2022 Chevrolet Trax Road Test and Review

2017 Chevrolet Trax ・ Photo by Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban are dominant players in the full-size SUV segment. But when it comes to the subcompact crossover SUV landscape, the players are more numerous, and Chevy’s role is a bit less clear. The brand works the small SUV segment from the ends with the Chevrolet Trailblazer as one of the larger entrants in the segment, while the Chevrolet Trax competes against smaller vehicles like the Ford EcoSport. At just over 167 inches long, the Trax is five inches shorter than the Chevrolet Trailblazer and about the same length as the Ford EcoSport. The Kia Seltos is a little less than five inches longer than the Trax. Over the past few years, small SUVs like the Trax are becoming more popular because they offer some of the advantages of larger crossover SUVs like a taller driving position. For 2022, the Chevrolet Trax features a new, more powerful engine. Here is our 2022 Chevrolet Trax Road Test & Review. 

Powertrain

While the Trax's body and chassis has been with us for years, the big change in 2022 is the introduction of a more powerful engine. It has the same 1.4-liter displacement as the previous powerplant, but the dual overhead cam direct-injection turbocharged engine now delivers 155 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of peak torque. That means horsepower is up 12%, and torque is up 20% versus the previous powertrain, delivering serious drivability improvements. The newfound power is channeled to either the front wheels or all four wheels by an electronically controlled six-speed automatic transmission. Many competitors in this class use continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), so for some drivers the presence of a conventional automatic is a plus. Drivability with the six-speed automatic is good, and fuel economy doesn’t appear to suffer, although it is hard not to speculate about the fuel economy the Trax would turn in with a CVT. 

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Driving Impressions

Unlike traditional full-size SUVs, the Trax uses car-like unibody construction. Its short length and tall height give the Trax’s driver a very good view of the road. At the same time, the driver gets an excellent sense of where all four corners of the vehicle are, making it easy to park. While the Trax will take you into the wilderness when you want to go there, its sweetspot is an urban setting. It is especially handy in city driving because it can slide into small openings and squeeze into very tight parking spots. Depending upon the pavement surface, the ride can be a bit choppy because of the Trax's short wheelbase, but it’s not at all uncomfortable. The Trax’s ride is engineered to deliver comfort versus performance handling, and that’s what most buyers in the segment want. With the additional horsepower of the revised engine, the Trax offers good acceleration and reasonable passing power with just a hint of turbo lag. The available all-wheel drive doesn’t alter the overall feel of the vehicle, but it does come in handy in inclement weather. 

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Interior Design

The Chevy Trax is sold in multiple markets around the world, including markets where it’s far from the smallest SUV on the road. So the interior design has some international flair that lifts it out of “transportation car” blandness. The front seats aren’t exceptionally wide, but they are comfortable. An unusual feature is a storage drawer under the front passenger seat. A convenience package on the top-level LT trim includes a driver’s seat with six-way power adjustment. The option package also includes keyless open, keyless start, and leather-wrapped steering wheel. A premium seat package on the LT features leatherette seat trim and heated front seats. The infotainment screen is placed high in the middle of the dashboard, right above clearly marked knobs that control heating and air conditioning. The climate control system is manual, but the driver and front passenger are literally inches from the controls. The instrument cluster is topped with a curved sunshield and is situated right in front of the driver. Standard 60/40 folding seats in the second row are a bit tight for three passengers, but they can be arranged in a number of ways to facilitate cargo-hauling; the Trax is an SUV after all.

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Infotainment &Technology

For a small vehicle with a modest price tag, the infotainment in the Chevrolet Trax is pretty impressive. It relies on the straightforward Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system, and it is controlled by a 7-inch diagonal color touchscreen. Simple buttons and a single knob under the screen make scrolling through the info easy. Bluetooth audio streaming is available for two active devices, and the system is compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not supported, but the system has two easy-to-access USB ports and an auxiliary input jack. An integral navigation system isn’t available, but the tech-savvy buyers of the Trax are likely to use their smartphone navigation systems anyway. The base audio system has six speakers.

