Roy Lewis road tests the Chevrolet Trax 1.7-litre turbo diesel manual LT.

Chevrolet Trax 1.7-litre turbo diesel manual LT.

Price: £18,945 (on the road) Top speed: 116mph.

0-62mph: 9.6 seconds.

Fuel: 62.7mpg (combined figure).

CO2 emissions (g/km): 120.

Verdict: Great looks, 4WD option, spacious, practical, wellequipped, good build quality, low running costs, and competitively priced.

MANY of today’s young motorists want something different to a run-of-the-mill hatchback. They are often looking for vehicles with chunky and manly styling which also come with practicality and versatility for everyday use.

The answer for many is the small SUV which first appeared in a niche market opened up by the Nissan Qashqai. Other manufacturers quickly followed suit with some strong and interesting rivals and the latest company to join the fray is Chevrolet with the Trax, a sister vehicle to the Vauxhall Mokka but priced cheaper.

The Trax offers a four-wheeldrive option though it is best suited to the highway with its car-like handling, flexible and roomy cabin with the latest technology, and fuel-efficient engines.

Chevrolet offers a choice of units – 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.7-litre turbo diesel, while there are two trim levels, LS and LT.

Prices go from £15,495 to £20,495.

Chevrolet knows a thing or two about SUVs, having a long history of building and selling them.

Safety is paramount with the company and the Trax can boast a strong structural design which has gained a top five-star Euro NCAP rating.

On the road the Trax feels solid and well planted and looks the part with its pronounced wheel arches and muscular styling. It rides and handles well and the suspension, although on the firm side, offers comfortable travel, aided by some well-upholstered and supportive seating.

The Trax has obviously been tuned to deliver European driving dynamics and this certainly shows.

The 1.7-litre diesel is arguably the best drive with its strong torque or pulling power up through the gears. There is the option of six-speed automatic transmission, but the six-speed manual gearbox is probably the best choice with its well-spaced ratios and slick shift. The manual car is also cheaper and more fuel-efficient.

Pushing out 130PS at 4,000rpm, the 1.7-litre provides ample power for strong acceleration, swift overtaking and changes of direction.

The 0-62mph sprint in a time of 9.6 seconds shows the car is no slouch and equally pleasing is the combined fuel consumption of 62.7mpg and CO2 emissions (g/km) of 120. The engine can be a trifle noisy when revved hard but for most of the time it is not heard.

The allwheeldrive 140PS 1.4-litre turbo petrol model is flexible and potent for a comparatively small unit. It has plenty of grip and body control during fast cornering and possesses a chuckable nature which will please the enthusiastic driver.

The eager engine can become somewhat thrashy when worked hard. However, the car offers plenty of smooth performance and is an enjoyable drive. It is also useful transport for those who live in rural areas and need the extra traction of four-wheeldrive to travel safely when the weather is inclement.

The motor, aided by a good stop/start system, is fairly easy on the wallet with an average fuel consumption of 44.1mpg.

The interior of the Trax is neat and attractive, durable and generally well laid out with good head, shoulder and leg room for five adults. The boot size is reasonable with no load lip to lift heavy items over and with the rear seats down there is a useful 1,370 litres of cargo space.

The Trax will find the opposition strong in its crossover class but it is a safe vehicle, competitively priced with low running costs, good build quality, and generous equipment levels.

With the better-equipped LT trim there is a stylish-looking seven inch touch screen infotainment system which can work as an extension of your smart phone, allowing you to run apps like satnav and internet radio through the car’s screen. The LT trim has a list of standard features as long as your arm and they include Bluetooth, rear parking camera, air conditioning, automatic headlights, 18in alloy wheels, cruise control, roof rails, hill start assist, and a tiltable and telescopic steering column.