2024 Chevy Trax transforms into a budget crossover with real value

The 2024 Chevy Trax is one of the few new cars in recent memory that is significantly cheaper than the model it replaces. Starting at $21,495, the new Trax costs $1,400 less than the outgoing 2022 model and now serves as Chevy’s entry-level vehicle. In fact, it’s the cheapest vehicle General Motors sells in the U.S. Even fully loaded, the new Trax is under $27,000. We hate to say it, but that’s cheap by today’s new car standards.

This reimagining of the Trax from a midsize subcompact crossover to a value-focused price leader is similar to what Nissan did a few years ago when it replaced the Juke with the Kicks. This budget car category, which also includes the Kia Soul and Hyundai Venue, prioritizes interior space and feature content over typical SUV traits, such as optional all-wheel drive and rugged styling (if you want those things, Chevy will happily sell you a Pioneer). All start in the low $20,000 range and come standard with front-wheel drive and Apple CarPlay. This is the new face of basic transport.

Better inside and out

Measured by this criterion, the new Trax looks like a success. Significantly longer, lower and wider than the old and uncomfortably tall Trax, the well-proportioned new model has an almost wagon-like appearance. The base LS model looks pedestrian with its caps and lack of glossy finish, but the LT, RS and Activ trim levels are relatively stylish thanks to nice wheels, interestingly shaped headlights and taillights and the distinctive grille trim at the front. Various gloss paint colors are also available.

The Trax’s stretched shape also pays dividends inside, as rear legroom and cargo space are increased significantly thanks to the dramatically longer wheelbase and wider track. Chevrolet also managed to pack a flat floor in the back, making the middle seat livable for shorter trips. This could be a popular option for Uber drivers. Analog gauges and an 8.0-inch touchscreen are standard, but the optional digital gauge cluster and 11.0-inch center display give the Trax a good amount of screen for a vehicle in this class.

We’re not too down on the Trax’s cheap interior materials given the low price. The plastics are hard and scratchy, but the crucial areas (the dash, door panels and upholstery) have at least some interesting textures to keep them from looking too basement-like. The driving position is low and car-like, a welcome change from the saddle-like seating arrangement in many of the Trax’s taller competitors, including Chevy’s own Trailblazer.

The driving experience fits the bill

The 2024 Trax also drives like an economy car, which isn’t a bad thing. The ride and handling balance is just right: softly damped enough to be comfortable on rougher roads while offering enough damping to keep body roll in check when pushed. The lack of on-center steering feel is a letdown, though, and we would have preferred a quicker ratio for a small and relatively light vehicle (3000 pounds, according to Chevy). If you thought the RS trim offered some sort of dynamic upgrade, think again, as it’s mechanically identical to the others save for 18-inch (1RS) or 19-inch (2RS) wheels.

The sole powertrain is a turbocharged 1.2-liter inline-three with a six-speed automatic transmission. Its 137 horsepower is meager, but the 162 pound-feet of torque comes low in the rev range, and the Trax has enough power to get out of its way. The three-cylinder has a characteristic ratchet and turbo lag is minimal. The only real problem is the slow streaming, which doesn’t go down as quickly as we’d like. That said, we’d still take it over a CVT any day. Fuel economy is rated at 30 mpg combined, which isn’t as good as compact cars like the Honda Civic, but about on par for a crossover of this size.

We seem to be getting less and less of our cash lately, which makes a legitimately cheap new car an increasingly attractive proposition. The Trax isn’t particularly attractive or refined, but its attractive pricing lowers expectations to the point where we can appreciate what it has to offer: a generously-sized interior, impressive feature content, and good looks. Chevy expects the Trax to become the third best-selling model behind the Silverado and Equinox, and we see no reason to doubt it. With better-equipped trims coming in under $25,000, it’s clear that the Trax’s low price is its biggest selling point, and almost everyone can agree that the value has universal appeal.

Senior Editor

Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas, or perhaps because of it, Joey Capparella cultivated an obsession with the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan for his first professional writing gig. automatic a Automotive magazine. It has been part of Car and driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.