And The Chevrolet Trax Makes Three..: Comments

[William Maley]

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At last, we finally know the last showing from Chevrolet for the New York Auto Show and it's the announcement of the Trax coming to the U.S. early next year.

Now the Trax has been on sale in other countries for the past couple of years, and some were clamoring GM to sell it here. We're guessing that the success of the Buick Encore and the growing marketplace of subcompact SUVs made GM reconsider this.

“Trax offers customers another option in the Chevrolet family and will be a strong competitor in the emerging small-SUV market, which is expected to grow more than 80 percent by 2016. Trax also leverages our global resources and builds on Chevrolet’s strong SUV heritage,” said Alan Batey, General Motors senior vice president for Global Chevrolet.

The U.S. model will feature the 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder and have front-wheel drive standard. All-wheel drive will be on the options list. Other items to take note are the availability of OnStar 4G LTE and and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.

Source: Chevrolet

Press Release is on Page 2

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Chevrolet Adds Trax to Growing Small-Vehicle Lineup

• Global small SUV arrives stateside, offering versatility, connectivity and efficiency
  

NEW YORK – At the New York International Auto Show today, Chevrolet announced it will add the Trax, a new small SUV, to its portfolio. The 2015 Trax will offer versatility, connectivity and turbocharged performance in an efficient package.

Sporty and modern, Trax blends small-car agility with the utility of an SUV, including up to 48.4 cubic feet (1,371 liters) of cargo space. It’s Chevrolet’s seventh small-vehicle launch in less than four years. During that time, the brand’s share of the small-, compact- and mini-car segments has more than tripled – up 221 percent.

“Trax offers customers another option in the Chevrolet family and will be a strong competitor in the emerging small-SUV market, which is expected to grow more than 80 percent by 2016,” said Alan Batey, General Motors senior vice president, Global Chevrolet. “Trax also leverages our global resources and builds on Chevrolet’s strong SUV heritage.”

When it arrives in dealer showrooms early next year, Trax will accommodate customers’ increasingly connected lifestyles with available OnStar 4G LTE and built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, as well as MyLink technology featuring the segment’s only seven-inch color touch screen. Trax also will be the first in its class to offer Siri Eyes Free.

Trax technologies also enhance passenger safety, with more standard air bags than its competitors, a standard rearview camera and available rear park assist.

Additional vehicle highlights include:

• Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine that delivers the efficiency of a small-displacement engine with the power of a larger engine on demand
  
• Available all-wheel drive
  
• Electric power steering
  
• Available next-generation OnStar and MyLink
  
• Ten standard air bags, including side-curtain and knee air bags – and the segment’s only rear seat-mounted thorax air bags
  
• Clever and convenient storage areas, including upper and lower glove boxes – with a USB port and auxiliary jack in the upper glove box for plug-in media
  
• 60/40-split fold-flat rear seat and fold-down front passenger seatback for storing and transporting items up to eight feet long
  
• Standard remote keyless entry and available remote start.
  

Trax will be offered in LS, LT and LTZ trims. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production.

A Chevy inside and out

With its signature dual-port grille, prominent bowtie emblem and swept headlamps, the Trax is immediately identifiable as a contemporary Chevrolet. Its grille design – with chrome accents – emulates other Chevrolets and provides a more cohesive appearance across the brand’s lineup of crossovers and small cars.

Available cues such as front fog lamps and simulated front and rear skid plates lend a sportier presence, while vertical tail lamps flank the tailgate, accenting taught body lines and pronounced wheel arches that give the Trax a confident stance.

The 10 exterior are: Brilliant Blue Metallic, Orange Rock Metallic, Satin Steel Metallic, White Pearl Tricoat, Black Granite Metallic, Summit White, Silver Ice Metallic, Ruby Red Metallic, Deep Espresso Metallic and Blaze Red.

Inside, Trax’s distinctive styling carries over to a dual-cockpit instrument panel. In the center, it houses a seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color display for the standard MyLink voice-activated infotainment system. It also features displays for available SiriusXM satellite radio and standard rearview camera, as well as the available GPS-enabled app navigation system that customers can download.

The instrument cluster is inspired by the bold design in the Sonic, featuring a large, performance-style analog tachometer combined with a prominent digital display for the speedometer and other readouts. A small-diameter, thick-rimmed steering wheel enhances the sporty ambience. The wheel is leather-wrapped on LTZ and some LT models.

LS models feature standard cloth seating, with deluxe cloth standard on LT, along with an available cloth/leatherette seating trim. LTZ models feature standard full leatherette trim. Interior colors are Jet Black, Jet Black/Light Titanium and Jet Black/Brownstone.

For versatility, the 60/40 flat-folding rear seat features a fold-down armrest with cup holders, storage in all four doors, four bins in the dash, pockets in the seatbacks and bins under the rear load floor and a hidden storage drawer under the front passenger seat. It also offers 18.7 cubic feet (530 liters) of storage behind the split-folding rear seat and 48.4 cubic feet (1,371 liters) with the rear seat folded. The front passenger seat also folds flat to extend the cargo length and accommodate items up to eight feet long.

