Video: 2017 Chevrolet Trax

There are some hits on this one. There are also some misses. The most notable change is going to be on the outside where the front end is significantly restyled. The 2015 and 2016 model looked way outdated. And that's because really it was. That model was on sale globally way before we ever got it here in the US. So it came to us, and it came to dealerships already looking a few years old because it was. Well, the 2017 model has a much cleaner, more sophisticated look that looks a lot like other Chevrolet vehicles, newer Chevrolet vehicles. And on this premier model, we're testing, there's an led strip on the headlights. That is a feature commonly seen in more expensive vehicles and adds a nice little touch to this subcompact SUV. What we most like inside the Trax is its new multimedia system. It has standard Apple CarPlay and Android auto. And the biggest advantage to those two features is navigation. It uses your phone's native navigation to display directions, right on this touch screen. There's also multiple USB ports, there are two. And then in the back of this premier trim level, you have a household AC outlet. Another mobile friendly feature in the Trax is the 4G LTE cellular connection. And that is a subscription-based service, but they give you a free trial. At first that creates a Wi-Fi hotspot in the car. Also on the inside is this redesign dashboard. And it's a little more upscale than the old one. On mid and upper trim levels, you have this new kind of dash accent with some contrast stitching, and then also these chrome light pieces around the climate controls. Overall, it adds just a touch more upscale feeling to inside of the Trax. Where I think Chevrolet missed the mark in the redesign is also on the inside here. There are fewer storage areas compared with the old Trax. So you lose the top storage compartment, you lose the upper glove box storage compartment. And then also there are these two little storage cubbies on the side of the center console that are also gone. Actually, I don't mind those being gone. They were so small. They didn't have much of a use, but still those others are notable storage options that you don't have anymore. There is a storage compartment underneath the front passenger seat. That's pretty sizeable. Although on ours, it is clunky and hard to open and close. The new gauge cluster is fine, but it lacks the uniqueness in style that the old one had. And in a vehicle that's already kind of just not really that interesting. It lost some of its individuality with the previous instrument cluster gauge pod, which I thought was super cool. It had a digital speedometer and an analog tachometer that was styled after a motorcycle gauge pod. And it was just super cool in a car that otherwise was super not very cool. So the new one has just the basic tachometer, speedometer. And the new gauge cluster is just a little more boring in a car that's already kind of boring. The 2017 Trax has more available advanced safety features, but it's still not all the way there. There's forward collision warning, but there's no automatic emergency braking component. And while that sounds like a high-end luxury feature, it's not. Competitors have a forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking that it's going to detect a collision, and in certain circumstances break for you. The Trax, however, it's just going to let you know that there's a collision coming, but it's not going to break for you. Despite its misses, the 2017 does hit on a few good areas, and it is a notable improvement over the 2016. But this class, as a whole, continues to grow and change with new additions, like the Ford Ecosport, the Subaru Crosstrek and the Nissan Rogue Sport. And how does this compare to those? Well, we'll find out as we test the entire segment in 2018.