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Chevy Trax One Of The Least Satisfying Vehicles To Drive, According To Survey

The Chevy Trax has been rated as one of the least satisfying vehicles to drive by Consumer Reports.

The publication asked owners of one to three-year-old cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs to rate how satisfied they were with several aspects of their vehicle, including comfort, driving, and ease of use when it comes to in-car electronics. It then used these responses to calculate a predicted owner satisfaction score for current model year vehicles, ranking the vehicles based on these scores.

The only General Motors vehicle that was ranked among the least satisfying vehicles to drive by CR was the Chevy Trax subcompact crossover. The publication did not share the feedback that its users provided on the Trax, so it’s not entirely clear what they didn’t find satisfying about driving the vehicle.

While the Trax was the only GM vehicle that was ranked among the least satisfying to drive, it noticed a trend of complaints regarding the value of the Chevy Blazer. Additionally, some customers complained about the seat comfort in the Chevy Bolt EV hatchback.

CR reached out to General Motors to see if they wanted to comment on these reported issues. A company spokesman responded with the following statement:

“Regarding the Chevrolet Bolt seats, we have made updates for 2020MY which we expect will improve seating comfort for owners. Regarding the Chevrolet Blazer pricing, it’s important to note that one-third of customers are buying the RS trim, which starts at $41,995. This demonstrates that customers appreciate the Blazer’s combination of design, technology, and value.”

Other vehicles that were ranked among the least satisfying to drive by CR survey respondents include the Mazda CX-3, Nissan Kicks, Jeep Compass, Ford EcoSport, Toyota CH-R and Nissan Pathfinder. Some of the most satisfying vehicles to drive include the Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y, Kia Telluride, Toyota Prius and Jeep Gladiator.

Subscribe to GM Authority as we bring you the latest Chevrolet Trax news, Chevrolet news and ongoing GM news coverage.

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Sam loves to write and has a passion for auto racing, karting and performance driving of all types.

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Comments

  1. I could’ve told them that just by looking at it.

    Reply
    1. I’ve owned a 2017 chevy trax and now a 2021 trax. Very reliable car, I never had to take it for repair ever only maintenance. Of course it doesnt ride as the Cadillac but for me it is great!

      Reply
      1. I mean for the price of the ’17 trax you probably could have gotten the Cadillac with 3 years/30k of depreciation on it… and just kept it instead of upgrading to the same car 3 years later. I think that’s why people are complaining about the “value” of the Blazer, especially the time you add a V6, you can find a XT5 discounted to it’s price or below — even new these days.

        I’m glad you’re happy and don’t mean to make you second guess yourself or make this a personal attack, just an observation of the market and speculation as to why people may be less “satisfied” than you are

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        1. My 2017 Trax is fine. No problems 70000 miles.33 to 35 mpg can’t beat that.

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          1. I am on my 2nd Trax…i love them…great on wet roads…have a lot more room on them then you sould think they do

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        2. Back in the 1960s, when I was young and had plenty of money and no responsibilities, I had the newest, priciest, and flashiest cars in the company parking lot.

          My Cadillacs visually blew away the company owner’s stodgy, stupid looking Mercedes Benz sedans.

          Marriage, mortgage, and kids put a stop to my “new one every year” addiction, but I wasn’t yet ready for something less than a Lincoln, Buick, or Caddy so, through the 70s, I tended to keep my cars a bit longer, and was introduced to such never before expenses as purchasing windshield wipers, mufflers, brakes, tires, etc.

          Now I have arrived at a stage of life (a/k/a “poor”) where I am more interested in zero repairs and zero repair cost.

          My daughter’s 2019 Trax is the cheapest of the 5 vehicles currently in my driveway, the easiest for me to get in and out of, and will probably be replaced at 3 years or 30,000 miles by another Trax, or its Buick equivalent.

          No way in hell would I be interested in paying the maintenance and repair costs of a 4, 5, and 6 year old Cadillac, which is what you would have if you bought one priced comparably with a new Trax.
          Especially as I found current model Cadillacs, Buicks, and Lincoln’s ain’t what they used to be.” (Better than the Trax? Sure, in most ways, but not in ways I would be willing to pay so much more for).

          After a nearly 60 year history of buying cars, I have been converted to the 3 year lease.

