Commuting to work is boring. It can also be expensive, uncomfortable, and a bunch of other negative words. Some vehicles, however, are built with the daily commuter in mind. Let me tell you about the 2022 Chevy Trax, one of the best vehicles that you can purchase today for the daily grind of driving to and from work. How does a manufacturer build a vehicle to satisfy these drivers?
There are many different ways that Chevy has gone and accomplished this, but today we want to take a more refined look at five features that have stood out to us the most. From comfort to safety, all the way to entertainment, the Trax has a little bit of something for every part of the driving experience. So, take this journey with us as we tell you why the Trax is the perfect vehicle for the daily drive.
#1 – Fuel Economy
What is perhaps the single most important thing for a vehicle to have if you plan on driving it long distances every day? Fuel efficiency. While the Trax may be a compact SUV, don’t let the term “SUV” fool you here. The Trax is quite fuel-efficient given its size, and this is thanks to the inclusion of a turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder engine. Depending on whether you have front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the fuel efficiency numbers will slightly differ, but both will still save you money compared to some competitors out there. Driving a front-wheel drive Trax will earn you ratings of 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, and all-wheel drive models will get 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. In terms of range, the all-wheel drive version can travel for an estimated 364 miles on a full tank, while front-wheel drive models get a longer 378-mile range.
#2 – Leatherette Power-Adjustable Seating
With the 2022 Trax, cloth upholstery is standard for your seats, but this can be swapped out for finely crafted leatherette trim. While genuine leather isn’t an option for the 2022 Trax, it’s something that doesn’t detract from what’s otherwise a luxurious interior for the price. For those who commute during the winter months when it’s cold outside, you’ll be pleased to know that the seats inside of the 2022 Trax can feature heating elements as well. Lastly, this year’s model comes with a 6-way power-adjustable seat, as last year’s model did. When combined, the seating features of the Trax allow drivers to find their most comfortable position and will provide the utmost comfort.
#3 – Infotainment Center
Some may not realize it, but an infotainment center can greatly enhance the daily drive. Chevy has included a 7-inch infotainment center with the Trax, and its uses are abundant. Of course, what’s a car ride without music? Your favorite radio stations are still here, of course, and the Trax also includes satellite radio for those who prefer more specific radio stations. You may be asking, “is that all the infotainment center does”? No, not at all.
Other features that come with it include a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, which may not be all too important if you’re just driving to work, but it’s undoubtedly worth having. Admittedly, infotainment centers can seem a bit bland on their own, and this was something that had plagued vehicles for years while the feature was relatively new. Fortunately, as of 2014, a new function would arrive in various vehicles, and the key to access all of these features comes from the smartphone that you already own.
#4 – Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
The functions that we alluded to earlier that have reinvigorated the interest in infotainment centers everywhere are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In case you’ve never experienced either of these before, let me explain why you’ll want to utilize it any time you’re driving your vehicle. After plugging your smartphone into the USB port located near the console, your phone will hand over all of its functions to the infotainment center. If you get a phone call, text message, or voicemail, you can utilize your speakers to talk on the phone or get the text message read back to you by built-in software. By only using your voice, you can respond to text messages, set reminders, ask about the weather forecast, and even ask for directions. The process is that seamless.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also allow you to use third-party applications that you can download directly from the built-in app stores. This means that popular apps that people utilize on their phones all the time are readily accessible straight from the infotainment center screen. Are you subscribed to a specific music streaming service? Do you only use one type of app for maps and navigation? Chances are you can download these apps with no issue whatsoever, and this means that you’ll have no reason to look at your phone while on the road, which you shouldn’t be doing anyway, but we’ll save that discussion for a later time.
#5 – Side Blind-Zone Alert
Many workers aren’t fortunate enough to live within walking distance of their work or even in the same town. Sometimes, the freeway can be the main road that you travel every day. Not only is the freeway dangerous, but it requires a certain level of attention that is sometimes hard to achieve if it’s early in the morning or late at night. Various features are implemented into the Trax to help make freeway travel a safer affair, but the one that we’d like to mention is Side Blind-Zone Alert.
When you’re changing lanes, you have to ensure that the lane beside you is empty and that nobody is in your blind spot. This is why we love features such as Side Blind-Zone Alert. While you’re driving on the highway and a vehicle is positioned in your blind spot, a light indicator that resembles a vehicle approaching another’s blindspot is displayed on the appropriate side mirror. Features like this are very important, and it’s something that we can only imagine will be improved upon over time and implemented across more of the Chevy Trax lineup.
You Should Get One
If you couldn’t tell by now, we enjoy the 2022 Trax. From a manufacturer as legendary as Chevy, we didn’t expect disappointment, but we were pleasantly surprised by just how far it exceeded our expectations. The daily commuter will have plenty to enjoy with the Trax, and the vehicle is also fully capable of other uses if work isn’t on the agenda for the day. We find that the Trax is a fantastic deal, and you’re bound to get lots of mileage out of it. The best part is, you’ll also be saving money every step of the way because of how efficient the powertrain has proven to be.
We only mention five features, but you can be assured that there’s much more that you should know about. Our recommendation to you is to take one for a test drive, and this should give you a better indication of how the Trax will fit into your daily life. Once you own a capable and comfortable little SUV for yourself, you’ll never dread the ride to work ever again.
