General Motors has used its Capital Markets Day
event to quietly tease an all-new crossover from Chevrolet. Looking like a baby Blazer, the
model has a slender grille which resides above a massive air intake. On either
side are slim headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights.
Moving further back, the model has distinctive front
fenders which feature the same ‘recessed curve’ design as the 2019 Silverado.
The crossover also has upward sweeping shoulder line which is mimics its
dynamic greenhouse. Other notable styling features include a sloping roof and
slender mirror caps.
While GM didn’t mention what vehicle was teased, it
appears to be the 2020 Chevrolet Trax. A heavy camouflaged prototype was
spotted last spring and it appears the production model will be even more
aggressive than expected.
Little is known about the Trax at this point, but
reports have suggested the crossover will ride on a new Vehicle Set Strategy
(VSS) platform. The platform is expected to replace the aging Gamma II
architecture and underpin the next-generation Buick Encore as well as a new
compact crossover from GMC which could be called the Granite.
Powertrain details remain elusive, but the current
Trax has a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 138 hp and 200 Nm of torque. It is paired to a six-speed
automatic which can send power to an optional all-wheel drive system.
The 2020 Trax should also use a turbocharged
four-cylinder engine, but there’s no word on displacement or output. However,
we can expect a more modern transmission – possibly with eight or nine gears.
