By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(February 22, 2016) We we're there when Chevy launched the Trax in San Diego, Calif., and wondered if the city-only drive route wasn’t meant to hide a deficit under the hood. Yeah, it could pull itself up steep hills with relative ease, and there was one uphill stretch where the posted limit reached 50 mph, but we had no opportunity to get on the freeway and joust with the local traffic.

All that became possible when the folks at Chevy dropped off a Trax LTZ with all-wheel drive for one week. Painted in the same signature Orange Rock Metallic as the many of the launch vehicles, the Trax certainly stands out — especially in bright sunshine. In fact, along with its small size, the color was one of the most talked about features of the compact SUV.

The other was the interior. Bystanders were curious about the amount of cargo and people room, and surprised at how much of both exist. The depth of the rear cargo well is a major surprise, as is the quality of the materials. Women love the fact that you sit high in the Trax with a commanding view forward, yet do not have to deploy a ladder to climb up into it. And all appreciate the little crossover’s trim dimensions and easily judged extremities.

Inevitably, the conversations turned to fuel economy, and the ability to merge safely into traffic on the highway. On the first front, the all-wheel drive Trax is EPA rated at 24 city/31 highway/27 combined, and returned a solid 26 mpg in testing. And despite dragging around 3,380 pounds, the 138 hp/148 lb.-ft. of torque turbocharged 1.4-liter can merge with traffic with just a modicum of forward planning. It’s not the most powerful motor, but it does have a broad torque curve that starts low down the rev range and makes good use of the standard automatic’s six forward speeds.

Just don’t expect to outrun the 18-wheel Kenworth truck sneaking up on your left if you haven’t planned ahead. It’s not a Camaro.

If you have a lot of mobile electronics, the Trax has a place to put them, and it’s designed for the smartphone generation. Unless you use the Onstar “Directions and Connections” service (free for the first six months), you’ll have to rely on your phone for navigation. If you get lost, however, there’s no need to worry as your passengers can connect to the Internet through the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot (3 GB with a three month trial) onboard. And, if they have an experience like mine, they can even listen as strangers misdialing their friends call the Trax from their homes and offices. It doesn’t happen often, but you learn very quickly how to dismiss these interruptions before they become too annoying.

On the road, the Trax has a decent ride, but — if it was a female — you’d probably want to name it “Eileen.” And while that may seem a tad unfair for a crossover, the small size encourages you to push it harder than you might a larger SUV. Doing so makes it very apparent that Chevy has the opportunity to produce a Sport model capable of handling corners with aplomb, without ruining the ride. Doing so would give the trucklet a personality it otherwise lacks. Plus it would be nice to see a handsome set of alloys, unique fascias, and a tastefully aggressive interior update to round out the package.

As it stands, the Trax is a surprisingly effective city-sized crossover. It is solidly built, reasonably frugal, spacious, and acceptably quick, making it more than a city conveyance. The deep cargo area and folding rear seats allow it to haul most anything you might need, and the rear seats are comfortable if not tremendously roomy. Though aimed at younger buyers it also appeals to those looking for a high-mileage second car with minimal compromises. About the only thing the Trax isn’t, unfortunately, is fun.

Update: 2017 Chevy Trax

Chevy pulled the wraps off the 2017 Trax at the Chicago Auto Show this week, just over a year after the small SUV was launched in the U.S. Buyers like the trucklet — 63,303 were sold in 2015, its first full year on the market, and 60% of buyers were female — but Chevy took advantage of a major refresh for Buick’s mechanically similar Encore to update its version of the vehicle.

The most noticeable change is the new front end with Chevy’s revised split-level grille, new headlamps, and halogen reflector headlamps on the LS and halogen projector beam lamps on the LT. Also new for 2017 is the Premier trim level with its 18-in. alloy wheels. A new rear fascia with new taillights and, on the Premier model, LED lighting elements round out the look.

The instrument panel has been updated  by altering the upper element so that it flows  across the panel, and upgrading the center stack to accept a 7.0-in. color touchscreen. The instrument cluster also features a more prominent speedometer and tachometer. For 2017, the Trax is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible, and the carryover 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot option allows up to seven personal electronic devices to be paired to the system simultaneously.

Also new for 2017 are the available Keyless Open and Start, Forward Collision Alert, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Lane Departure Warning. All make the Trax safer, but not necessarily more fun. We’re still hoping Chevy will consider adding a more fun-to-drive Sport model in the future.

The Virtual Driver