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          1. Totally agreed

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          2. Just to clarify:
            You would be paying for maintenance and repairs on a 4, 5, and 6 year old Cadillac if you bought a 3 year old Caddy and kept it for 3 years.
            Using the 3 year/30,000 mile usage in the example cited, instead of 5 – 30,000 miles on a new Trax, you’d have 30,000 – 60,000 miles on a used Cadillac.
            With the leased Trax, you would be responsible for required maintenance only. What’s that, 6 oil changes (with the first one free)? Some wiper blades as needed, and maybe a couple of air filters?
            You don’t want to imagine the repair costs involved in maintaining a Cadillac with 40,000 or 50,000 miles on it. Especially one that spent its first 3 years with someone who knew he or she would be dumping it before anything catastrophic (and out of warranty) would happen.
            I had a friend who claimed he never even bothered to CHECK the oil in his cars … because he had a standing order for the first new Coupe deVille to be delivered to the local Cadillac dealer every year, until he changed his order to the first new Eldorado.
            And the Trax rides and handles just fine. I’m not saying that it’s the best low priced car out there, but only because I haven’t experienced many others.
            In the immortal words of Lee Iacocca, “If you can find a better car out there, buy it!”
            NOW I’m done.

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        3. Truly, my 2019 Trax only requires to fill regular gas and drive without any issues.
          I’ll hang on to this Trax until GM can earn my next business with another SUV on the same flat form with a manual transmission.

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          1. I have owned several chevy trax. It is a very reliable vehicle. It’s actually is a very comfort car for road trips . have taken several over the years. Curious to who was asked about this. Chevy trax owners. Of course not.

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        4. I love my 2020 Trax.

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      2. As soon as the article said Consumer Rejects I’d ignored it.

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        1. Consumer reports…fake news or payed for people telling lies. Notice how almost every small crossover is on the list I see a trend here…you buy cheap you get cheap…don’t expect a Cadillac at five and dime store prices!

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      3. My cousin has a 2019 and loves it… however she doesn’t drive much more than 10,000 miles a year…

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      4. We love our Trax too! 🤷🏻‍♂️

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    2. No doubt Consumer Reports uses camel jocks for their evaluation of automobiles…

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      1. I’ve had my Chevy trax for a year. 2018. Love to drive it. Looking to buy a new one soon.

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    3. Owner of 2020 trax. fun ride no problems good mileage previous owner of the Malibu. GOOD DEALS WITH CHEVY FAMILY

      Reply
  2. All hail, king of the cars Consumer Reports just announced that a car is not satisfying to drive.

    So here are exactly 3 things that kill this “report” for me:
    1. Consumer Reports.
    2. Quote: “It then used these responses to calculate a predicted owner satisfaction score for current model year vehicles”
    3. Quote: “Some of the most satisfying vehicles to drive include the Tesla Model 3, S, X and Y, Kia Telluride, Toyota Prius and Jeep Gladiator”

    Number 1 speaks for itself. Number 2 key word is predicted. What?? Number 3 claims as most satisfying is a Prius and Jeep Gladiator? Seriously? I do like Jeeps, but satisfying to drive? Come on. And Prius and satisfying should NEVER be in the same article!

    Reply
    1. CR is so cliquey and cultish sometimes it borders on ridiculous. Always take things from them with a grain of salt and squinting.

      Reply
    2. You know exactly what you’re getting with a Prius.

      Reply
  3. I leased a 2018 Trax and thought it was a fun car to drive. Good pick up, nimble and great gas mileage.

    Reply
    1. Yeah lol 0 to 60 in ten seconds isn’t what I’d call “good pick up” and 30 mpg in a 1.4l turbo is horrid

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      1. Owner of 2020 trax. Fun driving good mileage no complaints . Previous owner of a Malibu. ALWAYS satisfied with the CHEVY family

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      2. NOT BEING SNARKY, DAN
        but genuinely curious.
        As I wrote earlier, I have virtually no experience with cars of this size and price.
        So in the price range of a new Trax, what would you recommend?
        Thanks.

        Reply
  4. So you say CR. I’ve driven it and it’s not that bad.

