The 2017 Trax has an all-new front appearance with Chevrolet’s new proportioned dual-port grille, sleek halogen reflector headlamps, and fog lamps. You will find projector headlamps on the Premier edition. The back also has a refreshed fascia with sculpted tail lamps and LED signature lighting.
Trax Premier is the top-of-line model, positioned above the LS and LT models. It sits tall on 18-inch wheels with tinted rear windows and tailgate. The tailgate opens high and wide to allow for many loading and unloading chores. Outside mirrors are heated and easy to adjust. Simply put, the Trax looks good coming and going.
There is a full array of power-assisted features inside, such as windows, doors, and a six-way adjustable heated driver’s seat. The seats are upholstered in leatherette. With the 60/40 split-folding rear seat and fold-flat front-passenger seat, you have a good number of different ways to carry passengers and cargo.
There is plenty of storage, enough for transporting items up to 8 feet long. Precisely, the maximum cargo room is 48.4 cubic feet.
The interior is centered on and around the new instrument panel, which features a new gauge display with analog speedometer and tachometer readouts, plus a new standard 3.5-inch monochrome Driver’s Information Center display. The dual-cockpit cabin is accentuated with chrome.
The standard Chevrolet MyLink with a 7-inch color touchscreen has Bluetooth streaming, Apple CarPlay support, and Android Auto support.
Starting with 2015 model year, OnStar has become a standard feature on Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac automobiles, and that includes a five-year OnStar Basic Plan, which has RemoteLink Key Fob Services that allows remote start/unlock/horn honk on your vehicle, OnStar Vehicle Diagnostic, and Dealer Maintenance Notification.
There is also a three-month complimentary Guidance Plan, which includes Automatic Crash Response, Stolen Vehicle Assistance, Roadside Assistance, Turn-by-Turn navigation, and more.
There was only a small open storage space in the front, just above the six-speed auto transmission gear shifter, with no additional storage between the front seats. In addition, the seat armrest was narrow and not of particularly great sturdiness. These were the only perceived issues I had with the vehicle.
Trax Premier has a good set of safety and security features for a car with a $26,000 MSRP. Examples are a rear-vision camera, Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Rear Park Assist, Forward Collision Alert, and Lane Departure Warning. The 10-airbags security system includes a driver front-knee and front-passenger airbags.
It was easy for me to just sit back and enjoy the soft-touch features while admiring the comfort and sophistication of the Trax. Everything was easy to find and access when needed.
The Trax has turbocharged performance. You can pass and pull ahead easily with the standard 1.4 L ECOTEC turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which delivers 138 horsepower at 4,900 rpm and 148 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,850 rpm.
The default drivetrain is FWD, but AWD is available. Opting for AWD adds about $1,500 to the bottom line and has an EPA estimate mileage of 24 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, down slightly from 25/33 for FWD.
In the NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings system, the 2017 Trax scored a 5-star rating for Overall Rating, Frontal Crash, and Side Crash. However, it only received a 4-star rating for Rollover.
The Trax handles well in a crowd, and the city or fast-growing suburb would be the perfect place to play. Of course, driving on an occasional rainy day along a narrow mountain road, or down a narrow lonely highway, could be fun as well. The mileage is good, the comfort is good, and the technology is splendid. And the price, well, that is even better.
Warranty
3-year/36,000-mile Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty
5-year/60,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty
5-year/60,000-mile Road Assistance and Courtesy Transport
Durhl Caussey writes a car column read around the world. He may be reached at this newspaper or at [email protected]
