2017 Chevrolet Trax

2017 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the first-generation Trax (new styling and interior), but the powertrain carried over: every trim uses the 138 hp 1.4L turbo four, the bottom of the SUV band.

Modest peak torque, though the turbo delivers it low in the rev range for usable around-town response.

Chevrolet publishes no figure; instrumented tests put the FWD Trax around 9 s and AWD near 10 s, slow even for a subcompact crossover.

The small turbo is smooth and adequate in town but sounds buzzy and runs out of breath under hard acceleration and at freeway speeds.

The conventional six-speed automatic shifts smoothly in normal driving but is slow to kick down for passing, accentuating the engine's lack of power.

Chevrolet publishes no US tow rating for the Trax and owner guidance does not recommend trailering.

On-demand AWD is optional on every trim (LS, LT, Premier), but it is a basic reactive system with no terrain modes or torque vectoring.

A car-based subcompact crossover with modest ground clearance (~6.2 in) and no off-road hardware, trims or drive modes; pavement-oriented.

One engine and one transmission across all trims with no hybrid or electric option; only the FWD/AWD choice varies.

EPA combined rating for the volume FWD configuration is solid for a gas subcompact SUV.

EPA city rating for the FWD Trax.

EPA highway rating for the FWD Trax is strong for the class.

The small 14.0-gallon tank limits range despite decent economy; computed from EPA combined MPG × tank capacity.

EPA's current-price annual fuel cost estimate for the FWD Trax on regular gasoline.

Every trim runs on regular unleaded gasoline, with no premium requirement.

NHTSA rates the 2017 Trax five stars overall in both FWD and AWD form, with five-star frontal, side and side-pole results. 2017 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the first generation (2015–2022) and its structure is unchanged.

Good ratings in driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap, original side, roof strength and head restraints. It is Acceptable in passenger-side small overlap, where the belt allowed too much forward excursion, and in the updated side test. With Poor headlights and warning-only front crash prevention, it earned no award.

No 2017 Trax trim offers automatic emergency braking or adaptive cruise. The 2017 refresh added forward collision alert and lane departure warning, but only in the top Premier trim's Driver Confidence II package. Blind-zone and rear cross-traffic alerts are an LT option, so the volume LT has no forward-sensing assists.

The 2017 Trax has no automatic braking. The Premier's camera-based forward collision alert only warns the driver, which IIHS rates at its lowest Basic level. There is no pedestrian detection.

Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are optional on the LT through the Driver Confidence Package and standard on the Premier. They are unavailable on the base LS. Both are alert-only, with no braking and no safe-exit alert.

Lane departure warning is available only on the Premier and alerts without steering. No 2017 Trax offers lane keep assist or lane centering.

Every 2017 Trax has conventional cruise control only. Adaptive cruise and highway assist are not offered on any trim.

Super Cruise was never offered on the Trax, and it has no radar or steering assist, so there is no hands-free option.

The refreshed 2017 Trax keeps halogen reflector headlamps, adds LED DRLs and has no automatic high beams. The first-generation lamps were rated Poor in IIHS's small-SUV headlight evaluation, with inadequate low-beam reach.

The tall, upright cabin gives good forward and side sightlines. Thick rear pillars and a small rear window limit the view out the back. A rear camera is standard, rear park assist comes on the Premier or the LT package, and there is no surround-view camera.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Acceptable. Both outboard positions have full LATCH, but the lower anchors sit too deep in the seat. The center seat has a tether only, and the narrow rear bench realistically fits two car seats.

The 2017 Trax seats five in two rows on the LS, LT and Premier. 2017 is the mid-cycle refresh year of the 2015-on first generation, with new styling and a redesigned dashboard. Body dimensions carried over.

The tall, upright body gives generous front headroom for a subcompact.

Front legroom is short for the class, and the narrow cabin feels confining to taller drivers.

The boxy roofline gives good rear headroom, the rear seat's main strength.

Rear legroom is adequate but tight for adults, and the narrow bench makes three across a squeeze.

It is a two-row subcompact crossover with no third row.

Cargo space behind the rear seat is small even for a subcompact SUV and trails the HR-V.

Maximum cargo room falls below the SUV band floor. The fold-flat front passenger seat helps with long items.

The refreshed 2017 cabin keeps useful touches for its size, including upper dash bins, a fold-flat front passenger seat and a 120V outlet on upper trims. The console storage is small.

The front seats are reasonably comfortable. The Premier adds heated leatherette seats and a power driver's seat, while the volume LT has manual cloth seats with limited adjustment. The narrow rear bench limits adult comfort.

The short wheelbase makes the ride choppy over broken pavement. The LS and LT's 16-inch wheels ride acceptably, while the Premier's 18-inch wheels let in more impact harshness.

