Leaders Compared: Chevrolet Trax & Honda HR-V

Let’s take a look at the Chevrolet Trax and the Honda HR-V; two of the leaders of the compact SUV class.
The SUVs we drive have gotten smaller over the years and it seems the smaller the SUV the more competitive it is for the drive. Two of the most popular and impressive models in the subcompact SUV segment are the Chevrolet Trax and the Honda HR-V which are both built to offer the style and the drive we want with the size that’s comfortable and the efficiency we want while offering the versatility of a cabin that can be used for several different purposes. With that in mind, let’s take a look and compare these two models.

Size

The seating and cargo room offered in the Honda HR-V make it feel larger than the Chevrolet Trax. The HR-V gives passengers 39.3 inches of legroom while the Trax limits this size to 35.7 inches. Behind the rear seat, the Trax gives you 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the Honda giving you 23.2 cubic feet of storage space. Just with this area behind the rear seat, you’re going to have more usable space when you choose the Honda HR-V as the one you want to enjoy, but these aren’t the only places the Honda gives you more.
When the rear seats are folded down in the Trax, you have a sloping floor area that doesn’t fold all the way flat. When it comes to the HR-V the magic seats are folded to offer a completely flat floor and the seat bottoms in the Honda fold upward to give you plenty of room for the tall cargo you need to carry with you. The one place the Trax gives you more when it comes to the room you want to enjoy is found in the headroom that you enjoy because you can sit up higher with a vehicle that feels airy and roomy from the waist up.

Looking Under the Hood

When you see what the two of these models offer for the drive, you’re going to see some more differences that you need to pay attention to. The Chevrolet Trax brings you a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that can offer you 138 horsepower and 148 lb.-ft. of torque. The Honda HR-V uses a bit of a larger engine with the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that gives you 141 horsepower and 127 lb.-ft. of torque to give you the power from under the hood of this little SUV.
As you get behind the wheel of these SUV models, you’re going to notice the Trax reaches the power quicker with the max torque at 1,850 rpm. The HR-V takes until 4,300 rpm to reach the peak torque for the drive. The Honda uses a CVT for the drive which slowly allows you to get up to speed for the drive. When we compare the two for fuel mileage the HR-V gives you 27 city/31 hwy mpg while the Trax comes to you with 24 city/30 hwy mpg and the benefit of AWD when you want to get out on the road and have a great drive.

Looking at the Tech

The Chevy Trax brings you the benefits of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay while the Honda can’t give you these items for the connectivity you want. The HR-V is one that brings you the benefits of a Brake Hold button and the LaneWatch camera to help you see what’s in the lane near you. The infotainment system is the right one for you to have the drive you’re looking for with the infotainment system you’ll enjoy when you get out on the road for the drive.

Which One Should You Choose?

It seems pretty clear that the right choice between these two is the Honda HR-V. With the flat folding seats to give you a floor that’s useful, more legroom can cargo space, along with better fuel mileage, this SUV is the one of the two that’s the most practical. Once you get into the pricing, you’re going to see an advantage for the Honda model as well, which will quickly put this small model over the top and have it be the one that fits your daily driving needs much better than what the Chevrolet Trax can do.