| First Drive | Croatia | Chevrolet Trax |
Key Facts
Model tested: Chevrolet Trax 1.4 Turbo AWD LT
Pricing: £19,795
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Transmission: four-wheel drive, six-speed manual
Body style: five-door compact crossover
Rivals: Nissan Juke, Skoda Yeti, Vauxhall Mokka
CO2 emissions: 149g/km
Combined economy: 44.1mpg
Top speed: 120mph
0-62mph: 9.8 seconds
Power: 140hp at 4,900- to 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850- to 4,900rpm
In the Metal: 
From its upright front to the boot lid the Chevrolet Trax follows the crossover styling brief rigorously. Chevy's bold badge is mounted on a grille dissected by a body-coloured strip that's neat, though the lower portion of the bumper in black looks clumsy and heavy - and would rob the Trax of some useful approach angle if it ever were to venture off-road. It's inoffensive and largely forgettable, lacking the sharpness or charm of many of its rivals.
The interior echoes that; it's functional enough and space is decent front and rear (though the boot is not vast with the seats in place), but it's all rather unremarkable. Drop the seats and there's 1,370 litres of load space, the front passenger seat folding flat as well to allow objects 2.3m long to slot in. Its Vauxhall DNA is obvious, from the shape of the centre console to the rather heavy-looking steering wheel, but that does mean quality is decent enough, and the fit and finish is acceptable, too.
Driving it:
Saved in the case of our test car by the performance of the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, its 140hp helps deliver decent pace, though it's still not up with the class best on the road. The engine is refined to a point, but gets vocal at higher revs. The manual transmission isn't particularly accurate either; hurry it and progress gets less and less smooth. The steering is devoid of any real feel and the suspension rides decently enough, though at the expense of body control - the Trax leans heavily into corners even at moderate speed. Take it easy then, as most buyers will, and it's capable enough, though Nissan's Juke is a far more rounded, able and enjoyable drive.
This range-topping petrol model only comes with all-wheel drive, which, for the majority, is unnecessary and adds nothing dynamically. Chevrolet is promising that the Trax will, like its Vauxhall Mokka relation, be tuned specifically for UK roads, and it gains some noise insulation, too. It needs both if it's to convince customers to stay away from its rivals.
What you get for your Money:
Two trim levels are offered, LS and LT, the latter covering all but one model (a 1.6-litre petrol unit) in the Trax line-up. Specification across the range is decent enough, with air conditioning, cruise control and alloy wheels all standard on LT. The big ticket item is Chevrolet's MyLink system, which connects to your smartphone to offer a myriad of options for entertainment and navigation via existing playlists, internet radio and downloaded applications.
Worth Noting
Both the 1.4 turbo petrol and 1.7-litre turbodiesel engines come with the option of all-wheel drive, though the diesel is also available with front-wheel drive. The entry-level 1.6-litre petrol engine is only offered with front-wheel drive and if you want an automatic you have to have it with a front-wheel drive 1.7-litre turbodiesel car - it not offered anywhere else in the line-up. The diesel is the economy champion; in manual, front-wheel drive guise it returns combined economy of 62.7mpg.
Summary
The Chevrolet Trax is another choice in the growing compact crossover marketplace that brings decent value allied to attractive equipment - mated with chunky, if unremarkable styling. If Chevrolet delivers the promised improved handling and refinement it'll be commendable rather than remarkable, but for many that will be enough, though with Renault and others introducing rivals in this segment soon the Trax has a tough job ahead of it.