There is noticeable road noise, especially on 18-inch wheels, and the 1.4T sounds coarse under load, so the cabin is louder than most rivals.

Every trim has single-zone manual climate control. Heated front seats come only on the Premier, and no trim offers automatic climate, a heated wheel or ventilated seats. Remote start is available.

2017 was the facelift year of the first-generation Trax (US MY2015 launch): new front end, redesigned interior, and the Premier trim replacing the LTZ. The entry LS FWD cost $21,895 delivered, below the floor of the SUV band.

The LT is the mainstream retail trim. At $23,795 delivered it sits below the $27,000 floor of the SUV band.

No figure specific to 2017 could be found. This estimate blends nameplate-level estimates for the unchanged 1.4L turbo and six-speed automatic, which the first generation used from 2015 to 2022.

The Trax normally holds about 48% of its value after five years, well below rivals. The 2017 model reached five years in 2022, at the peak of used-car inflation during the chip shortage, which lifted its retention a few points above that norm.

GM's 3-year/36,000-mile coverage is the industry minimum and the bottom of the band. The Kia Soul and Hyundai Tucson offered 5 years/60,000 miles.

The 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty is the floor of the band and half the 10-year/100,000-mile coverage Hyundai and Kia offered.

Chevrolet Complete Care for MY2016–2018 covered scheduled oil changes and tire rotations for 2 years/24,000 miles, up to four visits. It also included 5 years/60,000 miles of roadside assistance and courtesy transportation. OnStar Basic ran for five years, with a trial of 4G LTE Wi-Fi data.

$23,795 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (53% retained, or about $12,611) leaves about $11,184 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $17,184 in total.

The 2017 Trax is the mid-cycle refresh year of the first generation (2015–2022 US). The refresh reworked the styling and interior but carried the powertrain over. J.D. Power rated it around average, and Consumer Reports and U.S. News put the first-gen Trax at or slightly below the subcompact-SUV average. Owners named quality as the weakest attribute.

In the J.D. Power dependability studies of the late 2010s, Chevrolet sat near the industry average. It has since moved into the upper half of mass-market brands without reaching the top tier.

The 2017 model year has three safety recalls. Two of them are separate campaigns for the same defect, an improperly welded front lower control arm. The third is a GM-wide airbag sensing-module software fault that could stop the frontal airbags and pretensioners from deploying. The repeated structural recall combined with an airbag recall puts 2017 at the bottom of the 'typical' band.

The 2017 Trax uses GM's widely shared 1.4L turbo four (138 hp / 148 lb-ft) with a six-speed automatic. The engine has plenty of high-mileage examples, but it has a known list of age-related faults (turbo and PCV/valve-cover leaks, coolant loss, oil consumption past ~100k miles). The history is mixed, with no catastrophic failure pattern.

The 2017 refresh added a new dashboard and a 7-inch MyLink screen, which improved the look over the 2015–16 cabin. Hard plastics still dominate, though, and reviewers rated it behind the HR-V and CX-3 for perceived quality.

The Trax is a mature Korea-built platform with no widespread panel-gap or rattle complaints. However, two control-arm weld recalls covering 2017 builds point to a manufacturing quality lapse, and owners rate quality as the vehicle's weakest point.

Chevrolet has roughly 2,800 US franchised dealers, one of the densest service networks in the country. Its service satisfaction is decent but trails the mass-market leaders.

The first generation had a long production run, and its 1.4T engine is shared with the Cruze, Sonic and Encore, so parts are cheap and plentiful with a deep aftermarket. Routine repair costs are below average.

The 2017 refresh made a 7-inch Chevrolet MyLink touchscreen standard on every trim. No larger screen and no embedded navigation were offered.

MyLink is simple and reasonably responsive, and physical climate knobs remain. The small screen and plain graphics trail newer rivals.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2017 trim (new with the refresh) but work over a USB cable only. The first-generation Trax never offered wireless projection.

No 2017 trim offers built-in navigation. Voice control is basic phone-assistant passthrough, and OnStar turn-by-turn requires a subscription.

The standard system is a six-speaker stereo. A seven-speaker Bose system comes in the LT's Sun and Sound package and on the Premier. The upgrade is modest.

The 2017 refresh replaced the motorcycle-style gauge pod with conventional analog gauges and a small driver information display. No digital or configurable cluster is available.

The Trax predates GM's Vehicle Intelligence Platform and gets no meaningful over-the-air updates. Software updates are done at the dealer.

OnStar with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot is standard. The myChevrolet app handles remote lock/unlock, remote start where fitted, vehicle locate and diagnostics. Most functions need a subscription, and there is no digital key.

