Chevrolet Trax: new subcompact crossover

H

haven

Expedition Leader
Today's compact crossovers are a sales phenomenon. Vehicles like Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Jeep Cherokee, Ford Escape (and many more) are among the best-selling cars in USA. All offer AWD as standard (Subaru) or as an option.

Auto manufacturers hope to repeat this sales success in the subcompact crossover class. Examples available today include Mini Countryman, Nissan Juke, and Buick Encore. The new Jeep Renegade is coming this Fall. On the horizon are subcompact crossovers from Fiat (500X), Honda (HR-V, based on the Fit) Kia (Soul) and Hyundai (Intrado concept). Mercedes, VW and BMW are also working in this area, but may not import the vehicles to USA.

GM is doubling down by removing content from the well-equipped Buick Encore and offering the vehicle as the Chevrolet Trax. The Trax will appear in showrooms next Winter. http://www.chevrolet.com/trax-small-suv.htmll



The Trek pricing will start at $21,000 when the vehicle appears at dealers. That's about $4000 less than the base Encore. Standard is a 1.4L turbocharged four cylinder engine, a 6 speed automatic transmission and front wheel drive. The EPA estimates are 26 city, 34 highway mpg, which is competitive in this class.

AWD will cost $1500 extra. Many of the Encore's luxury and convenience features are available as options on the Trax.
 
H

haven

Expedition Leader
I think the Trax is sold in Canada and other parts of the world in the configuration you describe.
 
W

WagoneerSX4

Adventurer
I wish this market had variants that were more off-road (softroad) capable. The only one that even tries to market to people that will venture off the beaten path is the renegade with the trailhawk version. All of the others have no more ground clearance than any other car on the road, offer no OEM underbody protection, no fancy AWD (just full FWD until power is needed at the rear).

Maybe if the renegade was priced correctly (the trailhawk package prices itself WAY out of the segment), I would be interested in it, but I have no intentions on trading in my SX4 for anything on the market or even anything that's coming out in the next few years. Nothing has the ground clearance (and don't be a sucker for manufacturers rated ground clearance, I'm talking actual ground clearance) or the right AWD system for me. Not to mention most of the new subcompacts don't offer a manual with AWD. That's a dealbreaker for me.
 
Dr.Grand

Dr.Grand

Learning as I go
Never been a fan of GM products, and this one is no exception. It just looks cheap in my opinion. And the all wheel drive system will probably be rubbish for any form of expedition travel. Aftermarket won't be very supportive, etc. In my opinion it will be like a smaller Equinox. Ever heard of a lift kit for those? Me neither.
 
H

haven

Expedition Leader
"Rubbish for any type of expedition"

I suppose this this applies to most all of the subcompact crossover class. You won't choose one of these vehicles to drive across Antarctica or to blaze a new route through trackless Indonesian rainforest. However, I expect these vehicles to be used for all sorts of dirt road type adventures. The owners will have a ball dealing with "manageable trouble," in Joaquin Suave's terms.

For examples of subcompact vehicles being used for off-pavement fun go to Youtube and search for "Mongol Rally" or "Fiat Panda"
 
I

ihatemybike

Explorer
Dear GM,
The Trax is fine for most of your US market, but a segment of the car buying populace wants something a bit more capable. You already have a fine vehicle in production, hopefully it wouldn't take too much to make it US compliant.

We would like, the Niva. You don't even have to change the name.

big_93732.jpg


Thanks,
People that use trucks as trucks.
 
M

mapper

Explorer
haven said:
"Rubbish for any type of expedition"

I suppose this this applies to most all of the subcompact crossover class. You won't choose one of these vehicles to drive across Antarctica or to blaze a new route through trackless Indonesian rainforest. However, I expect these vehicles to be used for all sorts of dirt road type adventures. The owners will have a ball dealing with "manageable trouble," in Joaquin Suave's terms.

For examples of subcompact vehicles being used for off-pavement fun go to Youtube and search for "Mongol Rally" or "Fiat Panda"
Click to expand...

Or for folks wanting to take an extended journey during which snowstorms might be encountered.
 
Thirty-Nine

Thirty-Nine

Explorer
I leave the hardcore(ish) stuff to my locked 4x4 (which is also a subcompact!). I want a subcompact AWD vehicle for the aforementioned dirt road adventures, ski trips, and such. I don't need mega ground clearance, but a bit more than a Honda Civic would be nice. I'd be fine with a entry-level Trax, Renegade, 500X, or such, so long as they offered a manual trans. I have a feeling our next vehicle will likely be a non-Trailhawk Renegade. I'm sure there will be ways to get more clearance out of them and up them to the clearance of the Trailhawk.
 
B

balexander87

Observer
Dr.Grand said:
In my opinion it will be like a smaller Equinox. Ever heard of a lift kit for those? Me neither.
Click to expand...

OME makes some lift springs for the Opel Antara/Holden Captiva 5. I don't know how much the platform has changed, but the 08-09 Saturn VUE, Chevy Captiva Sport, and other vehicles were based on the same platform. There were two wheelbases. The DNA appears to remain in the current model.

I'm considering trying to source the springs and go up in tire size on my 08 VUE with AWD, primarily because it's something few people think can be done!

I like the looks of these compact rigs, but for me, they don't have enough room inside to be practical. I already have to be pretty minimalist with the VUE!
 
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