GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hopefully this encourages other manufacturers to bring small SUV's and wagons here.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suv ... irst_look/

We have the 2014 Trax here in Canada. It's rare that a vehicle is released here first. So many US cars never even come here. The "new" GTO and the Chevy SS come to mind.

Is this the Chevy version of the Buick Encore?

vibenvy wrote:Is this the Chevy version of the Buick Encore?

Sure is!

Sweet! I'll be looking forward to seeing one in person at the local GM dealer (not that I'll be getting rid of the Vibe anytime soon).

I thought the Buick Encore was the upgraded twin of the Chevy Sonic. So how does this Trax differ from the Sonic?

jake75 wrote:I thought the Buick Encore was the upgraded twin of the Chevy Sonic. So how does this Trax differ from the Sonic?

Chevy Sonic is a (sub-)compact hatchback with a sedan variant. Buick Encore is a luxury crossover based on the Sonic. Same underpinnings, but it is lifted and has a taller body. Chevy Trax is a regular compact crossover, not a luxury compact crossover. Like Chevy Cruze vs Buick Verano: same underpinnings, but one is luxury-oriented and the other isn't. Thus, Trax should be cheaper than Encore.

The thing that kills me about the Encore is the price. I own a Sonic turbo sedan, I can say it is an OK car for the $17k I paid for it. But paying up to twice that as I'm seeing locally for a tricked out cute-ute version of my car seems ludicrous. I don't care how many wheels are propelled or how many bells and whistles it has, that's just a silly price to pay for what is simply a Korean econobox.

Hopefully Chevrolet can price the Trax a bit more sensibly. In Canada it starts out around under $17k converted to USD according to teh googles. It's obviously a loss leader, doesn't include A/C and I suspect it barely exists on their lots. You have to step up to the next model for $21.6k (which the only thing that model seems to add is A/C. ) Step up to the LTZ with faux leather, MyLink touchscreen, etc and you're around the price of a base Encore. Will be interesting to see how the prices will line up once they get here.

Fuel economy doesn't look like it can match our larger 12 year old Vibe, which is disappointing (at least based on the limited real world data on Fuelly for this car's Buick twin.) Our Sonic with similar powertrain has an EPA highway of 37 MPG but we've been able to get that for our average in mixed driving for the last 20k. The cute-ute pudge and associated lousy aerodynamics obviously takes its toll.

A true Vibe replacement it is not, IMHO, just as the Encore or even Sonic hatchback are not. But they're the closest things GM has at the moment. It might do a good enough job for many, so kudos to GM for giving customers another option.

*Please note, Chevy does NOT, repeat, NOT have a Korean econobox in their ranks. Sonic was designed by the Australians, and Cruze was done by a world-sourced team that just happened to work in Korea. The days of the Aveo have passed (thank goodness).

They still have the Spark, that's pretty econobox-ish and made in Korea.

In the case of the Encore/Trax, they're also assembled by GM Korea in the Bupyeong plant. So while those may not technically be econoboxes, they're certainly Korean I suppose.

My Sonic's engineering looks more like a typical Korean car than anything "homegrown" from GM that I've ever owned. I still consider it very much Korean, though it is a mix of parts from all over the world slapped together in Michigan. 50% US/27% Korean parts content. The rest of the stuff seems to come from Mexico, Canada, China and various European locales. It's very weird seeing an European engine sitting in what looks like an Asian chassis and having some familiar bits of American GM scattered about.

So, my local Chevy dealer has quite a few Trax on their lot. My parents and I stopped and looked at them last Sunday. They are very comparable to the size of the Vibe, except that they sit up significantly higher. I really like the looks of them and after looking up prices online, they're not too bad at all. Unfortunately, they have little to no aftermarket support, not much of an online community and even GM doesn't really offer any exciting accessories (and I thought the offerings for 2nd gen Vibes was pitiful). Hopefully this all changes as people in the US start to buy them. I'm trying to convince my dad that he should get one even though he continues to obsess over the new Colorado .

I wonder if this is GM/Chevy's attempt to gain some ground against other compact crossovers. Talking to a couple of people that looked at the Encore, they ended up selecting a different vehicle. But in China, people love it!
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2014 ... eally.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/08/buic ... year-ever/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Waiting for the Trax to come to our area to see how it stacks up.

Long winded "we looked at one today" post... LT with the plus package for $25k-ish I think.

