When we look at cars that are on the market today, only two of them cost under $20,000, the Mitsubishi Mirage & Nissan Versa. However, since for some odd reason, Americans favor high-riding hatchback over sedans, the average starting price of a new sub-compact crossover is $24,000. The 2024 Chevrolet Trax on the other hand has a different agenda with its starting price of $21,495.  

Over the course of the last few years, crossovers like the Toyota C-HR and Honda HR-V carried a certain style that the younger generation came to enjoy. The C-HR for example was funky with its alien style door handles. The HR-V was cute, with a futuristic interior that could fold away hiding all the seats. But now, the Toyota C-HR has been discontinued and the Honda HR-V has gone a more serious direction with a premium price tag attached to it, the Chevrolet Trax is coming in strong with an appealing cute style and a laundry list of cool equipment. 

We like the way the new Trax looks. Having been completely redesigned from its previous generation, it no longer looks like a cheap rental we would find at the back of the Hertz parking lot. Oddly enough, the Trax is bigger than its sibling Trailblazer that carries a $3,000 premium over the Trax. But unlike the Trax that comes in front-wheel drive only, the Trailblazer can be optioned to have all-wheel drive. Maxed on its pricing and options list, our sampled Trax in its Activ trim option settled on a reasonable $26,935 having all the right equipment in all the right places.  

For its price, there is plenty to be swooned over. The fully digital instrument cluster and 11-inch infotainment screen carries a crisp display and wireless phone pairing. Granted, customization of this display is limited… limited to well, none. However, the interior is handsomely outfitted with faux leather material over the seats, attractive use of contrasting materials and a comfortable overall setting. Circling back to its price the Trax was outfitted with premium features like a power driver seat, heated driver & passenger seats and automatic climate control.  

We see where Chevrolet cut some costs, not all are bad. The rear seat for example is not idealistic for full-size adults as the thigh support isn’t the best and some of the nicer finishes don’t extend onto the rear door panels. There are also no rear air vents but at least there are two charging ports to keep the passengers on their device and distracted from any discomfort. Unfortunately, there were some cost cuttings we did find rather annoying. The lane-keep assist system isn’t as active as one would hope. The adaptive cruise control isn’t nearly as fluid as some of its competitors. The sun visors, when flipped to the side doesn’t extend, so prepare to be blinded and if you plan to use the visor mirror, there is no illumination – something that the female companion in the passenger seat wasn’t too fond off before getting out of the car to go to dinner.  

We have to remember that since the Trax caters to those on a small budget, it is not exactly going to be the quickest vehicle in its segment. However, boosted with a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, there is a little rascal hiding underneath its hood. It may only carry 137-horsepower with 162 lbs-ft of torque but paired with its 6-speed automatic transmission it becomes a lively little go-getter. It takes roughly 8.5-seconds to achieve 60-mph which is surprisingly quicker than some of its competitors. And even though the transmission may give a hooliganism jolt under rough acceleration, we are ecstatic that Chevrolet went in a more conventional route rather than following suit of its competitors with a not-so-pleasant single-gear transmission.  

Under its quirky body panels, there is a respectable chassis. The steering is tuned nicely with relatively decent responsiveness and the suspension returns a modest, comfortable ride quality. Get a little aggressive in the driving and one might find a little lean in the corners with some slight tire squeals; however, should that be your driving style, perhaps looking at the Trax 2RS would meet your driving fancy, just be prepared to lose some ride quality comforts from the larger 19-inch wheels.  

For a front-wheel drive only vehicle, the Trax sure is thirsty. Even though the MPG is rated at 28-city, 32-highway, and 30-combined, we barely touched the 28-mpg mark during our week behind the wheel. And with a limited range of just 300-miles, you’ll be stopping for fuel more frequently. But don’t let that deter you from this fun driving little scamp. For those not needing all-wheel drive, the Trax is a delightful offering that keeps things cheap and cheerful with a competitive edge.