Your detailed descriptions of your driving experiences are VERY well done. The viewer really is receiving a good picture of what you're experiencing. Keep up the good work! Have a healthy and happy 2024.
I used to own a 2009 Honda fit. And now own a 2024 Chevy Trax 1rs . This car has more of a hatchback feel but taller. If you are in the market of a hatchback check out this car and give it a test drive.
Very thorough review. For the money, I'd definitely buy the Trax. It's really a Cruze hatchback replacement. The Kona is really more of a Trailblazer competitor in my mind
Trax for me if we're sticking with FWD. I'd like to see a Trax vs Soul vs Kicks comparison later. All similar price, all FWD, and all alternatives to a sedan.
The Kicks is growing as the Kona did & getting AWD for 2025 & the Soul is getting discontinued along with the Venue. 😢 The Trax will be the only FWD exclusive car in the class, but with it being the same size but having more focus on engagement and refinement minus a few minor ementies for value, I think it just makes sense.
I agree with this statement. We just got an LT with confidence and convenience packages, and black badging, for under $25,000.00. It's fantastic, with all the technology and road power we could possibly need.....and it looks great !
What do you mean its optional for the steering wheel shifter... I though that the Kona N Line only came with the steering wheel shifter and not a traditional PRND???
Great review but I'll suggest you start by reading the user manual. The digital instrument cluster on the Trax 2RS can be changed and configured both from the steering wheel and infotainment screen. I also don't think this is a fair comparison because the Kona is more expensive than the Trax. You might as well compare the Trax to a Mercedes Benz GLA.
1. I think you got me. It was not intuitive. I'll check the turn signal stalk buttons and press and hold the right center button next time. Not intuitive. But you're right. 2. We test cars that we get. The regular Kona is not as good as this Trax, which I explained. I have alluded to the GLA, and I would pick a Trax over it.
Can't agree more! A '24 Kona SEL with convenience package is only $28K at our local dealer. The Kona has way better driving assist technologies and unlimited Bluelink+ that let's you remote start with A/C settings of your choice , stop engine, lock, unlock, check status of your car using a web browser or phone app (free for the life of 4G lte infrastructure). Lastly, more than twice the length of warranty. What this "professional" car reviewer missed is that most buyers of these sub-compact SUVs are after these technologies + practical space for kids or pets than driving dynamic. I would agree with driving dynamics if you are comparing Malibu vs Sonata.
Corrections to this video. 1) The air vents are under the back seats, take a peak! 🧐 2) The Trax model reviewed, the 2RS, has three options for the dash display that are selectable through the menu. 3) Technically, the Active model is the top of the line Trax. It even comes with a power driver's seat. Decent review. The reviewer obviously knows how a car should feel and drive.
You’re incorrect tracks does have highway assist driving mode to keep you in straight line also you can have it D drive n shift down n up control button mode n front car length, warning light crash settings They are both budget friendly cars, so why pay extra money when they are so close to each other Stick with trax thank you
just traded my 2018 chevy cruze LT, which i kept like new and very low miles, on a trax 1rs, sterling gray , i have only had it for a litte lover 3 weeks, very nice and fun to drive , a really nice driving smaller suv, thanks for the review, so many people have posted bad things about these new trax, but i love the looks of it and so far the driving also :)
Ummm.. are you sure about the "wired android auto" only in the Kona? That used to be tru of the old 10" screens with the old interface but all Hyundai 12" screens with the new interface are WIRELESS AA/ACP. Pretty sure you got that wrong.
A lot of folks buy these cars primarily based on price, and would like to see the base (i.e., cheapest) models. My guess is that these base models are never provided to car reviewers because the manufacturers really don’t want people to see them and they definitely don’t want to sell them. Some things never change…
I have the 2024 Kona SEL FWD. no convenience package. And It DOES have wireless Carplay. I did have to use a data cable for initial setup. But after that, totally wireless.
⚠️ *About the digital gauges.* ⚠️ *5:01** The digital instrument panel/gauges can be customized. There are 6 different ways to set it. You just have to press and hold the scroll wheel on the right side of the steering wheel for three seconds and the options will then appear on the screen in front of you where the speedometer is.*
NLine is just like RS models, aesthetics, not performance. Use the glovebox or trunk if you need to secure items in a Kona. It’s not like the armrest in Trax is much larger. Kona also offers a powered tailgate and heated rear seats on limited trim. Heated and ventilation on front row. Rear seat air vents as well. Trax is less expensive but doesn’t offer the same amount of amenities, AWD or power. Material quality isn’t the same either. No padding in Trax on armrest, middle and outboard all hard plastic. You forget what you pay for.
