2019 Chevy Trax Review
2019 Chevy Trax Review





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Edmunds' Expert Review

byWill Kaufman
Senior Editor and Content Strategist, CarMax
Will Kaufman has worked in the automotive industry since 2017. He has written hundreds of car-related articles and reviews over the course of his career. Will is a senior editor and content strategist for CarMax at Edmunds. Will has been featured in the Associated Press and a number of major outlets on the topics of infotainment and vehicle data, vehicle subscription services and autonomous vehicles. Will started his career in online publishing by writing and editing standardized test guides, but he has a lot more fun writing about cars.
Pros
- Offers appealing passenger space for its size
- Plenty of features for the price
Cons
- Ride quality is choppy on the freeway
- Slow acceleration from the underpowered engine
- Less cargo space than some rivals
- Fuel economy falls short for the class
What's new
- No significant changes for 2019
- Part of the first Trax generation introduced for the 2015 model year
When the Chevy Trax premiered, it was an early member of a new segment with very little competition. Things have changed, though, and for 2019 it's just another drop in the bucket. While we found the seats comfortable and the interior easy to use, we disliked the underpowered engine and the rough, noisy ride. It did recently receive some technology updates to make its infotainment and connectivity features more competitive, and it offers a good number of features for its price. However, if you carefully consider your priorities for a subcompact crossover, you're likely to find something else that better suits your needs.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Chevrolet Trax LS 4dr SUV (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.57 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$156/mo for Trax LS
Trax LS
vs
$190/mo
Avg. Compact SUV
The all-new Hyundai Kona is better to drive, as is the Mazda CX-3 that also sports an upscale interior. The Honda HR-V can deal with all sorts of cargo needs, and if you require a small, all-weather AWD runabout, the Subaru Crosstrek is very capable. Chevy certainly hit the market sooner than most competitors, but compared to the current roster of options, the Trax isn't as refined or as purposeful.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
With more and more competition in the subcompact SUV segment, the Chevy Trax stands out less and less. Its comfortable seats and practical interior are overshadowed by the choppy, noisy ride and poor engine performance. Competitors offer more practicality, better technology or a better driving experience.
Driving
Braking performance is average for the class, and steering is precise if numb. Otherwise, the Trax falls behind the segment in terms of performance and handling. The small engine struggles to accelerate, and the tires protest in even moderate turns.
Comfort
Comfortable seats are the high point. Beyond that, the Trax's ride quality exhibits quite a bit of choppiness, and there's a fair amount of road noise. Many competitors offer a better ride quality and a more pleasant driving experience.
Interior
A smart interior layout makes the most of the Trax's relatively small — but still competitive for the segment — interior space. Visibility is good, the controls are straightforward, and getting in and out is pretty easy.
Utility
Cargo volume is less than what some competitors offer, with maximum cargo space of only 48.4 cubic feet. The rear seats are at least easy to fold, and the fold-flat front seat provides extra space for longer items.
Technology
Chevy's MyLink system is easy to learn, and combined with OnStar, provides a robust set of features. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, as is Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity. Only the Premier trim gets a full suite of active safety features, but some are available on the LT.
Which Trax does Edmunds recommend?
The Trax is already a bit slow, so we'd stick with front-wheel drive unless we lived somewhere we regularly needed the extra traction of all-wheel drive. From there, we think the LT is the best choice. It adds some extra conveniences such as cruise control and roof rails, and it has more options to choose from. The Driver Confidence package adds some extra active safety features that are worth having.
2019 Chevrolet Trax models
The 2019 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 option packages. The Premier trim not only gets interior upgrades, but it also has added active safety features.
All three trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine (138 horsepower, 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), automatic headlights, power-adjustable manual-folding side mirrors, keyless entry and a rearview camera. Inside you'll find a 60/40-split folding rear seat, driver power lumbar adjustment, cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, air conditioning, OnStar communications (with a 4G LTE connection and a Wi-Fi hotspot), a Chevy 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, upgraded headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights, heated mirrors, remote vehicle start, cruise control, upgraded cloth upholstery, 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. Alloy wheels are added with front-wheel drive.
Four major packages are offered 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's 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 seven-speaker Bose stereo system and a sunroof.
Another option for the 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 18-inch wheels, foglights, full faux leather upholstery, an auto-dimming mirror and heated front seats. It's also the only trim that gets forward collision and lane departure warning systems. The only option package for the Premier is the Midnight Edition, which, more surprises, comes with black paint and black interior and exterior trim pieces.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2019 Chevrolet Trax.
5 star(54%)
4 star(10%)
3 star(8%)
2 star(5%)
1 star(23%)
39 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4 out of 5 stars
Still fits me to a tee!
Howard, 10/21/2018
2019 Chevrolet Trax LT 4dr SUV (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
This is my second Trax LT. Sure, there are still sharper, faster or more luxurious mini SUVs out there. But for its price, reliability, safety, economy, easy entry/exit and comfortable seating, the Trax fits me to a tee! My actual mixed mileage has been 35-37 consistently, over five years and 60,000 miles in all kinds of driving. Friends who ride with us in our Trax always compliment … us on it, and ask questions about our satisfaction level. I tell them our satisfaction has been surprisingly high for its price. Our Chevrolet service manager tells me the Trax has been "bullet proof" in his experience, adding "I never see one in here for a repair." Okay, at the end of my review I'll admit to being an "old guy" over seventy, so maybe I'm less critical in the areas where the Trax isn't a star performer: performance, styling and ride comfort. But the other areas I've mentioned more than take up the slack. I highly recommend the Chevrolet Trax for anyone who values safety, reliability, maneuverability and low initial cost over radical styling, performance and luxurious appointments.
5 out of 5 stars
Little SUV - but big on value
Trenda Allen, 02/14/2019
2019 Chevrolet Trax LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I love this car! The cabin noise is quiet, so I can talk without shouting during long trips. I have always had a soft spot for smaller SUVs anyway, and this is pure luxury after driving a 1992 Suzuki Sidekick 4wd. Loved the Suzuki too, but this has the bells and whistles that make it a comfortable drive, and quick to get around town.
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
Lee zenoniani, 07/28/2018
2019 Chevrolet Trax Premier 4dr SUV (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I have had the car for two years and have found the perform to be excellent. This is not s high perform car but jump up to 60 with out any effort. My mpg has been great, 30 over all and 33 on trips. Yes there is some road nois but I didn't pay 30000 either.
5 out of 5 stars
LT AWD Copper Metallic
Marie, 01/31/2019
2019 Chevrolet Trax LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I own this car. It’s a very good car for the price range and nice options since it’s the LT model. The engine could be quieter and little more powerful but it’s not a deal breaker. I don’t suggest getting the LS model just because theres not enough options. Space is great, ride is comfortable, brakes are good, pretty copper metallic paint, decent on gas mileage. Really don’t see why it’s … rated so bad.
2019 Trax Highlights
LS
Base MSRP | $21,300 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 28 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $156/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 18.7 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the Trax models:
- Side Blind Zone Alert
- Warns the driver if a lane change might result in a collision with another vehicle.
- Forward Collision Alert
- Lets the driver know to apply the brakes to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front.
- Lane Departure Warning
- Sounds an alert if the driver drifts out of the lane without activating a turn signal.
NHTSA Overall Rating
5 out of 5 starsThe National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverall5 / 5
- Side Barrier RatingOverall5 / 5Driver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront Seat5 / 5Back Seat5 / 5
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover19.8%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestGood
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedAcceptable
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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