It’s not every year that your favorite band puts out a new album, nor does your favorite film get a sequel. Similarly, it’s not every year when one of the most well-known and internationally-celebrated car manufacturers puts out entirely new models onto a sea of automotive enthusiasts. When a fan-favorite manufacturer releases a new vehicle, it doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, nor does it have to be a fancy sports car. For example, the 2024 Chevy Trax is a fresh take on one of Chevy’s newer vehicles, “newer,” meaning it launched within the last decade.
When the Chevy Trax first appeared in the United States market, one of the last regions to get the SUV, it marked a momentous occasion for the esteemed manufacturer as it now had another cost-effective SUV to go alongside the Trailblazer. However, that doesn’t explain why the 2024 Chevy Trax is such a departure from its predecessors. Why is it worth discussing, and are the changes legitimately groundbreaking? I’ve got some answers for you, and I’m eager to share them, so let’s begin.
Two Years Later
The first thing to note about the 2024 Chevy Trax is that it’s the return of the Trax after a brief hiatus. There was no 2023 Chevy Trax in the United States, but this year off was to usher in a new era of the Trax that separates the latest model from the older ones in a few distinct ways: powertrains, size, and technology. The 2024 Trax, despite all the extensive upgrades between it and the 2022 model, the most immediate predecessor, the 2024 Trax costs nearly the same amount as the 2022 model when it was new.
The 2024 Trax starts at an MSRP of $21,700 with five available trim levels: the LS, 1RS, LT, 2RS, and the ACTIV. The 2022 and 2021 Trax offered two trim levels: the LS and LT, while older models like the 2020 Trax offered an additional higher-tier trim level called the Premier. Having five trim levels you can choose from adds a tremendous amount of customization compared to the models that offered either two or three trims, but like its predecessors, some elements are static and can’t be changed.
For example, there’s only one engine shared across all five trim levels, and there’s no room for deviation in cabin size and passenger capacity. Alternatively, the 2023 Trax models and older had one type of infotainment center, whereas the 2024 model has two variations of infotainment centers with two screen sizes. However, the 2024 Trax is an upgrade in nearly every way, so let’s talk about that.
A Smaller, More Efficient Engine
One of the most significant changes between the 2024 Trax and its predecessors is a smaller turbocharged 1.2L I-3 engine that replaces the turbocharged 1.4L I-4 engine that came standard on many Trax models leading up to it. While the two engines are different, the 6-speed automatic transmission hasn’t gone anywhere. Part of swapping out the old engine for a smaller and more efficient one was losing some of its performance, most notably its horsepower and torque output. The 2024 Trax, with its turbocharged 1.2L I-3 engine, outputs 137 hp, which may be less than the 155 hp stemming from the 2022 and 2021 models, but is more in line with the 138 hp the 2020 model produced. The 2024 Trax also outputs 162 lb-ft of torque, which is lower than the 2022 and 2021 models but greater than the 2020 Trax’s 148 lb-ft of torque.
Ultimately, the 2024 Trax has the benefit of achieving the same level of performance as the 2020 model with a much smaller engine. The advantage of having a smaller engine, however, is fuel efficiency, and thanks to the new turbocharged 1.2L I-3 engine, the Chevy Trax is the most fuel-efficient it has ever been. Although fuel efficiency ratings for the 2024 Trax are currently estimates, it hints towards an SUV built to save you money, whether traveling on the freeway or driving around the city.
The 2022 Trax and its predecessors are available with both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, but there’s no confirmation as of yet whether the 2024 Trax will offer the same. With the front-wheel drive, the 2022 Trax earned EPA-estimated ratings of 24 MPG in the city and 32 MPG on the highway, while Kelley Blue Book estimates the 2024 Trax will get EPA-estimated ratings of 29 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway under the same circumstances.
Increased Cargo Space
Another difference the 2024 Trax brings to the table against the 2022 model and beyond is an uptick in interior size, and the available cargo space is far better off because of it. SUVs with two rows of seating, like the Trax, offer two cargo space configurations; keeping the back seats upright or folding them down. Compared to its predecessors, the 2024 Trax always has at least 25.6 cu.ft. of cargo space, even if there are five people in the car. The 2022 Trax and various older models offer 18.7 cu.ft. of space, a nearly 27% reduction against the latest Trax.
Folding down the backseats on the 2024 Trax increases cargo room to 54.1 cu.ft. of space, which is more than double what you’d get if you keep the seats upright. Of course, you lose more than half your passenger capacity in the process, but when you need your SUV for its versatility more than anything, having 54.1 cu.ft. of space in a pinch is never a bad thing. Trax models have always offered impressive cargo space, with models like the 2022 Trax offering 48.4 cu.ft. of space when folding the backseats down, but the nearly 12% increase helps the Trax become more versatile. It’s also closely identical to the Trailblazer’s 54.4 cu.ft. of space.
A Quick Word on Tech
The 2024 Trax brought another change: two infotainment centers to choose from instead of one, both of which feature larger screens than the prior models. The 2022 Trax and its immediate predecessors were equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen, which fell behind many other Chevy vehicles at the time, like the Trailblazer, which at least offered an available 8-inch touchscreen to those who wanted one.
The small infotainment center in older Trax models were no slouches, boasting features like a standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot for wireless internet and the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. All of these features make their way over to the new and improved infotainment center for the 2024 model. However, instead of sticking with an unchangeable infotainment center solution, Chevy now includes an 8-inch touchscreen unless the driver has opted for a model with an even larger 11-inch touchscreen.
The Start of Something Greater
With the launch of the 2024 Trax, it’s clear that Chevy’s looking to bridge the gap between some of its pricier models, and there’s nothing more apparent of this than Chevy’s reliance on implementing some more modern tech into this beloved entry-level SUV. Between the introduction of two new infotainment centers in addition to the slew of advancements made over the past several years with the likes of Chevy Safety Assist and the new vastly-superior powertrain solution, the 2024 Chevy Trax is an intriguing offer, to say the least, and will be sure to make its presence felt during the 2024 model year.
