PARDON the pun but this scribe couldn’t help use the title to catch your attention. It was taken from a title compilation of love songs that I saw several years ago while rummaging through old CDs in a record store.
The Trax is Chevrolet’s entry in the subcompact utility vehicle (CUV) segment and first saw light at the 2012 Paris Auto Show as a concept. Its final form, or the model bound for production, was previewed at the 2013 North American International Auto Show and, thereafter, it was already available for a test drive at the Montreal Auto Show in Canada with four models to choose from. It was initially available in Canada, Germany, Mexico, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and Europe in 2013 and the early part of 2014. In Australia it was known as the Holden Trax, while in Russia and South America it carried the name Tracker.
The Trax came to our shores in the late 2014, together with China and Indonesia, as well. Surprisingly though, US buyers were only able to get their hands on it after GM’s announcement on April 14 last year that it was coming to US soil as a 2015 model.
I was lucky enough to be one of the first few to have tried it out. Here in the country, it competes directly with the likes of Ford Ecosport, Honda HRV, Mitsubishi ASX and Nissan Juke. At first sight, one will immediately notice its pudgy and chunky styling. It appears larger than it really is. The husky styling Trax is put into good use as it also translates into a roomy interior, giving all passengers ample space and comfort for long out-of-town trips.
Dashboard ergonomics is very similar to other offerings of Chevrolet in the country to date. It’s a bit Spartan, but controls are placed logically, so that the driver does not need to take his eyes away from the road. The motorbike-inspired instrument cluster was obviously taken from its brother, the Sonic. It displays the tachometer, electronic speedometer, fuel gauge, transmission indicator and even the distance before empty indicator complete with an amusing graphic.
It also has an abundance of storage space, a total of 15 well-distributed inside the cabin to keep everything organized. The vehicle’s infotainment system, called My Link, plays CDs, MP3s and also has a built-in Bluetooth for music sourced via devices equipped with the same feature. It also doubles as a hands-free means for using cell phones (very important nowadays as the bill prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving is now a law). IPhone owners will be glad to know that it was made specifically for them with a feature called “Siri eyes,” which lets them control their units using their voice.
The system also doubles as a monitor for the camera when the vehicle is engaged in reverse. Another feature worth mentioning, which is not in the brochure, is the socket in the rear located in the middle. It can charge laptops, cell phones and other electronic devices.
The seats can also be configured to accommodate long items and other stuff, depending on the need of the passengers.
The Trax has roof rails for an aftermarket roof basket to increase its carrying capacity. The air conditioner cools the cabin quickly without the need of a second row vent even on a very hot day.
Meanwhile, don’t expect a push-in-your-seat sensation from its 1.4-liter in-line-4 turbocharged intercooled with Dual VVTI engine. It was obviously designed to address the poor fuel economy of the previous 1.8-liter four-banger. It is also rated at 140 horsepower and 148 Nm of torque just like the previous engine, which powered the Cruze and Orlando.
As such, it is now able to post an impressive fuel consumption of more than 11 kilometers to a liter of combined city and highway driving. The six-speed automatic transmission with driver’s shift control obviously helps in achieving these numbers. The Trax behaved well on the twisting roads of Bataan province where I drove it. The suspension soaked up all road irregularities and the electric power steering gave good feedback.
But what impressed me the most about the Trax is the long list of active and passive safety features including, the antilock braking system; Stabilitrak traction control; electronic stability control; electronic brake-force distribution; cornering brake control, rear wheel boost; roll-over mitigation; straight-line stability; engine drag control; panic brake assist; and hill descent control. Name it, the Trax has it.
In case of a collision, the Trax also has six air bags (dual front, knees and side air bags) and Isofix latches for child-safety seats at the rear. The Boracay Blue Chevy Trax LT unit lent to this scribe is the higher variant and is priced at P1.288 million, while the entry LS is priced at P998,888 both with a five-year warranty coverage.
Image credits: Patrick Tulfo