Used 2018 Chevrolet Trax Premier SUV Review

The Chevrolet Trax originally debuted in the United States for the 2015 model year. At the time, we noted that it was "an affordable suburban runabout that's easy to drive, easy to park and has up-to-date technology features" but followed that with "it's not quick, though, and its interior materials are far from best in class." Three years on, the 2018 Chevrolet Trax is still easy to drive, but Chevy has addressed only part of our concerns.

Last year, Chevy gave the Trax a face-lift both outside and in and added more technology, but the underlying mechanicals weren't changed. So in spite of the improvements, the 2018 Trax's ride quality, performance and fuel efficiency all lag behind the rest of the class. After all, the Trax's biggest competitors have all either been completely redesigned or introduced fresh in the intervening years.

Still, there's no denying the Trax is priced competitively and offers appealing features such as Chevy's MyLink infotainment system as standard equipment. The interior is smartly designed to take advantage of the available space, and the seats are comfortable. Visibility is also quite good. The Trax certainly has its strengths, but its weaknesses make it hard for us to recommend.

As such, more recent competitors bring a lot to the table and are worth a look. The sporty Mazda CX-3 provides an engaging driving experience, while the Honda HR-V is surprisingly roomy and versatile. Buyers looking for a little more ruggedness might try the Jeep Renegade or the go-anywhere Subaru Crosstrek, which also offers a comprehensive suite of driver aids and active safety features.

The 2018 Chevy Trax is available in three trim levels: LS, LT and Premier. The base LS trim has enough standard equipment not to feel stripped down, but the LT adds more practical features and has access to several options packages. The Premier trim not only gets interior upgrades, it also has added active safety features.

All three trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine (138 hp, 148 ft-lb of torque). Also standard is a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional. Front-wheel-drive models have front disc brakes and drum brakes in the rear, and all-wheel-drive models get disc brakes at all four corners.

The base Trax LS comes with 16-inch steel wheels (alloys if you upgrade to all-wheel drive), power-adjustable manual-folding side mirrors, keyless entry and a rearview camera. Inside you'll find a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, air-conditioning, OnStar communications (with a 4G LTE connection and a Wi-Fi hotpsot), Chevy's MyLink infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen interface, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, two USB ports and a six-speaker sound system.

Moving up to the LT gets you roof rails, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, heated mirrors, remote vehicle start, cruise control and a storage drawer under the passenger seat. The infotainment system receives satellite radio, and a 110-volt outlet is added for the backseat area.

There are four major packages for the Trax LT. The LT Convenience package adds premium cloth upholstery (with simulated leather inserts), a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless ignition and entry, and a six-way power-adjustable driver seat. The Driver Confidence package includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors. Opting for the Sun and Sound package gets you a six-speaker Bose stereo system and a sunroof.

New for the 2018 Trax LT is the Redline Edition, an appearance package that adds black body accents and 18-inch alloy wheels painted black with, surprise surprise, a red line around the circumference.

The top-tier Premier trim comes with all of the LT's packages (aside from the Redline Edition), as well as foglights, 18-inch wheels, full simulated leather upholstery and heated front seats. It also gets extra active safety features: forward collision alert and lane departure warning. The only options package for the Premier is the Midnight Edition, which, more surprises, comes with black paint and black interior and exterior trim pieces.