The newly redesigned Chevy Trax has been one of the biggest surprises of the current model year. The first generation Trax ran from the 2015 to the 2022 model year in America, and other than being one of the cheapest new cars you could buy, it really wasn’t very well received. The Trax was basic, not very attractive, and slow, essentially everything that made the Chevy Spark unlikable, but at a higher price point.

With the Trax waning in popularity and receiving some rough reviews from critics, many believed the model would be discontinued completely. However, Chevy went all-in on the Trax, giving it a completely new redesign. This new Trax carries a striking, sporty design, that is larger than its predecessor, but with better fuel economy.

The new 2024 Trax is one of the best values in the automotive marketplace right now because it doesn’t try to be anything that it’s not. You won’t see any tacked-on luxury features or cheesy marketing, this is a cheap crossover, and it is proud to be an affordable vehicle. Here is everything that makes the 2024 Chevy Trax such a great SUV.

The 2024 Chevy Trax is affordable, even in the highest trim.

When it comes to buying a new car, many consumers get caught up in the base price game. All too often, a car company will have an incredibly cheap base model price, but then hardly produce any base models. This means consumers are lured in by a low price and then suckered into a higher trim level with a higher price.

For example, Chevrolet states the Silverado starts at $36,800, but if you want any options other than a vinyl floored work truck, you’ll be easily spending over $50,000.

Unlike these other vehicles with high-priced trims, the Trax is affordable, regardless of how it is optioned. The base LS model starts at $21,495, the sporty 1RS trim starts at $23,195, the LT model starts at $23,395, and the performance-focused 2RS and Activ models start at $24,995. This basic pricing strategy that keeps every Trax in between $20,000 and $25,000.

The Chevy Trax keeps it simple with one drivetrain option

So often consumers get incredibly caught up in a vehicle’s engine and driveline options. On most American pickup trucks, this is where things can get incredibly complicated. Many pickups offer small engines on base models and big V8s on higher-end models.

Four-wheel drive vs. rear-wheel drive is also a big choice that consumers have to make as well. For the 2024 Chevy Trax, things were kept simple by only offering one engine: a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This tiny engine offers 137 horsepower and solid fuel economy at 28 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

By only offering front-wheel drive as the only driveline option, costs are low for the manufacturer, which also keeps the overall vehicle price low. The Trax has five different trim levels that all improve the interior quality without getting into the jargon of powertrains. The Trax keeps it simple where it matters the most.

Affordable can also be cool

The 2024 Chevy Trax looks fantastic. The magic that the designers worked to make the 2024 Trax a good-looking vehicle can not go understated. The first generation Chevy Trax was ugly, but it was affordable, so many consumers looked past its bloated design.

This new Trax has an aggressive, angular, nearly Camaro-like design, and with a design that is this striking and a price that is the lowest in its class, the Chevy Trax is bound to sell a huge amount of units this model year.