There are two USB ports and an aux jack but no wireless charging and no rear USB. A 120V outlet is fitted on upper trims.

The LS and volume LT use a traditional key with a remote fob. Keyless access with push-button start is standard on the Premier, and remote start is offered. There is no phone-as-key or hands-free liftgate.

A rear camera is standard. Rear park assist, blind-zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert come in the LT's Driver Confidence Package and are standard on the Premier. Surround view is not offered.

No 2017 Trax offers a head-up display.

The high roof and upright doors make car-seat loading easy. The narrow rear bench, 35.7 in of rear legroom and 18.7 cu ft of cargo space leave little room for a stroller plus groceries, and the LATCH anchors sit deep in the seat.

It earns five NHTSA stars overall, but no trim offers automatic emergency braking. Forward collision alert and lane departure warning are Premier-only warnings, and blind-zone alert is an LT option.

The tight rear bench, lack of rear vents and rear USB, road noise and small cargo hold make it a poor multi-hour family car.

Quick steering, a compact footprint and a high seating position make it easy in town. The 138-hp engine and choppy ride add fatigue once traffic speeds up.

The 1.4T returns about 28 mpg combined (FWD) on regular fuel, and consumables are cheap, though economy trails the HR-V.

At about 168 in long, with a turning circle near 36 ft and quick steering, it is easy to thread through the city. Rear park assist is optional on the LT.

It is not rated to tow, and its small cargo area and 138-hp engine make it unfit for real work.

The mature Gamma II platform and 1.4T are cheap to fix, but the powertrain is lightly built and the interior plastics are budget-grade. It is not a work tool.

A 120V outlet on upper trims and a fold-flat front passenger seat are its only work-oriented provisions, and there is no upfit ecosystem.

It is a weak highway companion: noisy and choppy, with an engine that struggles to pass, and no adaptive cruise or lane assist. The 14-gallon tank gives unremarkable range.

AWD, optional on every trim, and roof rails (LT and up) help on gravel and in snow, but ground clearance is only about 6.2 in and it is not rated to tow.

The 60/40 folding rear seat and fold-flat front passenger seat let it carry long items, but total volume is small and there is no factory hitch.

It feels nimble and stable at city speeds, but the tall, short-wheelbase body leans and feels unsettled on curvy roads and at highway speed.

The steering is quick and precise but numb, giving little feedback.

Four-wheel disc brakes give adequate, predictable stops for a light subcompact. Reviews raise no braking complaints, and no instrumented figures were found.

The 138-hp 1.4T and six-speed automatic are smooth in town, but the engine strains when merging or passing, and the transmission is slow to kick down.

The small turbo four sounds coarse and droning when worked hard.

The compact footprint gives a tight turning circle for an SUV, though published figures vary by source.

The tall seating position and big glass give good sightlines and easy entry, and the redesigned 2017 dash is more conventional and easier to read. The volume LT's manual seat has limited adjustment, and a power driver's seat comes only on the Premier.

It is an appliance-like runabout. City nimbleness is its only playful trait, and the weak engine and choppy chassis leave little to enjoy.

Every 2017 Trax came with a 7-inch MyLink touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, a rearview camera and two USB ports. That tech was generous for the class in 2017. Blind-spot and rear-park assist were only optional on LT and Premier, forward-collision and lane-departure warnings were limited to the top trim, and no trim offered automatic emergency braking.

Delivered prices of $21,895–$27,895 (plus $1,500 for AWD) undercut most of the segment, and heavy GM incentives lowered transaction prices further. The weak 138-hp engine and thin active safety keep it at fair value rather than a bargain.

Three trims (LS, LT, and a new Premier replacing the LTZ), each available with FWD or AWD, span about $6,000. That is a reasonable spread, but there is only one engine and the option packages are limited.

US sales held steady at about 79,000 units in 2017, flat on 2016. That made the Trax a solid mid-pack subcompact seller, helped by incentives and fleet volume, before it grew in 2018–2019.

Chevrolet is a neutral mainstream badge. The Trax was seen mostly as a budget and rental-fleet crossover, and its weak resale reflects that image.

GM regularly put customer cash, GM Financial bonuses and 0% APR offers on the Trax throughout the first generation, often worth $2,500–$3,500 on a sub-$25,000 vehicle. That is a real buyer benefit, though it also signals soft demand at sticker price.

2017 brought the first-generation Trax's major facelift, with a redesigned front end, a new interior and new safety and infotainment tech. That makes it mid-cycle and freshly refreshed, though it still sits on a platform that launched globally in 2013.

Reviewers credited the refreshed cabin, easy smartphone integration and nimble size but criticized the weak engine and small cargo area. The Trax placed mid-to-low in subcompact rankings and won no major awards or comparison tests.