Chevrolet makes Trax for small SUV market
SAN DIEGO — General Motors is adding another small vehicle to its portfolio at what might seem the wrong time, given low gas prices.
But GM's seventh small model in about four years is dropping right into what is shaping up as a hot small, urban crossover segment new to the U.S. market.
Actually, GM is ahead of the curve, getting its small Chevrolet Trax on sale ahead of about half-dozen new pocket-size SUVs due this year.
The Trax is a cheaper corporate cousin of the Buick Encore that was a pioneer in the city SUV segment when it arrived at Buick dealers as a 2013 model.
Trax, which just went on sale, offers lots of storage, 4G Wi-Fi connectivity in the cabin and a fuel-efficient, though unspectacular, turbocharged engine.
In a mixed freeway and city street drive around San Diego, Trax was an easy, confident, fun ride. The 36-foot turning circle made it feel maneuverable. The 138-horsepower, 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec engine with six-speed automatic provided enough pep — though not anything to inspire performance addicts — along with gas mileage ratings of 26 miles per gallon in the city, 34 highway and 29 overall.
That should be fine with the target audience of young (25 to 34 years old), college-educated urbanites, with slightly more women than men. They aren't looking for heart-pounding performance. They just want to haul their stuff and their friends around town with a minimum of fuss, park in tight spots and pocket their gas savings.
For comparison, the city-friendly Trax is nearly a foot shorter in length than the Honda CR-V, the best-selling SUV in the U.S., but about the same height and just about an inch-and-a-half narrower.
Also, "These are the people who have their phone in their hand a lot of the time," says Betsy Flegg, the marketing manager for Trax.
As a result, tech matters — a lot. Trax was given GM's 4G-Internet connectivity, allowing it to create a Wi-Fi hot spot in the car that can wirelessly connect up to seven digital devices — from smartphones to tablet computers — at once. There's a Siri Eyes Free button on the steering wheel that allows drivers to operate their Apple iPhones by voice command as they drive. The crossover has a 7-inch touch-screen and a standard rear-backup camera.
Inside, Trax is all about practicality as a hauler. The front passenger's seat folds flat, which allows 8 feet of storage for long, thin items such as lumber or skies. For the little things, there are 15 cubby holes, both obvious and hidden.
Trax isn't exactly a new Chevrolet. It is a global product already developed by GM Korea for world markets starting in 2012. More than 180,000 have been sold in 66 markets, including in Canada, Mexico and China. As with so many other mass-market global vehicles brought to the U.S., Trax has been heavily modified for the domestic market, to meet U.S. regulations and Americans' tastes. For instance, it was made quieter through the addition of insulation and sound-deadening glass.
The models for the U.S. market will be built in Bupyeong, South Korea, and San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
The Trax will take on the likes of Nissan Juke and GM's Encore, plus coming this year are the similar-size Mazda CX-3, Honda HR-V, Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade, among others. The price is aimed at making it one of the most affordable of the city SUVs: $20,995, including $875 in delivery charges. Add $1,500 for all-wheel drive.
Trax's base price is about $4,000 less than for the cousin Buick Encore.
Chevy officials say they expect this segment to grow 80% in the next few years and expect Trax to grab a respectable chunk of it.
Why will it sell? "You just want to get it and go," Flegg says.