Chevrolet Trax - A Mini SUV Based On The GM Gamma II Platform

What is it? Chevrolet’s take on the Vauxhall Mokka

Verdict: Shares the Vauxhall’s strengths, but also its weaknesses

The Trax is Chevrolet’s entrant in the small SUV market, although in many ways it’s the same car as the Vauxhall Mokka, both in terms of looks and engineering.

Sadly this means the Trax shares many of the Mokka’s flaws, with ride comfort, steering and noise the three biggest issues.

Its engine sounds gruff and clattery at lower revs, and never really settles when you get up to motorway pace.

The 1.7-liter diesel version is particularly noisy. Its engine sounds gruff and clattery at lower revs, and never really settles when you get up to motorway pace. There’s also plenty of wind noise from around 50mph.

The 1.4-liter petrol gets pretty loud when you work it hard, too, so the Trax’s cabin is hardly somewhere you can relax. Another concern is the steering. It doesn’t always feel sufficiently connected to the front wheels to give you confidence, and feels light and twitchy, even when cornering.

The ride is inconsistent, too, with low-speed bumps sending sharp jolts through your backside. At higher speeds, however, the Trax floats over larger dips and crests, which can feel unnerving. Chevrolet says it will make tweaks to UK cars to address the issues with the steering, suspension and noise insulation, but it remains to be seen how far these will go. Vauxhall’s attempts at improving the Mokka helped the steering and ride, but the 1.7 diesel is still grumbly.

The ride is inconsistent, too, with low-speed bumps sending sharp jolts through your backside

Whatever the result, it is likely that the cabin will remain the Trax’s strongest suit. It offers more space than the likes of the Nissan Juke, if less than the Qashqai. The boot is a very decent 356 liters with the seats up, and the rear seats fold almost totally flat to more than double the capacity.

Getting larger loads in should be easy, given that there is no loading lip, and the entry-point is clad in a hard-wearing plastic to protect the bodywork.

Vauxhall’s attempts at improving the Mokka helped the steering and ride, but the 1.7 diesel is still grumbly.

The dashboard materials feel durable rather than luxurious, although there is a large amount of storage in the front of the cabin, with cubbyholes and lockable compartments aplenty. Space is also generous for front and rear passengers; four six-footers will be comfortable on longer journeys.

Go for the more expensive LT trim (which you’ll have to if you want any engine other than the basic 1.6-liter petrol) and you get a dashboard that is pleasingly free of buttons. The MyLink touch-screen infotainment system allows you to control your smartphone using the screen; you can play music, make calls or even run a special satellite-navigation app. It is simple to use at a standstill, but a lack of physical buttons will make it trickier for the driver to operate on the move.

Space is also generous for front and rear passengers; four six-footers will be comfortable on longer journeys.

The Trax is good in some areas, then, but rivals such as the Qashqai and the Skoda Yeti are much better and not much more expensive.