Connectivity and infotainment details

Available Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users enhances connectivity and convenience. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity so customers can keep phones stored and their hands on the wheel.

Additional standard and available features include:

• Seven-inch-diagonal color touch screen and additional USB ports
  
• Available Chevrolet connected by OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot
  
• Available next-generation OnStar and MyLink
  
• Available BringGo navigation app
  
• Available SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with three months of trial service), SiriusXM Travel Link and SiriusXM Tune Select (requires XM subscription)
  

· Supports playback of MP3 files stored on USB flash memory drives.

With Chevrolet’s connected by OnStar 4G LTE connection, Trax provides an available Wi-Fi hotspot that allows passengers to connect multiple personal devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets, to high-speed wireless Internet.

Turbocharged performance

Trax is powered by a power-dense Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine backed by an efficiency-enhancing six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is expected to be rated at an SAE-certified 138 horsepower (102 kW) and 148 lb-ft of torque (200 Nm) between 1,850 and 4,900 rpm.

The wide rpm range for the maximum torque – a specific trait of turbocharged engines – helps it deliver a more confident driving experience, with a strong feeling of power across the rpm band. The turbocharger’s on-demand performance also contributes to efficiency because it enables greater power when needed with the lower fuel consumption of a small-displacement engine when it’s not.

The turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold, for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility. A solid cast crankshaft and forged connecting rods deliver additional durability to support the engine’s pressurized power and torque.

A Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic transmission with TAPShift control is matched with the 1.4L turbo engine. It has a unique design, with the planetary gearsets positioned on the same axis as the engine crankshaft centerline, making the entire powertrain unit shorter fore-to-aft. This design enables a shorter overall vehicle length, increased interior space, enhanced safety crush zones and lower weight.

A “steep” first gear and a “tall” overdrive top gear to achieve a wide ratio spread of 6.14:1. This allows Trax to achieve robust acceleration, as well as fuel efficiency and lower engine noise at highway cruising speeds.

Refined ride and handling

Trax is built on a robust global platform and engineered with precise suspension tuning to deliver one of the segment’s quietest and most refined driving experiences. Available all-wheel drive seamlessly shifts power to the rear wheels when required for better traction and handling.

A 100.6-inch (2,555 mm) wheelbase and wide stance – 60.6-inch (1,539 mm) front and rear tracks – contribute to a confident driving experience, while a strong structure enables greater suspension precision and a quiet ride.

A MacPherson strut front suspension is used with coil springs, a large stabilizer bar and side-load-compensated front strut modules.

The rear suspension incorporates a compound crank (torsion beam) design, with a double-wall, tubular V-shape beam profile with gas-charged twin-tube shocks. It combines all the advantages of a conventional torsion beam axle, including minimal space requirements, with low weight and consistent camber control. Noise-damping urethane spring isolators improve ride isolation and dampen noise.

Trax also features a column-mounted, variable-effort electric power steering system that saves fuel compared to a conventional engine-driven power steering pump.

Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on LS and LT (aluminum wheels on LT). LTZ has standard 18-inch aluminum wheels.

Built to protect

Trax incorporates technologies that help avoid crashes and protect occupants in case one occurs. Crash-avoidance technologies include:

• Standard rearview camera
  
• Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control, incorporating traction control and rollover mitigation features
  
• ABS and electronic brake force distribution
  
• Cornering brake control and brake assist
  

The body structure forms a protective cage around the passenger compartment, with 66 percent of the structure composed of high-strength steels, including ultra-high-strength steel. That structural protection is complemented with 10 standard air bags:

• Driver and front passenger frontal air bags
  
• Driver and front passenger knee air bags
  
• Front and rear thorax air bags for all outboard positions – including the segment’s only rear-seat-mounted thorax air bags
  
• Side curtain air bags for front and rear outboard passengers.
  

Trax’s safety and security features also include exclusive OnStar technology with Advanced Crash Response System, emergency assistance and more.

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[ocnblu]

THIS.IS.AWESOME.NEWS!

[regfootball]

I think to many on here, ths has been a no brainer but to me the new threats kicked Chevy to action, HR-V especially.

Grille and cheap interior are already dated now, but this should last a couple years on the market here.

I always knew when I was trying to convince customers to buy those SX4's, that the compact/sub size Cuv's would explode some day. I'd rather see Chevy on the leading edge of this.

[Drew Dowdell]

... I hauled myself to NYC for this??? a car that's been running around Canada for 1.5 years, a mildly refreshed Cruze, a hardly refreshed Jetta, a chopped top Corvette...

and a new Mini-van.

[William Maley]

... I hauled myself to NYC for this??? a car that's been running around Canada for 1.5 years, a mildly refreshed Cruze, a hardly refreshed Jetta, a chopped top Corvette...

and a new Mini-van.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW!

