2019 Chevrolet Trax Review

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.

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.

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.