2017 Chevrolet Trax

This year, the Trax presents a new dashboard and instrument cluster. It goes away from the corporate "twin cockpit" design and digital readouts of the last model, opting instead for a traditional look with analog gauges and a flowing dashboard design. Base black-cloth upholstery is made less bland with contrasting blue stitching—a nice touch relieving the interior of potential grimness. The high-line Premier model trades that black upholstery for nicer two-tone vinyl upholstery, contrast stitching on the instrument panel, and patterned trim over parts of the console.

While the Trax has verged on generic since its introduction to the U.S.--filling the role of the Encore's more dowdy, less expensive brother--Chevrolet has updated the Trax's threads for 2017. The front fascia, grille, and headlamps take on the look of recent vehicles, such as the Cruze, Volt, and Malibu. LT and Premier models get halogen projector headlamps with LED signature lighting. Chrome is added to the bezels of the available fog lamps. At the rear, the fascia is also new, as are the dual taillights, which use LEDs on the Premier model.

The door-mirror pedestals made of black plastic and a missing chrome belt line strip drive home the base Trax's budget nature. As do steel wheels with their plastic wheel covers, transporting buyers back to the 1990s style-wise. It also lacks the roof rails fitted as standard on other trims, which gives the base mode a cleaner look. Chevrolet attempts to make up for that with mirrors, rear license-plate surround, and other small trim pieces finished with body color plastic, even on the base model. Alloy wheels are standard on higher-line models, 16s for the LT and 18s for the Premier.

But it's the Trax's off-the-line acceleration paired with taller top gears that make the crossover ill-suited to long-haul trips along the country's Interstates. Above 3,500 rpm, the Trax becomes noticeably noisier with no discernible benefit to performance. (Though, it should be noted, the Trax is incredibly quiet around town when operated at lower engine revs.) Also, highway passing maneuvers should be planned ahead of time, as acceleration from 60 to 75 mph is met by the Trax with laziness.

While the Trax can be equipped with all-wheel drive, don't expect that system to take on the Rubicon Trail. Instead, it's engineered to deliver all-weather control while still returning fuel efficiency on par with front-wheel-drive models. The Trax's all-wheel drive sends all available power to the front wheels above speeds of 37 mph, though it will send power to the rear if it senses slip up front.

An average handler, the Trax doesn't offer the fun-to-drive cornering ability of the Mazda 2-based CX-3 or entry-level versions of the new Jeep Renegate. Still, the Trax employs an incredibly well tuned electric power steering system that rewards drivers with good on-center tracking and enough feedback that makes it feel right at nearly any speed. Also, the Trax's suspension--a fairly simple MacPherson strut front, torsion-beam rear setup--irons out the road and absorbs bumps with aplomb, through it does introduce a decent amount of body roll.

Taller drivers will like the Trax's front seats as they make use of longer lower cushions, a frequent oversight of smaller cars. That seat can be manually adjusted for height and rake. The six-way power seat on the top-trim Premier model adds additional adjustability, but you'll still need to adjust the seatback manually via a hard-to-find lever on the seat's side.

The Trax is not short on storage. Numerous bins, trays, cubbies, and cupholders litter the interior, including a slideable tray under the front passenger seat on some models. It also has two vertical slots with rubber bottoms on either side of the center console for driver and front passenger smart phones. ventilation outlets.

There are some tipoffs to the vehicle's modest width, however. The front-seat passengers' shoulders are only a few inches apart, and the driver's seat has a fold-down armrest while the passenger seat doesn't. There's no console compartment with a padded top, either. Instead, Chevy provides four cupholders set lengthwise behind the shift lever, with the rearmost one accessible to rear-seat riders as well.

Cargo storage and quality

Cargo space is mid-pack in its segment. With 18.7 cubic feet with the rear seat up and 48.4 cubic feet once the rear seat is folded, it is more space than in competitors like the Juke or Countryman. Still, the Honda HR-V offers more, with 23.2 cubic feet of cargo volume when the rear seats are up and 57.6 cubic feet with its Magic Seats folded.

