Compact SUVs hold a special appeal to US car buyers as they offer the benefits of smaller cars, including affordability and commendable fuel economy, plus the versatility of varying degrees of go anywhere off-road capabilities.
Handy cargo space and roominess are also to be found, ready to haul your family and their gear on your next holiday trip.
Our article compares some domestic talent in the form of the Chevy Trax and a rival from the far east, the Japanese Honda HR-V.
Continue reading as we take a closer look at what these two five-seater compact crossovers offer shoppers.
Chevy Trax
The subcompact crossover Chevy Trax made an entrance onto US showroom floors in 2013 and is now in its second generation as of 2023.
The latest generation Chevy Trax makes for a solid buy for shoppers looking for a modern pre-owned five-seater compact crossover with low mileage.
The latest Chevy Trax is available in five trim levels: LS, 1RS, LT, 2RS, and Activ.
Honda HR-V
Honda’s five-seater Honda HR-V is a firm favorite of first-time buyers who are looking for an affordable, quality Japanese vehicle.
The HR-V is now in its second generation, which received a completely new design from 2023 with a longer wheelbase and wider track, offering enhanced stability and ride smoothness.
Pre-owned examples of the latest HR-V include LX, Sport, and EX-L trim levels.
Powertrain Comparison
All Chevy Trax trims are fitted with a 1.2-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine pushing out 137 horsepower and torque of 162 pound-feet. A modern six-speed automatic transmission is fitted across the range, and power is sent to the front wheels only.
The Honda HR-V features a 2.0-liter gasoline inline four-cylinder making 158 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm and torque of 138 pound-feet at 4,200 rpm.
A standard Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with Sport Mode drives the front wheels, and buyers can also pick up quality pre-owned examples with Honda's Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System that is available on all trims.
Exterior
The Chevy Trax sports a thoroughly modern exterior design riding on a 106-inch wheelbase and a body of 178.6 inches in length, 71.8 inches wide, and 61.42 inches high.
The Chevy's smart styling includes a front end featuring slim horizontal LED headlights with intelliBeam automatic headlamp control function, as well as an automatic on and off. Standard are the LED Daytime Running Lamps.
The Chevrolet's large front grille features honeycomb insert accents with the Chevy Bowtie badge placed proudly in the centre of the Chevrolet-esque horizontal bar splitting the front grille.
The Chevy Trax has modern-looking squared-off wheel arches with a black trim finish. The body-color door handles and all-around deep-tinted window glass are standard.
All trims ride on alloy wheels ranging in size from 17 inches to 19 inches, aside from the base LS model, which gets stylised 17-inch steel wheels.
Further standout exterior items on the Trax include:
- Black side windows surround moldings
- Extra-wide side and lower body-side moldings in black
- Rear intermittent wiper
- Rear spoiler
- Front recovery hook
The compact Honda HR-V exterior offers a slightly more rounded body with smooth edges than the Chevy, with the front view featuring slender horizontal LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights finished with a black grille and trapezoidal mesh insert in black.
The latest HR-V measures 179.8 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 63.4 inches high. The Honda is built on a 104.5-inch wheelbase and offers useful ground clearance of 7.0 inches.
Key standout exterior features are:
- Auto on/off headlamps
- 17-inch alloy wheels and available 18-inch wheels
- Body color heated power side mirrors
- Body color door handles
- Black wheel arch trim
- LED tail lights
- Rear Roofline Spoiler
The HR-V is available in six exterior paint colors for buyers to choose from.
Interior
The latest Chevy Trax offers a smart interior with luxuries and comfort equipment, including a sunroof, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel on selected trims.
Just some of the Trax’s key standard interior features include:
- 8-inch diagonal HD color infotainment touchscreen
- 3.5-inch diagonal Driver Information Center
- 4-speaker audio system
- 6-way manual driver seat
The Honda HR-V features a modern interior inspired by the Japanese automaker's popular Civic. The cabin is modern with classic styling and features good build quality along with the use of attractive materials.
Passenger comfort is well taken care of with a driver's seat offering manual height adjustment, and both front seats offer adjustable head restraints. Range-topping trim adds leather upholstered seats, and the Sport and EX-L get heated seats.
Other interior features include:
- Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
- Audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel
- Rearview camera
- Single-zone front climate control
- Rear ventilation ducts
- One-touch power windows
- Remote keyless power door locks
The HR-V is fitted as standard with a 7.0-inch infotainment display featuring AM/FM stereo, a 180-watt audio output, and four speakers, along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus more.
Cargo Space
The generous wheelbase of the Chevy allows the latest Trax to offer cargo space of 25.6 cubic feet, growing to 54.1 cubic feet once the rear seats are folded down.
The Honda offers 24.4 cubic feet of cargo volume that opens up to 51.1 cubic feet by folding the rear seat down.
Safety and Driver Assistance Technology
As expected of a thoroughly modern design, the full Chevy Trax range is fitted with Chevy’s Safety Assist suite that offers:
- Front automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Lane keep assist
- Lane departure warning
- Automatic high-beams.
Depending on trim level, features such as rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and rear parking sensors are available.
The Honda HR-V also offers a long list of active and passive standard safety technology.
Honda's Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive systems is fitted as standard on all trims, offering features such as a camera that provides a 100-degree field of view, a Collision Mitigation Braking System, plus plenty more.
Shop Your Next Compact Crossover at Tim's Trucks
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Visit us to experience exceptional customer service from our experienced sales team as they assist you in finding your perfect pre-owned vehicle.