[Drew Dowdell]

I just didn't know how valuable these pictures of a Chevy Trax were back in January when I drove our Encore to Detroit....

[Robert Hall]

I saw a white Trax a few weeks ago..look pretty good for a mini ute. I wonder if Ford will now bring the Ecosport or B-Max here.

[Drew Dowdell]

My guess is that there is going to be a mad dash to get competitors to the GM cousins to market.

[William Maley]

My guess is that there is going to be a mad dash to get competitors to the GM cousins to market.

Well there is the Jeep Renegade and Honda's which is rumored to be named HR-V.. I would not be surprised if we see more announcements/rumors in the coming months.

[Drew Dowdell]

Does the Nissan Juke count or is it too niche? I guess technically it would be the first, but it is too small to be all that useful... at least we can fit adults in the back of our Encore.

[Robert Hall]

Does the Nissan Juke count or is it too niche? I guess technically it would be the first, but it is too small to be all that useful... at least we can fit adults in the back of our Encore.

I'd consider the Juke in this niche, along w/ the Soul...how about the 500L and Countryman? Or are they too big. .

Edited April 16, 2014 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[regfootball]

Depending on price, many folks would look at the trax instead of a sonic hatch....

Small Cuv's will flourish compared to small sedans and hatches because of the seating comfort and headroom factors

[daves87rs]

Just drove the encore a few weeks ago....have to say i really like it.

Plan was if I stay GM that I'd end up with a cruze. Have to see about the Trax, but I'm really considering it now....

[regfootball]

they should give it the diesel option too

[ocnblu]

Well, my plans are scrambled again. I took a test drive of an Encore back when they first came out and liked it... always felt the Trax fit my personality better than the Buick. Never thought they'd sell it here. I see at Chevy's site there have been some updates to it. The grille is now thin horizontal bars of chrome (at least on the LTZs in the CGIs), and I believe the Sonic-style instrument cluster and some of the silly infotainment features are new v. the non-US version.

I do like the black/brown interior color, but wonder how it would look in a bright blue LTZ. Maybe the gray and black interior would mesh better? I hope the price is agreeable for the AWD LTZ... since it has a full leatherette interior v. leather, etc.

Drew, how's the real-world fuel mileage on your Encore?

So now I have several munts to stew on 2 possible replacements for the TDi... Colorado extended 4X4 or Trax LTZ... both have good points and bad points.

[Drew Dowdell]

Highway we typically see 33, suburban/city is about 25.

[G. David Felt]

Since most of us wondered why GM did not offer this sooner for Chevy as a notch below the Encore. I wonder if it is because they wanted to maximize sales of the encore knowing that if they brought out the chevy, there would be people who would ignore Buick for Chevy due to old age stigma?

[ZL-1]

Great! Just hope the price difference to the Buick is justified content-wise.

[Drew Dowdell]

I think it was because they couldn't build them fast enough for all of the markets they are selling in.

[Z-06]

A 95% product. Not bad, but not ground breaking.

[Drew Dowdell]

Updated with shots from the show floor.

I will be interested in pricing. The Chevy prices it right, they could have a hit, but if it is too close to the base Encore in price, they may struggle to move them. There is a material difference in interior quality compared to the Encore, it feels very plasticy, the HVAC controls are manual/cable operated, the wheels are noticeably smaller.

[G. David Felt]

Interesting comparison of the dashes.

[G. David Felt]

Exterior Comparison

[smk4565]

It looks a little goofy, but I think it is proportions you get with a really short overall length. The interior does look sort of cheap, but if the price is cheap, that won't be a problem. If the Nissan Cube and Scion Box are the competition, they should do fine, although the Kia Soul is a dominating force in the small box segment.

[Drew Dowdell]

None of those have AWD though. The Jeep Renegade is the next logical comparison I can make at this point.

[ocnblu]

Drew, the blue one in your gallery does look like it has tiny wheels... the 16 inchers... but the gray LTZ has the 18s, they look much more proportional. I like the gray with the black/brown interior, but I didn't see a gray at Chevy's site... all I see there is Carbon Black and (I believe it's called) Satin Steel, which is on the Encore with a different name. Do you know if that LTZ in your gallery is Satin Steel? I might be fooled by the lighting. Also, in all of your pictures, I don't see an 8-track player in the dash. Weird.

Dragon Green (new Sonic color) would be cool on the Trax!

Edited April 17, 2014 by ocnblu

[Drew Dowdell]

Nope, no CD that I found.

[ocnblu]

The newest Kia Soul has a very nice interior, even in base trim, but it doesn't give me an SUV vibe ( ) like the Trax, nor does it appear to sit as high... and then there's the FWD-only handicap. The Trax will please all those diehard Tracker people, plus a whole slew of normal folks, too.

[Guest silver dawn]

juke is on the top ten ugliest cars ever made.

[dez97]

To be quite honest I'm not really that impressed...I figured something like this..everyone did. However they really could have done better.