Whether you love or loathe them, the emergence of different kinds of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in the global market place over the years have greatly changed the way we live, how we do our shopping, spend our holidays and get from point A to B.
Of course, the Chevrolet Trax is among the highly sought-after SUVs in global auto market. Chevrolet Trax is a value-driven SUV for those seeking the driving style of a smaller car with the versatility and practicality of a crossover. Drizzled in General Motor’s DNA, the Trax shares a platform and much of its technology with Opel Mokka.
Over all, much time was given to the styling of the exterior, coupled with the power-dome bonnet and signature split grille housing the bowtie, including the rugged treatment which continues to the arches that adds to its bulldog-like stance.
During the historic global launch of Trax in Croatia last year, Jason Fisher Chevrolet’s manager for global vehicle performance had stated categorically to the crowd that, the intention of the carmaker was to offer something different to those SUVs currently available.
These comes in the form of a sloping roofline and roof rails that lead towards a strong C-pillar design finishing, off-road cladding in and around the bottom of car and silver-skid plates at the front and rear that successfully complete the appearance.
It works rather well and, while its styling may not suit all tastes, it cannot be denied that the Trax is unique. Comparatively, it is based on the same, albeit slightly elongated chassis as the Opel Corsa and Chevrolet Sonic, which means it drives well for an SUV.
The seating position is higher, but the steering wheel and gear shift are well placed to achieve a comfortable and relaxed driving position. Trim levels, engines line-up and respective transmissions for some markets including Nigeria have yet to be determined.
On the road, GM’s trusty 1.7-liter, 96kW turbo-diesel in the Trax has a descent 300Nm of torque which, when mated with six-speed manual transmission, is a much smoother, better drive as it is more responsive and sufficiently refined on the move. On the road as well, Trax rides well and whenever it comes it encounters some bumpy secondary roads, the ride remains composed, planted and balanced. But in all of this, fine tuning by Chevy’s engineers for local road conditions will require to be subtle, not drastic.
A degree or three of body role under cornering isn’t a disgrace in an SUV, but there is room for improvement to the steering as it feels artificially weighted on turn-in and slightly dull to the dead ahead. Under certain driving conditions, the off-road ability is limited by the low-slung plastic front sill that reduces the vehicle’s approach angle. However, the departure angle is good.
Two trim levels comprising the LS and LT are on offer. The LS specification offers 16-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, auto lights and wipers, cruise control, push button start, Bluetooth, remote central locking and CD/radio with MP3,USB and aux-in.
On the other hand, LT adds MyLink infotainment system, rear parking camera, 18-inch alloy wheels, and hill descent control and makes all-wheel- drive a selectable option. Inside, Trax shines in terms of space and practicality. The centre console is fuss-free in its simplicity, as are the driver’s instruments, the main unit of which is similar aesthetic design to that available in the Sonic compatriot.
Inside, eight different configurations are available, including the ability to fold the front passenger seat flat for a whopping 1.371 dm3 of space. Sat-nav will not be an option on European models as Chevrolet has developed a downloadable app called BringGo for iPhone and Android that offers GPS and live traffic updates through the Smartphone setting on Mylink through the BringGo.
Trax has a five-star EuroNCAP rating with six airbags, ABS with EBD and hill-start assist standard across the range. The car offers a spacious, quality, quality interior, great value for money and is good to drive. Given all these credentials, the Trax should prove another winner in the Chevy stable, slotting in comfortably next to the Orlando and Captiva siblings.
MIKE OCHONMA
