Born out of the contradictory demand for compact cars that offer the advantages of an SUV, the crossover has boomed in popularity over the past decade. With practically every major car manufacturer on the planet offering their own take on this popular design, it can be a little overwhelming deciding which one is the right choice. A particularly competitive pairing can be found between the 2019 Chevy Trax vs 2019 Honda HR-V. The two different approaches to the crossover design make for two effective but varied designs. Let’s take a closer look at each model in a few categories to see which one, if any, comes out on top.
Aesthetic
As we’ve established, both the Chevy Trax and the Honda HR-V use the crossover template as the starting point for each of their vehicles. The combination of rugged and sporty aesthetics in the crossover make for a highly functional and attractive design for a car. Let’s see how each company works with their classic design to make it their own.
2019 Chevy Trax
When designing the 2019 Trax, Chevy put a high level of focus on each individual detail of the vehicle’s appearance. The unique dual-port grille, available halogen projector-style headlamps, available 18-inch aluminum wheels, LED signature taillamps and much more all work together to establish the look of a crossover that is quite unlike anything else. You can also choose from eight vibrant colors to help your new Chevy Trax stand out from the crowd. Summit White, Nightfall Gray, Pacific Blue, and Mosaic Black are just a few of the eye-catching options available.
Now if the baseline model isn’t eye-catching enough for you, Chevy also offers the Trax in two premium edition models: the Trax Midnight and the Trax Redline. The Trax Midnight edition features the Mosaic Black exterior, two-tone leatherette seats, 18-inch black alloy wheels and a variety of other premium black accessories.
Only available on the Trax LT and LT Convenience package, the Redline Edition provides some premium materials and a few minor aesthetic tweaks. Take your choice of Silver Ice Metallic, Summit White or Mosaic Black to stand in contrast to the bright red brake calipers. If you decide to go with the Redline Edition, you can also expect a Jet Black interior deluxe cloth and leatherette seating, black beltline moldings, a distinct black grille, and much more.
2019 Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V takes a slightly sportier approach to the classic crossover design. The new sport grille features a black honeycomb pattern and the bold Honda logo to establish an attitude of performance and aggression. sleeker than its western counterpart. Characteristics such as the wide-set front LEDs, 18-inch alloy wheels, and glossy rear sport bumper help to establish the distinct personality for this vehicle.
Performance
With the aesthetics out of the way, now we can dive into what makes these Trax and HR-V tick. With the responsibility of providing a car that is just as capable on a Sunday drive as it is off-road or towing a trailer, the teams at Chevy and Honda really had their work cut out for them. Let’s see if these two crossovers stand up to meet the challenge.
Chevy Trax
The Chevy Trax immediately sets a high bar in this competition by offering a standard 1.4L turbocharged EXOTEC engine. The efficient and powerful design offers a zippy 138 horsepower while still providing up to 31 MPG highway. The Trax also offers available all-wheel drive capability for when you need a little extra grip.
Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V is powered by a 1.8L four-cylinder engine capable of producing 141 horsepower. However, without the turbocharger that comes standard on the Chevy Trax, your experience in this car is going to feel about the same, if not a little less zippy. The HR-V also comes with an available four-wheel drive system and produces a slightly superior 34 MPG highway. All in all, there still isn’t much separating these two excellent crossovers.
Interior
It’s all well and good when your car drives well and looks nice from the outside, but as the driver, you want to make sure it’s cushy and comfortable when you settle in for a long drive. Both the Trax and the HR-V take the interior comfort and overall experience very seriously when it comes to their vehicles. Let’s take a look at what these crossovers offer to ensure you have the most comfortable driving experiences possible.
Chevy Trax
The Chevy Trax makes no concessions when it comes to providing a comfortable and accessible driving experience. The front two seats are nestled in an open and spacious dual-cockpit cabin design. This means plenty of legroom and space to breathe for both the driver and passenger. No detail or touch is too small for the Chevy Trax. It tries to make the interior look and feel as pleasant as possible. The available premium accent stitching on the seats and front instrument panel with striking chrome accents truly make a difference when you’re on the road.
In the back of the vehicle, the Chevy Trax offers an abundance of storage space and a wide variety of options to suit whatever unique cargo needs you have. Fold down the seats into any of the eight unique seating arrangements to situate things exactly the way you need.
Honda HR-V
The front seats of the Honda HR-V offer a similar experience, providing ample room to move around and an attractive front panel. The available seven-inch display audio touch-screen Organizes all of your media and vehicle info in one easy-to-access and attractive package.
When it comes to storage space, the HR-V offers a fair amount of room, but not quite as much as its Chevy opponent. By using a 60/40 split layout and the second-row Magic Seat, as Honda calls it, you can fold down one or both sides in order to create more storage space. And while this will give you a lot of room to put your things down, it simply falls short of the Trax’s offering of eight distinct storage methods.
And the Winner Is…
After comparing the 2019 Chevy Trax vs the 2019 Honda HR-V, it’s safe to say that this has been a close matchup. With both of these great cars coming from two world-class auto manufacturers that really know their stuff, the differences in this showdown really come down to the most granular of differences.
Starting off with the aesthetic, this one really does come down to personal preference. The HR-V offers a slightly sportier package, but still resembles the Trax in a number of ways. On the other hand, the Trax offers a few special edition models that really stand out from the competition and could be enough to sway any customer that’s on the fence.
When it comes to performance, this one is also a neck-and-neck race. While the HR-V does have the Trax beat when it comes to horsepower and MPG, it’s really not by much, and the Trax features the turbocharged engine, which is a big selling point for a lot of customers.
Lastly, is the interior. Though both vehicles do offer a roomy front cabin and a lot of attractive trims and aesthetic touches, the Trax really pulls away with this one due to its innovative eight-option storage layout. Compared to the HR-V this one is a pretty easy decision.
So, with all that being said, it looks like the Chevy Trax just barely pulls ahead on this one. With its special edition options, turbocharged engine and impressive storage variety, this slick Chevy crossover has just enough standout features to beat the competition. Now if you agree and would like to check out a Chevy Trax for yourself, head down to your local dealer today.
