Distinctive crossover arrives in
Britain to tackle Juke
Like your crossover to have a bit of
American appeal? Then the Chevrolet Trax which we’ve now driven on UK roads for
the first time could be for you.
The Trax has plenty in common with the
newly launched Vauxhall Mokka, but with its split grille and slightly squarer
design, it stands out a little more. There’s exactly the same choice of engines
as in the Mokka, including the 1.4-liter petrol turbo driven here.
With
its split grille and slightly squarer design, it stands out a little more
Most sales will be of the slightly noisy
but punchy 1.7-liter diesel, though and a stint in the petrol reveals why.
Despite 138bhp and a reasonable 0-62mph time of 9.8 seconds, it feels adequate
rather than quick. On the plus side, its 44.2mpg isn’t too bad (although the
diesel is much better with 62.7mpg) and this engine is a lot smoother and
quieter, too. There’s still a fair amount of wind and road noise as you up the
speed, however.
Handling
good, but steering detracts from fun; screen dominates dash
The suspension resists body roll
surprisingly well, but it’s a shame that the steering feels slow and numb,
because it could make the Trax fun to drive. The ride is harsher than the
Mokka’s, so rough roads mean a bumpy time for your passengers.
It’s not unbearable, but it doesn’t soak up
imperfections in the way an SUV – even a crossover – should. The cabin is
sturdy, if not particularly high quality, and LT spec and above brings a
stylish MyLink touchscreen. It lets you connect your smartphone and run apps
such as sat-nav and Internet radio through the screen. It’s a pretty spacious
cabin, too, with a 356-liter boot and rear seats that are large enough for
six-footers. The problem is that new rivals such as the Peugeot 2008 are just
as roomy, but cheaper and a bit better to drive.
The
ride is harsher than the Mokka’s, so rough roads mean a bumpy time for your
passengers
Admittedly, the Trax does have the option
of four-wheel drive working in its favor, and it is a likeable alternative to
the crossover norms. However, the Chevrolet doesn’t quite have what it takes to
stand out in a very competitive crowd.
Verdict
Chevrolet has rushed to grab a slice of
Nissan Juke sales, and while the Trax looks different and offers reasonable
space, it’s actually quite uncomfortable to drive. Off-boost, the engine is
short on power, while the jerky transmission will have passengers complaining.
It feels as though the manufacturer should have taken a bit more time to
perfect the details.
Chevrolet
Trax back
|
Technical specs
·
Price: $29,693
·
Ratings: 3/5
·
Engine: 1.4-liter 4cyl petrol
·
Power: 138bhp
·
Transmission: Six-speed manual, four-wheel
drive
·
0-62mph: 9.8 seconds
·
Top speed: 121mph
·
Economy: 44.1mpg
·
CO2: 149g/km
·
Equipment: 18-inch alloys, rear parking
camera, MyLink
|
