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2025 Nissan Sentra Review2024 Chevrolet Trax Review
All new for 2024, the Trax is Chevy’s entry-level compact crossover. We look at trim levels, interior quality, and more in our review.
What’s New for the 2024 Chevrolet Trax?
The 2024 Chevrolet Trax is the brand’s all-new entry-level car. It might be a crossover but it handles more like a car and has a 1.2-liter engine under the hood. Front-wheel drive is the only option and Chevy offers five trims with varying levels of content. We expect most to go for the upper levels as they’re very closely priced to the base model and they include a big infotainment screen and a digital gauge cluster.
2024 Chevrolet Trax – media.chevrolet.com | Shop 2024 Chevrolet Trax on Carsforsale.com
Carsforsale.com Score
8/10
Powertrain
Score
7/10
Interior
Score
8/10
Technology
Score
8/10
Value
Score
8.25/10
The Breakdown
Excellent pricing
Content-rich upper trims
Fuel efficient
Lower powered engine
No AWD
Class-following warranty
A great new entry-level car
2024 Trax Specs
- 137 horsepower from base engine
- 162 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 25.6 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Available 11-inch infotainment screen
- Standard automatic emergency braking
- Basic 3-year warranty
2024 Chevrolet Trax Powertrain 7/10
Every single Chevy Trax uses the exact same powertrain and drivetrain no matter what trim one selects or how much they spend. That package includes a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission mated to front-wheel drive. Unlike some rivals like the Mazda CX-30 that offer AWD, the Trax doesn’t anymore. Really though, that isn’t its big issue.
The problem lies in that tiny engine. It makes just 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque and it’s obviously not enough from the driver’s seat. Uphill, the Trax struggles to climb with any sort of modern-car speed. We should also mention that the six-speed automatic works perfectly fine and is by far better to use than a CVT would’ve been.
At the same time, it should be said that the Trax isn’t meant to be a performer. It’s meant to get people from A to B in a way that feels secure and car-like. It accomplishes that dutifully.
The Chevrolet Trax has responive steering, and the brakes are fantastic with good linear behavior and clear communication. There’s actually a benefit to that small engine does have a benefit: fuel economy.
According to the EPA, it’ll get up to 28 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway. Those figures are neither at the head nor the rear of the class. Again, the CX-30 out-classes the Trax here but others like the Hyundai Kona fall behind. The Trax gets a five because while it’s dull to drive it accomplishes its task by getting decent fuel mileage and handling better than average.
2024 Chevrolet Trax Interior 8/10
The Trax might not be a car one drives for pleasure but that doesn’t mean that it’s not a nice place to spend time. That was a huge standout to us when we first saw it a few months ago. The seats are supportive and comfortable and there’s real headroom in the back seats too.
The control layout is straightforward and familiar. The infotainment system skews toward the driver and the resulting dashboard design looks sleek and futuristic without being overly fussy.
The infotainment system, dash, and climate controls all blend together in a cohesive way. What’s most shocking are the little details that Chevrolet includes in the Trax. Sure, there’s tons of cheap plastic in the cabin but GM went to the trouble of texturizing it in a way that’s attractive and fun.
It’s not all perfect though. The switchgear still feels spongy and imprecise and the seats could use more adjustability. Nevertheless, we’re impressed with just how good this entry-level car is. Behind the second row of seats is a capacious cargo area with 25.6 cubic feet of storage.
2024 Chevrolet Trax Technology Features 8/10
The bottom two trim levels of the Chevy Trax get an 8-inch infotainment system and a 3.5-inch driver information display that sits between two analog gauges in the cluster. As a package, we think it’s perfectly livable. The infotainment system is quick and easy to use and the driver info display is configurable. At the same time, the upper trims are so closely priced to the base models that we think most customers will end up with an 11-inch infotainment system and an 8-inch digital gauge cluster.
It’s considerably nicer and adds a layer of luxury that isn’t available across this whole segment. Again, the touchscreen works well but provides better graphics and a less-cluttered layout. The driver information display looks great too and offers even more configurability.
In terms of safety, we think the Trax is going to score well but as of this writing, neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS have given their opinion. What we do know is that Chevrolet includes automated braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist on every Trax.
In addition to that, a Driver Confidence Package is available on every trim. It adds rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-change alert with blind-zone alert. On the LT and above trims, it costs $795 but also includes adaptive cruise control. While we feel all of that should be standard on every car at least it’s inexpensive here.
2024 Chevrolet Trax Trims & Pricing
LS – $21,495
The base Trax kicks things off with 17-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, four speakers, a wifi hotspot, cloth upholstery, and automatic high beams.
1RS – $23,195
The 1RS adds 18-inch alloy wheels, gloss-black exterior trim, heated front seats, a heated flat-bottomed steering wheel, heated power-adjustable mirrors, and remote start.
LT – $23,395
The LT goes back to 17-inch wheels though they’re alloy this time and then adds automatic climate control, push-button start, an 11-inch infotainment system, a digital gauge cluster, and roof rails.
2RS – $24,995
The 2RS adds 19-inch wheels, keyless entry, and aggressive exterior design elements.
ACTIV – $24,995
The ACTIV gets a more rugged exterior look along with 18-inch wheels and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.
2024 Chevrolet Trax Overall Value 8.25/10
The 2024 Chevrolet Trax isn’t a fun car to drive but people spending this kind of cash on a brand-new car are often looking more for a safe ride that feels nice and has modern technology. The Trax has that and it offers it at a seriously competitive price. Fully optioned, this little people mover won’t cost much more than $27,000 and even then it’s kind of a bargain compared to most rivals. Keep in mind that new car incentives could drop that price even further.
CarsForSale.com Overall Score 8/10
2024 Chevrolet Trax – chevrolet.com | Shop 2024 Chevrolet Trax on Carsforsale.com
I went into driving the Trax with low expectations, I didn’t love the drivetrain, but beyond that, it’s sincerely impressive. It’s on of the top subcompact SUVs on the market. I’d suggest the LT with the Driver Confidence Package as it has all of the best features and costs a bit less than the silly RS or ACTIV trims.
If I were to add anything to the Trax, other than a larger engine, it would be competitive warranty coverage. As it stands Chevy offers an incredibly basic three-year limited warranty and five years of powertrain coverage. Rivals from Kia and Hyundai both make that look embarrassing.
2024 Chevrolet Trax FAQ
Where is the Chevy Trax Made?
Chevrolet builds the Trax in South Korea at its Bupyeong Plant in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon.
Does the Chevy Trax Have a CVT Transmission?
No. A conventional six-speed automatic is the only available gearbox.
Is the Trax the smallest Chevy SUV?
Yes. The next size up is the barely larger Chevrolet Trailblazer which we review here.
