in many of the Trax's taller competitors, including Chevy's own Trailblazer."

— Joey Capparella, Car and Driver

"The bracing style doesn't get the backup it needs from the powertrain, but what's here is pleasant enough. The prosaic 137 hp that issues from the Trax's 1.2-liter turbo-3 gets joined by 167 pound-feet of torque, all of which emerges from the business end of a 6-speed automatic to turn the front wheels, and the front wheels alone. This is no SUV; it's a spacious front-drive hatchback, regardless of what the TV ads tell you — and it's good at that, parsing out its economy-car power in careful amounts, never upsetting itself with rash responses to rough roads, and readily engaging with the driver's steering inputs. It's a capable city runner with no pretense of mucking things up off-road — and that's refreshing."

— Robert Duffer, The Car Connection

"On the road, the new Trax feels reasonably competent. True, the three-cylinder engine isn't the smoothest or quietest under hard acceleration, but it only feels out of its element at the hands of drivers like me, who envision every press drive as a chance to pretend like they're in a real-world stage from Sega Rally 2. Initial city acceleration or freeway merging feels good; the 1.2-liter builds power quickly and holds it strong through the rev range, and the six-speed automatic is good at being smooth and unintrusive.

Higher-speed passing maneuvers may find the Trax in want of more power, but generally, it's an adequate unit. The old Trax's 1.4-liter had an extra cylinder and might have been quieter, but it wasn't as responsive. Six of one, half dozen of the other, right? While cruising, the three-cylinder quiets down, and its noise is not very notable in the remarkably quiet cabin.

The Trax's ride and handling are vastly better, too. The Trax was never much of a corner carver, despite the Sonic subcompact it was based on being a sharp-driving car. This new car manages to be reasonably engaging, the steering has a bit of verve considering the class it competes in, and it grips corners in ways that the old Trax or even the Trailblazer does not.

Chevy engineers once again thank the new platform and design for this; the wider track and lower roofline allowed them to change the driving position and lower the center of gravity. None of this comes at the expense of ride; the Trax is compliant and sophisticated despite the not-complicated MacPherson strut front and semi-independent rear torsion beam rear suspension. The ride is best on the 17-inch wheels but still fairly comfortable even on the Trax's optional 19-inchers."

— Kevin Williams, AutoGuide.com

"The 2024 Chevy Trax reminds us a lot of the old Cruze hatchback. It delivers surprising ride refinement, rounding off bad bumps with a minimum of head toss or crashing noises. The car rolls down the road with a substantially solid feel and only moderate road din. (Active noise cancellation is included on all trims.) Part of the Trax's bump-absorbing acumen surely comes from its size. The wheelbase is long for this class, at 106.3 inches, and Chevy ensured that no matter the wheel size, every tire has decent sidewall thickness.

The three-cylinder engine is responsive and sounds interesting, even. Paired with a conventional six-speed automatic, rather than the continuously variable automatic more common in this class, the triple moves the Trax well. The transmission often tries for the highest gear possible, but the little engine's decent 162 pound-feet of torque helps deliver solid acceleration even without a downshift. Chevrolet also claims the new Trax is a full second quicker to 60 mph than its more powerful, smaller predecessor (which we clocked to 60 mph in a sluggish 9.0 seconds). We loaded one up with four adults and didn't notice the little engine struggle at all. Fuel economy is a bit of a low point, though, as we noted an average of only about 24 mpg during our drive, well short of the Trax's 30 mpg EPA combined figure."

— Alexander Stoklosa, Motor Trend

"The Trax was just as happy puttering around Asheville as it was weaving left and right along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Trax is nicely composed when the parkway forces the driver to change direction dramatically. Tight left. Tight right. Here's a sweeper, now another. Nice banked turn on that down slope. Now brake for the pickup pulling that RV. This thing is surprisingly fun.
Still, the telos of the Trax is not performance; its ultimate aim is practicality and value. This is a cheap car, starting at about $21,000, and yet it's still pretty fun to drive. It's also easy to see out of, despite the flattened profile. And in the loaded Trax Activ – which comes with an 11-inch center screen, 8-inch infotainment display and colorful interior scheme — the cabin is nicely appointed."

— José Rodríguez Jr., Jalopnik

"The driver-focused interior is more stylish than the outgoing model, but the materials reflect the Trax's positioning. Hard plastic adorns the door panels, and the switchgear feels like it's from the GM parts bin. The plastic dashboard ahead of the front passenger does feature an interesting texture, and the dashboard's air vents also show a blend of design and compromise. While they're similar to the round vents you'd find in a Camaro, these vents don't rotate to change the air's direction.

In the rear, the flat floor helps the rear passenger space feel open and comfortable. The rear seats are comfortable, with enough headroom for a 6-foot-tall auto writer to sit comfortably. And, while you can easily look at the seemingly easy-to-clean materials as a detraction, owners will probably appreciate the ease of life while owning one of these budget-friendly machines. Behind the seats, the cargo area is large enough that a standard grocery trip shouldn't be a problem.

Anchoring the new Trax isn't its stat sheet or futuristic creator comforts. No, it's the price. Again, Chevrolet has positioned the Trax as the brand's entry point, replacing affordable, but ceased nameplates. Chevrolet will sell you the most basic Trax LS for $21,495, which includes destination and delivery. You can hop in the most expensive Activ or 2RS trims for $26,540, and that's after you tack on an $895 sunroof package and the $650 driver confidence package to net adaptive cruise control. In a word, the Trax is affordable. It undercuts Subaru's Crosstrek and is right in line with the Nissan Kicks. While car prices keep going up, it's refreshing to see another affordable option hit the market."

— Wesley Wren, Autoweek