2024 Chevrolet Trax Gets More Car-Like, Better Overall

When opening the first embargoed images of the new-for-2024 Chevrolet Trax on my PC, a thought entered my head almost immediately.

“Holy geez” I thought.

“This thing’s a looker!”

Chevy’s smallest SUV offering gets a total overhaul for model-year 2024, complete with an angular new Blazer-inspired look that concentrates a boatload of styling touches into a compact package for a concentrated visual punch. The new Trax sits a full 4 inches lower than the outgoing model, giving the machine an all-new profile and stance that contributes to a compact-but-muscular look.

Slim headlights, bold character lines, expressive wheels available from 17 to 19 inches diameter, and an athletic tail give the Trax a look that rewards closer inspection from virtually any angle. That’s a rare thing in an entry-level crossover.

Affordable crossover models are, after all, big business. With Chevrolet’s goal of being a ‘high volume player’ in all market segments from affordable to exotic, the incoming new Trax serves up a look that’s sure to stir pride of ownership amongst shoppers, many of whom will choose it as their first vehicle. In fact, Chevrolet says that key customer demographics for the new Trax include empty nesters and first-time car buyers.

On board, the angular, modern and daring look carries on.

Glossy and metallic finishes are flaunted in all directions, with an athletic steering wheel, generous deployment of accent stitching and no shortage of modern displays including both a digital instrument cluster and central touch-screen of either 8 or 11 inches, measured diagonally.

Prominent round air vents on either end of the forward dash work with a strong horizontal linework to visually widen the cabin from behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel, complete with sporty thumb notches.

Chevrolet says the new Trax is larger, roomier, offers more content, more safety, and delivers higher performance than the outgoing unit. The wheelbase expands by nearly 6 inches, overall length grows by 11 inches, and the new machine is a full 2 inches wider than the current Trax. All said, shoppers upgrading from an earlier unit can expect 3 inches more rear-seat legroom and 12 percent more cargo capacity.

Pricing starts at $21,495, for which shoppers get a higher level of standard and available feature content.

Though largely based on the platform of the previous Trax, the South-Korean built crossover features a multitude of optimizations to materials and components that intend to turn in an improved ride and performance. From that basis, shoppers can select between 5 trim levels (Chevrolet calls these ‘personalities’), including the LS, 1RS, LT, 2RS and ACTIV. Each Trax grade offers a different design and content approach, says Chevrolet, as shoppers seek both brand familiarity with styling, but also, uniqueness across the various trim grades.

Under the hood, it’s a 1.2 litre inline-three turbo engine, rated at an estimated 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft of torque. The latter figure is the all-important number for moving a heavy object (like a crossover) and GM’s engineers say that shoppers can expect surprising low-rev torque for responsive performance. There should be a roughly 1-second improvement in 0-60 mph figures, despite the incoming Trax’s larger size.

The engine is teamed up with a 6-speed automatic, selected instead of a 9 or 10-speed unit for its lower weight and cost. The entire powertrain team is tuned to make use of the engine’s high torque output, which helps negate the need for a transmission with more gears.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax is available solely in front-wheel drive. Serving as a gateway to the brand, Chevrolet says the Trax shopper wants the practicality of a sedan, but the versatility and space of an SUV. In the currently-available Trax, only about 30 percent of shoppers choose AWD.

When it goes on sale this coming spring, the 2024 Trax will slot in just beneath the Chevrolet Trailblazer in the product lineup. Compared to the Trax, the larger and taller Trailblazer caters to a shopper after an SUV, and offers available AWD.

Feature content for the 2024 Trax includes a space-saving electronic parking brake, heated seats and steering wheel, remote start, sunroof, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, and LED technology headlamps. Four wheel disc brakes are included, as is Active Noise Cancellation—a feature from other up-market models that electronically mitigates unwanted noise from the driving experience in real time. Adaptive Cruise Control is available for the first time in the Trax, too.

Presently, cold weather testing and validation of the 2024 Chevrolet Trax are ongoing at GM’s Kapuskasing Ontario cold-weather testing facility, with no delays anticipated.

Pricing for the Trax LS starts at $21,945, with the 1RS opening the bidding at $23,195. The Trax LT comes in from $23,395, and both the 2RS and ACTIV variants have a price of $24,995. It’s always nice to have choices.

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