    Reply
  5. My Dad has a 2020 Chevy Traxm It is so uncomfortible to ride in Riding in his car is like trying on shoes that are too small for your size. it almost feel clostifobic … I wish he could turn the car back in and get an equinox. He wants out of his lease too But he has 2 more years on his lease. I can’t drive a car ’cause i am vision impaired. So i don’t have much choice. I really hate the Chevy Trax. I wish Chevy Would stop selling it….

    Reply
    1. Perhaps test drive it next time

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    2. I own a 2019 Trax and I’ve hated it since the day I bought it. It’s too small, very uncomfortable. I can’t afford anything else.

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    3. Are you 7 feet tall 400lbs?

      Reply
  6. Sorry for the type-o.. On the first line, That was supposed to say Trax. :))

    Reply
    1. Jon,
      Don’t forget the third line. Your not going to be able to move on to troll 201 if you can’t get by 101 spelling.

      Reply
      1. The entire comment is a grammatical and spelling disaster.

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      2. The guy said he is vision impaired

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  7. I leased a 2018 Trax and liked it so much I bought it. I’m 6 ft 1 male and fit fine. That said, the car is small, and lacks pickup, but Chevy never calls it a capable off-road suv. Its perfect for suburban commuting and it has an incredibly tight turn radius. I can park it anywhere. The infotainment is better than any I’ve ever e experienced. In the end you get what you pay for and in this car its value. @CR, did you not hear that from anyone else? Next time include me in your survey.

    Reply
    1. Yeah, I have a 2018 Trax and while it’s been a good car overall, especially with AWD in the snowy weather. The worst part is the terrible suspension. You can feel every bump on the road, regardless on how small. The lack of a passenger armrest doesn’t make the drive any better for that passenger either.

      Getting onto the highway can be rough since it takes 10 seconds to get up to speed, even with the pedal floored. Gas mileage is okay for an SUV though I don’t think it beats many of its competitors

      Reply
      1. @Andy…..is it the suspension?….or the smaller tire radius?
        Agree it was strange to save a couple $$ on an armrest! 🤣

        Reply
  8. I am Brazilian consumer, I have one trax chevy; in Brazil is called Tracker.
    Was a model Eco6speed 1.8 and after
    Buy the model 1.4 Turbo 153hp.
    This SUV is better of all, the Equinox
    Is more low the position to drive
    Tracker/Trax is better
    My wife buy the new model Tracker only sold in Brazil; Now 1.2 Model Premium with power Sunroof.Not Sold in US Maybe in the future

    Reply
    1. I’ve read about the Tracker in Brazil. It looks like a great vehicle. I wish it were available in USA, but here people need big suv with powerful engine, because they have to drop kids off at school and return home fast to wait for their groceries to be delivered. LOL.

      Reply
  9. I call BULL**** I really like my Trax..going on 2 years of dependable service!! It’s good honest transportation… And very good on snowy NY roads! 😊

    Reply
    1. I had a Ford Focus hatchback that when I bought it month later it was a nightmare with so many defects from recalls so I traded it for Chevy Trax 2018 loved it so much I upgraded for 2019 cause remote starter and more leather I think if they continue to upgrade these little suv I’m right behind them .I’ve always love small cars so me and my little dogs can travel and extra money in my pocket ..so if gas prices goes up I’m ready !!Thanks Chevy ,me and my fur family are so happy with our 2019 Chevy Trax .

      Reply
  10. I’m really happy with my 2017 chevy Trax awd primer. Car acceleration is good I want fast I drive my big turbo chevy sonic 2013. Has bose, blind spot light on mirror, sunroof, heated seats, leather, Led front and rear lights and for size 2 adults in the back seat said it was Very comfortable for its size. Wife has baby seat and 2 kids and she said kids have room. Car gets 31mpg with ethanol free 90 gas. I only use ethanol free on all my car

    Reply
    1. Amazing!

      I never thought I’d see the day when a Sonic would be described as “my big turbo Chevy Sonic”!

      But then I remember being absolutely stunned one day in around 1985 when I saw an old, first generation Corvair 4 door sedan make a left turn in front of me while I was waiting for a red light.

      It was followed by a then-new, downsized, fwd Buick Electra.

      Also amazing. The Corvaiir looked as big as the Buick.

