I drove a $27,000 Chevrolet Trax. These 15 features show why it's a small, cheap SUV done right

2 weeks ago 10

The left front corner of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV parked on the street.

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
  • The Chevrolet Trax subcompact crossover SUV is the most affordable model in the GM's lineup.
  • I recently drove a 2025 Trax in range-topping 2RS trim.
  • I was impressed by its strong feature content, attractive design, and great value.

The Chevrolet Trax is not only the most affordable model in the Chevy lineup but also the lowest-priced model offered by General Motors in the US.

I recently reviewed a 2025 Trax 2RS with an as-tested price of $27,085. I was impressed by the its strong slate of features, competitive pricing, and attractive styling.

The subcompact SUV, which launched in 2024, competes with the Toyota Corolla Cross, Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Kona, and its corporate cousin, the Buick Envista.

Here are 15 features that show why the Trax is such a compelling economy SUV.

Athletic looks

Two photos show the left front and left rear of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV parked on the street.

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax features a muscular and athletic design with broad shoulders that GM says is inspired by the big brother, the Chevrolet Blazer.

The design gives the impression that the Trax is bigger and wider than it actually is. I think it looks terrific.

Great value

The left side of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV parked on the street.

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Chevrolet Trax comes in five versions, with the base LS trim starting at $20,400. The range-topping 2RS and Activ trims start at $24,300.

Freight fees, a sunroof, and optional driver assistance tech pushed the as-tested price of my Korean-made Trax 2RS test car to $27,085.

Three-cylinder power

The 1.2-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine under the hood of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's 1.2-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

All versions of the Trax are powered by a 1.2-liter, turbocharged, direct-injected Ecotec three-cylinder engine that produces 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque.

The turbo three, shared with the Buick Envista, is mated to a shiftable six-speed automatic transmission driving only the front wheels.

The engine has enough juice to tackle daily errands around town but can feel overmatched when the vehicle is loaded with passengers or cargo.

My 2RS test car boasts solid EPA fuel economy ratings of 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined.

Sensibly designed cabin

Three photos show the front dash, center console, and sunroof in a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Chevrolet Trax's cabin. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax's cabin is intuitively designed with decent material quality. The Chevrolet Trax is a great example of delivering an interior on a budget without it feeling cheap. It would be a stretch to call the interior luxurious or premium, but it also doesn't punish you for being frugal.

Interior quality is good, and there are plenty of soft-touch materials in the high-contact area. The red turbine-design air vents that felt out of place in the pricier Blazer EV worked well here to add a pop of color and visual appeal to the cabin.

Large infotainment screen

Three photos show satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and the backup camera display on the 11-inch infotainment screen in a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS.

The Trax's infotainment system. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

My test car came with an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Trax's infotainment system has fairly limited features, but what it does have is very intuitive to use.

Lower trims get a smaller eight-inch screen.

There's standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as a backup camera.

Heated steering wheel

The flat bottom steering wheel in a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's flat-bottom steering wheel. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax 2RS comes with a stylish heated flat-bottom steering wheel.

Digital instrument display

The eight-inch digital gauge cluster in front of the steering wheel in a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's eight-inch digital instrument display. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax comes standard with a traditional analog gauge cluster, but higher-end models come with an eight-inch digital instrument display.

Steering wheel audio control

The multimedia control button on the back of the steering of a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's steering wheel audio buttons. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

As with most recent GM models, the Trax comes with handy audio controls on the back of the steering wheels.

Remote engine start

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV's key fob on its center console arm rest.

The Trax's key fob. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

My test car came with remote engine start, which activates by pressing the "curved arrow" on the Chevy key fob.

The feature is also available on lower trim levels but as part of an optional convenience package.

Roomy rear seats

Three photos show the rear seats and rear seat USB plugs in a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's rear seats. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax offers an impressive amount of room for a subcompact crossover. With 38.7 inches of legroom, the offers 2.5 inches more than the Mazda CX-30 and six inches more than the Toyota Corolla Cross.

Rear seat passengers also have access to dedicated USB-A and USB-C plugs.

Evotex seats

The black evotex front seats with red accents in a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's black Evotex front seats with red accents. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

My test car comes with comfortable RS-branded Evotex faux leather upholstered seats. Lower trims have traditional cloth seats.

Stylish alloy wheels

The 19-inch machined alloy wheel on the left front of a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV.

The Trax's 19-inch black painted machined alloy wheels. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

My 2RS trim test car came with optional 19-inch black-painted machined aluminum wheels. The base Trax LS has 17-inch steel wheels, while all other trims have 17-, 18-, or 19-inch aluminum wheels.

Spare tire

The spare tire of a 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV is stored under the rear cargo floor.

The Trax's spare tire. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

Spare tires are becoming increasingly rare these days, especially in lower-priced vehicles where the carmaker is trying to keep weight and cost under control. So I appreciate Chevy for making the decision to offer them instead of giving us a can of fix-a-flat.

Standard safety tech

The left front of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV parked on the street.

The 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

The Trax 2RS comes standard with the Chevy Safety Assist, which includes key features such as forward collision alert, lane keep assist, Intellibeam headlights, front pedestrian braking, and automatic emergency braking.

Adaptive cruise control requires an extra Driver Confidence Package.

Good cargo capacity

Two photos show the rear cargo compartment of a red 2025 Chevrolet Trax 2RS SUV with the rear seats up and with the rear seats folded.

The Trax's cargo compartment. Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

Behind the rear seats, the Trax boasts a formidable 25.6 cubic feet of cargo space. The Trax's 60/40 split rear bench can fold nearly flat to expand cargo room to 54.1 cubic feet.

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