Test Drive: Chevy Trax latest cute-ute to score

Chevrolet Trax LT FWD
Chevrolet Trax LT FWD

FAST FACTS

* Model: Chevrolet Trax LT FWD * Exterior color: Satin Steel Metallic * Interior color: Jet Black/Light Titanium * Engine: 1.4-liter four cylinder, turbocharged * Horsepower: 138 * Transmission: six-speed automatic * Fuel economy: 34 mpg highway, 26 mpg city * Dealer: Integrity Chevrolet * Price (as tested): $24,018

By all accounts, General Motors was pleasantly surprised by the success of its new compact SUV, the Buick Encore, which debuted last year.

Who knew that buyers would embrace a tiny vehicle that is the antithesis of GM's bread-and-butter, full-size SUVs such as the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon? But the little Korean-made Encore, with its upscale interior and diminutive 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine, quickly became one of America's best-selling small crossovers. In January, Encore sales were up 60 percent year-over-year, GM reports.

Well, the cute-as-a-button Encore has paved the way for the new Chevy Trax, a value alternative to the Buick that shares the same basic architecture, albeit with more pedestrian interior furnishings. GM sold 3,821 copies of the Trax last month, a good omen for the future of the model.

We were able to snag a Satin Steel Metallic Trax from Integrity Chevrolet this week with the help of Internet sales manager Brian Cruz and general manager Dwight Morgan. Dealerships began taking delivery of the new model in December, but inventories are still building at most Chevy dealerships.

The more upscale Buick Encore in base trim starts at $24,065, while the Trax starts at just $20,120. Our Trax tester, in mid-tier LT trim, weighs in at $24,018. Both the Encore and Trax have GM's excellent new 4G LTE option which basically turns these vehicles into mobile Wi-Fi hot-spots. A subscription is required.

STYLING AND COMFORT

GM is clearly aiming the Trax at urban drivers who it hopes will appreciate its small dimensions for parking and stellar fuel economy -- 34 mpg in freeway driving. This is not a family vehicle as much as a compact car on stilts. I suspect the bulls-eye for this segment will be single women with pets who might otherwise have opted for a sedan.

The Trax offers two attractive advantages over a sedan, elevated seating for a better view of the road and available all-wheel-drive ($1,500) for improved traction on slippery surfaces.

While the Encore has a typically Buick interior with available leather seat-covers and host of high-tech safety features, the Trax is aimed more at the entry-level buyer for whom low monthly payments are more important than that extra layer of refinement.

The interior of the Trax is snug in a comforting way. Headroom is vast, due to a tall roof-line, but if you need to haul six-footers in the back seat, this is not your ride. The rear seat folds flat to create a maximum cargo area of 48 cubic feet, which GM likes to point out is about 12 cubic feet more than the Nissan Juke. The Trax is only about 167 inches long, which makes it as easy to maneuver in tight spaces as a golf cart. For comparison, the Trax is nearly a foot shorter than the popular Honda CR-V.

All Trax models include a seven-inch color touch screen, a rear-view camera, automatic transmission, stability control, 16-inch aluminum wheels and remote keyless entry. In LT trim, the Trax adds standard Sirius XM radio compatibility, deluxe cloth seats, a front passenger (under-seat) storage drawer, cruise control and a 110-volt power outlet.

Every Trax also has an array of 10 airbags, which is astounding in an interior this compact. A steel safety cage and available all-wheel drive are also nice features.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

All Trax models include a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with turbocharging, which is more powerful than you might imagine. With 148 pound-feet of torque, the Trax doesn't feel under-powered at all. Still, don't be surprised if GM offers more engine options down the way, as European-spec Trax models already have bigger motors available.

During our mid-week test drive on Highway 153 and beyond, the Trax exhibited the point-and-shoot driving characteristics you want in an urban runabout. But it's also remarkably quiet, a tribute, perhaps, to its Buick DNA. You don't expect a vehicle in this segment to be adept at filtering road noise, but the Trax is quieter than some $30,000 sedans we've driven.

Unlike other car companies, which have switched to fuel-saving continuously-variable transmissions, the Trax has a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox, which does its job nicely. Fuel economy for the Trax is estimated at 34 miles per gallon highway and 26 miles per gallon city -- which should yield an average of about 30 mpg in combined driving.

BOTTOM LINE

There's a lot to like about the Trax, and its advanced electronics should appeal to a broad swath of drivers. Scheduled maintenance for the first two years or 24,000 miles is free, a nice sweetener.

If it catches fire like the Buick Encore, this little SUV could be the next big thing in the automotive world. Also, it offers many of the advantages of the Encore -- including maneuverability and versatility -- at a considerable discount.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

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