CARGAZING Trax Sales Skyrocket Compact Chevy Shows Why Buyers Love Small Crossovers

By Derek Price have managed on their own, so CARGAZING.COM I’m happy to see their products becoming more widespread with his year, crossover vehi- each passing model year. cles are hotter than the One bragging point worth men- surface of the sun. tioning: the Trax has a whopping Thanks to sustained 10 standard airbags, which is Tlow gas prices and the whims of more than any of its competitors, automotive fashion, these SUV- Chevy claims. You can also get it like family vehicles have all but with today’s most popular safety replaced the traditional four-door tech, including blind spot sensors, sedan as America’s car of choice. rear cross traffic alert, lane depar- And nothing demonstrates our ture warning and forward colli- country’s love affair with crossovers sion alert. like this one, the Chevrolet Trax. Priced starting at $21,000 and about the size of an economy car, the Trax is selling like bottled What was tested? water in the Sahara. Chevrolet 2017 Chevrolet Tax Premier moved around 79,000 of them in ($26,100). Options: Driver confi- the United States last year, an dence package ($295). Price as increase of 25 percent over 2015’s tested (including $895 destina- numbers. tion charge): $27,290 It shows no sign of slowing PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHEVROLET TRAX Wheelbase: 100.6 in. down, either. March retail sales Revised front and rear styling keeps the Chevrolet Trax looking fresh for the 2017 model year. Length: 167.2 in. were up another 51 percent over the same month last year for the On the one hand, I see exactly make it more useful than a little Buyers aren’t agreeing, though. Width: 69.9 in. Trax, so either salespeople are fill- why. Its rugged shape, gaping car when you need to haul bulky From 2014 to 2016, Cruze sales Height: 64.8 in. ing them full of opioids and push- grille and bodybuilder fenders are cargo. Its 33-mpg highway rating dropped off 24 percent as they Engine: 1.4-liter turbocharged ing them on addicts or buyers in style right now. The cargo area makes it fairly cheap to drive, too. moved into crossover vehicles four cylinder (138 hp, 148 ft.-lbs. really like this thing. and folding back seats really do On the other hand, especially whose sales are blowing up into torque) after sampling Chevrolet’s bril- the stratosphere. Go figure. Transmission: Six-speed liantly refined Cruze recently, I Like many of its competitors, automatic found myself missing the sporti- the Trax is the beneficiary of con- Fuel economy: 25 city, ness and crisp driving feel of cars stant improvement as it battles for that ride lower to the ground. share in a white-hot market. 33 highway It’s interesting to contrast my This year it gets a new look in two recent Chevy testers, both front and back with heavier RATINGS priced around $27,000 with a lot sculpting and sleeker headlights. Style: 8 of upgrades. It gets a new instrument cluster, a Performance: 5 The Trax felt roomier on the new look for its 18-inch wheels, Price: 8 inside and offered a better view of and an upgraded interior with Handling: 6 the road with its slightly higher chrome accents and a standard Ride: 6 seating position. But other than digital driver information display Comfort: 6 that, the Cruze seemed like the behind the steering wheel. Quality: 7 noticeably better car. The 2017 It also gets my must-have tech Cruze Hatchback I tested was qui- feature set — Apple CarPlay and Overall: 7 eter, faster, smoother riding, more Android Auto to connect with Why buy it? enjoyable over the road and got smartphones — when you opt for better mileage, rated for 37 mpg the 7-inch digital touchscreen. With trendy SUV-like styling and on the highway. Apple and Google seem to do a a versatile cabin, it’s a great Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available when buyers opt for If I had to choose between them, better job connecting phones in example of why small crossovers the 7-inch touchscreen in the new Trax. I’d want the Cruze, hands down. vehicles than the car companies are so popular these days. CARGAZING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHEVROLET TRAX Revised front and rear styling keeps the Chevrolet Trax looking fresh for the 2017 model year. Trax Sales Skyrocket Compact Chevy Shows Why Buyers Love Small Crossovers

By Derek Price CARGAZING.COM his year, crossover vehicles are hotter than T the surface of the sun. Thanks to sustained low gas dropped off 24 percent as they prices and the whims of automo- moved into crossover vehicles tive fashion, these SUV-like family whose sales are blowing up into vehicles have all but replaced the the stratosphere. Go figure. traditional four-door sedan as Like many of its competitors, America’s car of choice. the Trax is the beneficiary of con- And nothing demonstrates our stant improvement as it battles for country’s love affair with crossovers share in a white-hot market. like this one, the Chevrolet Trax. This year it gets a new look in Priced starting at $21,000 and front and back with heavier about the size of an economy car, sculpting and sleeker headlights. the Trax is selling like bottled water It gets a new instrument cluster, a in the Sahara. Chevrolet moved new look for its 18-inch wheels, around 79,000 of them in the and an upgraded interior with United States last year, an increase chrome accents and a standard of 25 percent over 2015’s numbers. digital driver information display It shows no sign of slowing behind the steering wheel. down, either. March retail sales It also gets my must-have tech were up another 51 percent over feature set — Apple CarPlay and the same month last year for the Android Auto to connect with Trax, so either salespeople are fill- smartphones — when you opt for ing them full of opioids and push- the 7-inch digital touchscreen. ing them on addicts or buyers Apple and Google seem to do a really like this thing. better job connecting phones in On the one hand, I see exactly vehicles than the car companies why. Its rugged shape, gaping have managed on their own, so grille and bodybuilder fenders are I’m happy to see their products in style right now. The cargo area becoming more widespread with and folding back seats really do each passing model year. make it more useful than a little Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available when buyers opt for the 7-inch touchscreen in the One bragging point worth men- car when you need to haul bulky new Trax. tioning: the Trax has a whopping cargo. Its 33-mpg highway rating 10 standard airbags, which is makes it fairly cheap to drive, too. It’s interesting to contrast my higher seating position. But got better mileage, rated for more than any of its competitors, On the other hand, especially two recent Chevy testers, both other than that, the Cruze 37 mpg on the highway. Chevy claims. You can also get it after sampling Chevrolet’s bril- priced around $27,000 with a lot seemed like the noticeably If I had to choose between with today’s most popular safety liantly refined Cruze recently, I of upgrades. better car. The 2017 Cruze them, I’d want the Cruze, hands tech, including blind spot sensors, found myself missing the sporti- The Trax felt roomier on Hatchback I tested was quieter, down. rear cross traffic alert, lane depar- ness and crisp driving feel of cars the inside and offered a better faster, smoother riding, more Buyers aren’t agreeing, though. ture warning and forward colli- that ride lower to the ground. view of the road with its slightly enjoyable over the road and From 2014 to 2016, Cruze sales sion alert.

A CLOSER LOOK

AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Why buy it? 2017 Chevrolet Tax Premier ($26,100). Options: Driver confid- Style: 8 With trendy SUV-like styling ence package ($295). Price as tested (including $895 destination Performance: 5 and a versatile cabin, it’s a charge): $27,290 Price: 8 great example of why small Wheelbase: 100.6 in. Handling: 6 crossovers are so popular Length: 167.2 in. Ride: 6 these days. Width: 69.9 in. Comfort: 6 Height: 64.8 in. Quality: 7 Engine: 1.4-liter turbocharged four cylinder (138 hp, 148 ft.-lbs. Overall: 7 torque) Transmission: Six-speed automatic Fuel economy: 25 city, 33 highway