Love the review. I previously considered the last gen Kona, but held out for my special ordered Maverick AWD. I'm now considering the Trax as a means to save more money as I also now must consider health issues. I've been impressed with so many positive reviews of the new Trax and really enjoyed your comparison and impressions. Yes, I will miss the performance of the 2.0L Ecoboost in the Maverick, but it doesn't produce at wonderful engine sound all the reviews of the Trax detail, nor does it feel as torquey. Yes, it's quick, it just doesn't feel it. The interior of the Trax looked better than the Kona, which to me appears a bit blah. Lastly, so much is made out of 0-60 times, but in daily life I find that even some slower vehicles do just fine merging on the freeway, and in the daily commute, it's just fine. Besides, a 3.9 second time only means you're at the next stop light well before the other traffic.
The biggest thing for me is…., it’s a Hyundai. The looks kinda grew on me but that rear end on the Kona just doesn’t do it for me. The Trax is awesome but I’ve heard quite a lot of Trax owners have had quality and electrical issues. I know cars of today have so much tech that there is bound to be issues but that’s a bit much for me since I have a 2017 Honda CR-V Touring with issues.
I just test drove the Trailblazer after test driving the Nissan Kicks. Chevy wins hands down on get up and go, hwy merging. I liked the look of the Trax RS, but the seats were uncomfortable to me so I test drove the Trailblazer. Super comfy! It was hand in glove for me. I currently drive an 03' grand caravan. Sure I loose one row, but it was a nice drive. Took it on the hwy and bumpy city streets.
The Trax is a better deal, but it's a GM product, and unless it's one of their prized pickup trucks, it's built to last not one second after the warranty ends or before. My previous new car purchase was a GM, and that has been a rollercoaster of a relationship. I'll shop quality next time, not price.
GM reliability depends on the model. I think the Trax will be reliable as it has the 6 speed. Also, if reliability is a concern, 7 year extended warranty is like $2,400 extra.
Shift by wire does take time but Mercedes Benz had this feature for years and I understand that electric vehicles will be using the infotainment system to shift gears in the future no more leavers or column mounted shift
Tbh, I have never had an American brand that was reliable. And I know that there is a lot of hate on Hyundai for reliability issues. Having said that, if I were to purchase either on of these, the 10 year 100,000 mile warranty offered by Hyundai puts it way ahead of the Trax. I would rather spend the money and have a long term warranty.
This is a unfair comparison. That Kona N-Line will easily go for $31-32k and has all the bells and whistles. The top of the line Trax 2RS with everything optioned will be around $26k which is big difference. As impressive as the Kona is, it's far more expensive. A fair comparison would be the base Kona SE and this Trax 2RS which are both around $26k.
Bought a 2018 Trax LT AWD 42k miles still factory warranty a year ago. Turbo underboost failure check engine twice, one turbo coolant leak failure, one complete turbo replacement last week, touch screen clock can't adjust failure, heater control vents cable failure, strange rollback when uphill after releasing the brakes. Cheap built? 100%. After 3 perfect Silverados, Chevy, NEVER again. This Trax has things breaking before 75,000 miles that no other brand ever has for me or my relatives. The costs of repair should have gone to a better car. Budget? or buying a name? You decide, you do some checking. Then the oh, that's not covered, oh that either. Do some serious checking.
I have a 2019 Kona and recently purchased a 2024 Trax for my wife. I am not a fan of the new look of the Kona. If they continue with this look, or have a similarly hideous look when I trade my Kona in, I'll probably go with a Trax as well. I just wish they offered an AWD option on the Trax as it looks better than the Trailblazer.
Because of its name, I don't think that this car would sell well in Poland. In Polish translation, "Kona" means a state of being very close to a certain death. I remember being hesitant about buying a Dodge Caravan, but the price was very good, so I did buy it. That was 2003. Two years after, I hit black ice on the highway, lost control, rolled over in the air and on the ground, then crushed with the back of my van in to rocky wall of the mountain. I almost died that day. I lost that van. It was unrepairable. In Poland, Caravan is the name of the car used only at the funerals to transport the coffin from the chapel to the grave.