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Exterior Style

Some small SUVs use their exterior styling to get attention. We like the fact that the Chevy Trax doesn’t go that route. Instead, its conservatively handsome good looks have been pleasing customers for years. There is no mistaking the Trax is a Chevrolet because it features bold “bowties” front and rear. The overall design is restrained and clean. For buyers who want to add a little more zing to the exterior, Chevrolet offers Sport, Redline and Midnight Edition appearance packages, and they add significant eye appeal with special wheels and tires plus trim. An easy-to-open rear hatch enables ready access to the large cargo compartment. Ground clearance is over six inches, but it is likely most Trax drivers will never consider going off road.

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Cargo & Towing

Several vehicles in the segment offer more cargo room than the Trax, but the interior of the vehicle offers a variety of passenger and cargo configurations. In comparison to many small sedans and hatchbacks, the Trax will tote more of your stuff. With the rear setback folded it offers 48.4 cubic feet of cargo room versus the nearly 54.4 cubic feet of its Trailblazer cousin. The Ford EcoSport offers a total of 50 cubic feet of storage, while the Kia Seltos offers 62.8 cubic feet. With the rear bench in use, the Trax has is still 18.7 cubic feet of storage space. That’s compared to 20.9 cubic feet in the Ford EcoSport and 26.6 cubic feet in the Kia Seltos. The bottomline is, you can stuff a lot into these small crossover suvs, but don’t try to tow with them. Their towing capacity is very limited. 

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Safety & Driver Aids

Despite the fact that the Chevy Trax is a pretty basic vehicle, it can be equipped with a number of sophisticated safety features. On the active safety front, to get the highest level of safety equipment, you need to buy the LT trim level. The Trax Driver Confidence Package available on LT trims includes blind zone alert, rear cross-traffic alert and rear park assist. But the Driver Confidence II Package that included forward collision alert and lane departure warning disappeared when Chevy eliminated the Premier trim. The Trax has 10 standard air bags, including side-curtain, knee, and rear seat-mounted thorax air bags. A rear-vision camera system and electronic stability control with full-function traction control are also standard across the Trax line. 

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Fuel Economy

In front-drive form, the Chevrolet Trax gets an EPA-certified 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. In all-wheel-drive form, the ratings diminish to 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. In comparison, the 2022 Chevrolet TrailBlazer with its lower-horsepower engine gets 29 mpg city/31 mpg highway. The 2022 Kia Seltos is rated at 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway. So the Chevy Trax isn’t quite as frugal as some other vehicles in the segment, but it still sips gas compared to larger SUVs.

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Trim Levels

For the 2022 model year, the Chevrolet Trax is available in two trim levels — LS and LT. The LS version has a fairly rich mix of standard features, including power door locks, remote keyless entry, and Wi-Fi hotspot. The LT trim offers a wide variety of luxury and convenience features. It also allows you to choose from the optional Sport, Redline, and Midnight Edition special appearance packages. The Sport Edition includes 18-inch gloss black aluminum wheels with all-season tires, black bowtie emblems, and front and rear black skid plates. The Redline includes 18-inch black wheels with red accent stripe and a collection of black trim pieces. The Midnight Edition features a special black metallic exterior color, 18-inch gloss black aluminum wheels, and black front and rear skid plates. Both Chevy Trax trim levels are available in either front- or all-wheel drive. 

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Pricing & Value

As you might expect, pricing for the Chevrolet Trax follows the brand’s well-known trim levels, although in this case, there are just two. The LS trim is the price-leader with an MSRP of about $22,600 plus a destination charge. The more well-equipped LT starts at about $24,400 plus a destination fee. With all-wheel drive, the LT’s MSRP jumps to slightly over $25,000. The Driver Confidence Package available on the LT includes blindspot alert, rear cross traffic alert, and rear park assist.

The Chevrolet Trax isn’t the newest vehicle in the growing segment, and it doesn't have all the features that some of its competitors offer. But it has been offering its customers solid value for years, and we expect this year to do the same.

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