      Oh, how I miss the days when American Land Yachts ruled the roads.
      Even when a Dynaflow equipped Buick got 8 mpg, and a 1960 Cadillac couldn’t be squeezed into 1950 suburban garage … those were the days!

      I know.
      Ecology. Economy Pollution. Save the planet.

      Anybody else old enough to remember this?
      “If everybody else saves gas ………..I WON’T HAVE TO!”

      Reply
  11. The problem with the Trax is the problem with small crossovers in general; everything that makes them a crossover rather than a hatchback makes it a worse car. The raised ride height costs you the small-car feeling of nimbleness along with worse fuel economy due to more frontal area, AWD adds further cost and complexity without helping handling at this power level, you end up with a car that’s more expensive, slower and uglier than the non-raised hatchback you could’ve gotten if it didn’t “look too cheap”.

    This is industrywide – the Trax is worse than the Sonic, the Ford Ecosport is worse than the Ford Fiesta, the Honda HR-V is worse than the Honda Fit.

    Reply
    1. nipnt,
      How do you feel about the new eMustang?
      Don’t hold back, now.

      Reply
  12. I bought a 2019 cheve Trax and love it I used to own a cruise and Malibu hated it. The Trax gets great gas mileage and fits my family just fine I can get two car seats and one grandchild in the back. Just wish cheve would have put an trunck opener in the door or made it like most small SUVs equipped with a opener using your foot.

    Reply
  13. Dinn in Brazil has the best of the Trax. 1.4L SGE with 153 HP, up 15 HP from the US version Fam 0 engine (138 HP).
    Drove it three times and it really goes and make a difference.

    Reply
  14. The problem with the Trax is common with all small SUVs – the buyer wants a large SUV because his neighbor has a Suburban, but the buyer can’t afford a $70K vehicle. So he buys a Trax and then it doesn’t ride like his neighbor’s car, nor can the buyer haul all the junk and 4 kids his neighbor can, nor does it sound like his neighbor’s V-8 powered vehicle pulling out of the driveway and so the buyer complains that his GM Trax is a poorly made vehicle; because it doesn’t function like a $70K car. What the buyer doesn’t know is his neighbor, who raves about his Suburban, really wanted an Escalade instead, but couldn’t afford it.

    Reply
  15. i drove my grandsons trax and it has a weird feeling to the steering when turning the wheel off center

    Reply
  16. I always thought Consumer Reports was biased against GM vehicles, in general.

    Reply
  17. Never getting rid of my Holden Monaro CV8.

    Reply
  18. My wife has driven her Trax for 3 years now and we both love it. We bought one here in Canada after driving a Trax rental in Saint Lucia for 1 week. I stopped paying attention to Consumer Reports when they dissed the Panasonic Wet/Dry razor because you could not use it while plugged in and charging. Imagine that: unable to use a razor in the shower with an electric cord attached.

    Reply
  19. I’ve had a 2018 Trax redline edition for one year now. Looks nice and gets great gas mileage of course (but so does a Geo Metro). But I agree with this report. I find myself driving my $1800 2005 Ford Freestyle more often. The Trax is cramped, has a bad ride, way too touchy of a steering wheel, and is one of the most uncomfortable cars I’ve ever owned. One good thing about it – it’s a GREAT car to teach teenagers to drive on. I’ve got 3 learning right now and they like it.

    Reply
  20. We have had 2 Trax in a row and love them. I was shocked to see this article.

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  21. I have a 2020 Trax…And love it! I also had a 2018 one! And I don’t buy the fact that it’s the least favorite! Best and dependable vehicle I ever had!

    Reply
  22. I have a 2019 and I love it, I’m thankful for it, infact. The entire family likes it. No problems so far, can’t complain and don’t want to.

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  23. Wrong again My 2018 is the best !do You dopes ever get tired of being wrong ?

    Reply
  24. Fake news. There always pushing you to buy more expensive vehicles. Just bought a Trax and gave up my big heavy Chevy Equinox with the unrefined engine. 0 to 60 specs are almost identical with the Equinox and so is the quarter mile. But Trax is a lot cheaper on gas, cheaper to repair and easier to park and move around.

    Chey Trax the most underrated vehicle of the century.

    Reply

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