Going to go with the Chevy Trax and trade it in after 5 years once the competition steps up and make some better vehicles to compete with it. Currently the Chevy dealer is completely out they cannot keep the Trax on their lot
Greetings from southern Ontario Canada I really enjoyed the video before I chose I wait for ajac automotive journalists association Canada they take a large group of vehicles and make a yearly announcement whom they recommend in the printed paper of the Toronto star and online or consumers report annual auto edition hardcopy
Right off the bat, not too crazy about a Hyundai, but a three cylinder turbo in the Chevy is a terrible idea. Take an overworked engine and throw some turbo pressure in it. 💥👎🏻 Recipe for disaster.
You don't have to worry about that. The driving environment of Korea's severe traffic congestion, with endless stop-go, stop-go (5,000km engine oil change cycle harsh environment) puts much harsher stress on the engine than the relaxed road environment in the US. However, the 3-cylinder engines of the Trailblazer and Trax have no problems
Power seats doesn’t make it top trim. Same price you sacrifice power seats for the sportier interior with the steering wheel, bigger wheels and sportier front end.
Test drove both in mid tiers. Trax is nice on inside. Sporty. Turbo makes it count. What that means for a 3 cyl engine long term remains to be seen. But less mpg and no warranty over 3000 miles. Chevy doesn't have a good record on reliability, and hyundai is a company actively trying to remedy their situation by manufacturing all their own parts and assembling in Korea. That means, that for the time being, they have a vested interest in reliability which is good for the consumer. I'd go kona. If you can get one at the sel trim with the convinience package if you can find it under 28. If you care more about driving feel go trax. But Id rather have an extra cylinder jic.
You should do your research before you do a review. The trax does have Lane assist, active cruise control, manual shift, it doesn't have steering wheel paddles, but a button on the automatic shifter knob at your thumb position! You can change the digital screen, push in the right side scroll wheel. (The scroll is on the steering wheel.) This will change the screen and give you about five options. Terrible review, you didn't do the chevy trax justice!
Yeah, I found that out when someone else yelled at me. A combo of buttons on the turn signal stalk and holding another button on the wheel for a second or two -- not exactly intuitive even for someone like me who has tested over 700 cars.
The info tiles are configurable from the touchscreen but not the layout, which if I've learned correctly, can be accessed by the steering wheel scroll button that must be pushed and held, not scrolled.@@justinboswell8714
Neither are performance models. The RS and N-Line are styling packages. The N-Line does include a turbo engine that upgrades the standard engine, but it's also available on the more expensive Limited.
The190 hp n line is a performance model) "perfomance being a subjective word)( the base engine has of the kona has147 hp, 10 more than the Trax and costs 2k more than the Trax rs. There are different levels to performance models, ie: m340i vs m3, v sport vs v etc. In terms of price, the kona se or sel would have still been more expensive than the trax but closer to the much lower price of the Trax.
@@cliffcarreviews So a 30% bump in horse power and 7k bump in price over the already more expensive SE Kona is not a performance upgrade? You missed his whole point.. getting hung up on the term "performance".
@glenng.6041 @midnightbeast4481 I don't think we agree on the term "performance." I see performance as a total upgrade -- suspension, tires, brakes, steering, aero, engine, etc. The N-Line is an engine/transmission upgrade with larger tires, but believe me, driving it does not feel like a full performance upgrade. The Kona N from the last gen fits that description. I'll try to be more specific next time. The point is, even though this particular Kona I tested was a lot more money, it's not as good overall as the Trax.
My neighbor purchased the Trax. I refuse to buy a GM anymore! I'm getting the Kona, but Limited AWD trim. I like the N-Line sportiness, but the Limited has a few more bells and whistles that are only available in the Limited trim. Oh, and 3-cylinder engines are junk. Just wait until they all show up broken down in a year!
Pffff gm have a lot of experience making 3-cylinder engines, im from Mexico and here we have a chevy onix, it also have a 3 cylinder engine and i have pictures of onix with +200,000 km in the odometer, you only have to take care of your car and dont drive it like you stole it
What are you talking about? Korean GMs have been great for a long time. The non-CVT Sparks will last forever... until someone looks at them the wrong way and they're written off.
The engine for Chevy Trax is 100% made in China. So much for buying America! ROFL...European sedan? The Chevy inside is pure plastic. Read other reviews.