As before, the split-fold 60/40 rear seat is easy to operate and folds nearly flat with the cargo floor. Furthering the Trax's capability, its front-passenger seat folds flat to allow the storage of 8-foot-long items--though definitely not 4x8 sheets of plywood.

No audible buzzes, squeaks, or rattles manifested themselves during our tests of the Trax, which has benefited from a great deal of work by Chevrolet engineers to reduce road and wind noise. For a small, low-priced utility vehicle, the cabin is remarkably quiet under most types of use. At idle, the engine essentially can't be heard, aided by a transmission that shifts imperceptibly into neutral until the car moves away, to reduce vibrations through the drivetrain and steering.

We have noted definite signs of cost-cutting on previous models, but Chevrolet claims the interior of the 2017 model has a more premium feel. The instrument panel and dashboard have been redesigned, trading a motorcycle-style instrument display for a more flowing dashboard design with analog gauges, extra bits of chrome trim, and available dashboard contrast stitching. While the look is more traditional and certainly improved, there are still plenty of hard plastics, and the overall effect is still utilitarian, practical, and low-end.

Standard safety features include 10 airbags, including knee bags for both front occupants and even rear thorax bags that protect rear-seat riders' ribcages in the event of a side impact. Also standard are a rearview camera, anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, and a tire-pressure monitor.

Blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, a forward-collision alert system, and lane-departure warning are included with the Driver Confidence II package available on Premier models. Unlike the Mazda CX-3, the Trax does not yet offer any sort of automatic emergency braking; its system will flash a warning and make a loud sound if it detects an impact in order to get a driver's attention. 

The NHTSA rates the Trax at five stars overall, although its rollover rating is four stars—but that's not unusual for crossovers with their higher center of gravity than passenger cars. 

Air conditioning; power windows, locks, and mirrors; keyless entry; OnStar with new 4G LTE connectivity and built-in wi-fi hotspot; 10 airbags; a rearview camera; and 16-inch wheels with silver plastic wheel covers are included as standard equipment on base models. All-wheel-drive models add alloy wheels. The MyLink infotainment system in base models runs on a 7.0-inch touchscreen and can be connected to via USB (2 ports), AUX, and Bluetooth input. For 2017, the Trax receives Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.

The mid-level LT model adds satellite radio, cruise control, deluxe seat cloth, remote start, LED daytime running lights with projector-style headlamps, LED taillights, front passenger underseat storage drawer, roof rails, heated mirrors, front and rear faux skid plates, and deep-tinted rear window glass.

Top-trim Premier models build upon the LT trim with a premium 7-speaker Bose audio system, side blind zone alrt, rear cross traffic alert, rear park assist, leatherette seat upholstery, six-way power driver seat, heated front seats, keyless open/start, leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, illuminated vanity mirrors, sill plates, fog lamps, and chrome accents on door handles and liftgate. Newly designed 18-inch wheels also join the Premier trim.

The 2017 Trax achieves its best fuel economy with front-wheel drive, at 26 mpg city, 34 highway, 29 combined. That was 1 mpg higher overall than its sister vehicle, the Buick Encore. This year, the Trax slides a bit due to the new EPA cycle calculations; it's rated at 25/33/28 mpg.

While efficient, those numbers trail some of the newer entries in the subcompact SUV class, such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3, both of which are rated at 31 mpg combined. In addition, if you sacrifice the all-wheel drive (AWD) and consider this a hatchback, there are numerous rivals that beat it, topped by the Toyota Prius C hybrid, which is rated at a combined 50 mpg.

Trax models with AWD are rated at 24/30/27 mpg—again 1 mpg better than the Encore. That combined number is in the ballpark of versions of the Mini Countryman and the Nissan Juke fitted with AWD and automatic transmissions. However, three Subaru models all do better. The XV Crosstrek gets 29 mpg, and the XV Crosstrek Hybrid and standard Impreza hatchback are rated at 31 mpg. The AWD HR-V and CX-3 also return 29 mpg combined.