Published August 14, 2012
By Philippe Crowe
Europe will be getting a small SUV loosely based on the Cruze Eco we are offered on our shores.
Named Chevrolet Trax, this vehicle will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris motor show on Sept. 27, and is Chevrolet’s first entry into the fast growing European small SUV segment.
“For many decades, Chevrolet has been known for its dependable and capable SUVs,” said Susan Docherty, President and Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe. “Trax will deliver on all of the traditional Chevrolet values and more. It is a modern, highly versatile yet fuel-efficient small SUV, offering car-like handling and all-wheel drive.”
Measuring 167 inches (4,248 mm) in length, and featuring a width of 70 inches (1,776 mm) and a wheelbase of 100.5 inches (2,555 mm), Chevrolet’s new small SUV sports powerful body lines that convey agility and movement. With the golden bowtie separating the upper from the lower part of its prominent front grille, Trax can immediately be identified as a member of the Chevrolet family.
The Trax can accommodate five people in a high seating position. It will, according to Chevrolet, deliver car-like handling while also enabling off-road capability when needed.
The European engine line-up will include the familiar to North America 1.4L turbocharged regular gas unit, a 1.6-liter gas engine as well as a 1.7-liter turbo-diesel engine.
The 1.4-liter turbo petrol engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and cranks out 140 horsepower. The AWD system is available on models that come with the 1.4-liter turbo gas or the 1.7-liter diesel engine.
The 1.7-liter diesel engine will deliver a power output of 130 horsepower. All powertrains with manual transmission come with Start/Stop functionality. Both the 1.7-liter diesel and the 1.4-liter turbo petrol engine will also be offered with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Inside, the Trax delivers a message of clean sophistication that is complemented by useful convenience features such as an instrument cluster combining digital readouts with analogue displays.
Upper trims will be equipped with Chevrolet MyLink as standard. Chevrolet MyLink is an infotainment system that aggregates content from smartphones onto a seven-inch, high resolution, full color touch-screen display. Starting this coming winter, MyLink will feature a navigation app which can be downloaded onto compatible smartphones. It will project the route calculated by the smartphone onto the system’s touch-screen.
An array of standard passive and active safety systems will be found in the Trax, including six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) including Hill Start Assist (HSA), Traction Control (TC), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution. Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) and Hill Descent Control (HDC) are standard on LT trim vehicles.
Other details like fuel consumption and performance have not yet been released. Considering weight and aerodynamics, the 1.4-liter version is likely to get a fuel consumption marginally under the ratings for the Cruze sporting the same powerplant.