It's our Sonic morphed into cute ute, as expected. It wasn't as SUV as I had feared. It's just a little roller skate.

The interior layout was instantly familiar. Good looking interior materials, but don't search for any soft plastics. Build quality of this Korean-built model was just as good as my US built Sonic. Same gauge cluster found in the Sonic, same radio, same overall layout but it has some things relocated to smarter places (e.g. no 12V outlet or stability control buttons placed right next to a cup holder.)

Out of all the infotainment systems we played with today at the auto show, the stripped-down MyLink in the Sonic/Spark/Trax was the easiest one to work with. We thought the same when we first looked at the Sonic, so it isn't completely a matter of being familiar with it. Great sounding system, and that was just the base and not the optional upgraded Bose setup. All Trax models come with the MyLink unit and rear camera, but the base does not have XM. The LT/LTZ have an AC power outlet at the back of the center console.

Rear cargo area with the seats up can't match the Vibe. But it seems like it would be enough for most of our needs. I was wondering if it would be worth the extra premium over a Sonic hatchback for the small increase in utility, looks like it may be. The Vibe's flat load floor and ease of folding the seats will be missed. To fold the rear seat, you have to move the front seats up, flip up the rear bottom cushion, get the headrest out of the way, then fold the seatback down. The front passenger seat folds down just like the Vibe, only it's easier to fold it here (just flip the seatback recline lever and lay it flat, unlike the VIbe's which will not lay totally flat unless you make sure it isn't reclined first then fold it flat.) You can still haul 8' long stuff they say.

There are lots of nice storage bins. The two glove boxes and bins next to the center stack ala Sonic, a covered bin at the top of the dash, a small one to the left of the wheel, a nifty drawer that slides out from under the passenger seat, and the doors. In the back, there is more storage for smaller items on the side of the quarter panel trim.

Nice amout of room in it with pretty comfortable seats, though they are firmer than the Sonic. This model had a power driver's seat and power lumbar adjuster. A rear seat armrest is always a nice touch.

We also compared the Encore which the fully loaded AWD model on display rang up at somewhere in the mid $30k range. It was very nice but that's too much money for a Sonic. It has better materials, more features, and a more premium feel as one would expect. But I like the Trax's dash with less clutter and the smaller, cheaper to replace tires. And while it does have a large color LCD, I don't believe it is touchscreen.

No idea how it rides or drives. I have the same powertrain in the Sonic so I'm sure it's going to drive like a heavier, taller, lesser efficient version of my car.

In the end, it's probably not a bad Vibe replacement after all.

I quite enjoyed the Trax when I took a look at it. It's nearly the cheapest AWD vehicle you can get. Though you can definitely tell it's the Encore's cheaper cousin.

$1500 option on any trim for AWD is nice. From the reviews it turns this thing into a dog though. AWD 1st gen Vibes, anyone? The slowest Vibes ever produced!

I would go for AWD in a heartbeat if my part of the state actually received snow with some frequency. So I can't justify the up front expense for AWD nor the ongoing fuel/maintenance expenses. Decent all seasons and FWD are plenty here. When it does snow, with FWD and all seasons in the Vibe and Sonic we get around just fine here, passing up all the 4x4 tucks or AWD SUV's slid off into ditches.

I'll agree the Trax looks like the cheaper cousin, and it is... No denying that.

Well I know one thing from being in a family that has worked for Chevy forever. The trax is a nice decent car, the Buick encore is basically a shoe with wheels, stupid design. Not to bag on anyone but the sonic was a horrible car to make. Not a good model and basically a death trap. Not safe lol. They just turn out to not be very good cars and unfortunately they are making another model like the sonic in the bolt... Making these little compact cars is a stupid idea and they dont even sell that much.

TraumaForYou wrote:Well I know one thing from being in a family that has worked for Chevy forever. The trax is a nice decent car, the Buick encore is basically a shoe with wheels, stupid design. Not to bag on anyone but the sonic was a horrible car to make. Not a good model and basically a death trap. Not safe lol. They just turn out to not be very good cars and unfortunately they are making another model like the sonic in the bolt... Making these little compact cars is a stupid idea and they dont even sell that much.

Ten standard airbags and IIHS ratings of "good" (highest mark) in all but the small-overlap crash test beg to differ. And sales (Sept 2014 YTD) beg to differ with you as well.



Notice how Sonic outsells many cars which other brands have called great successes, such as the XV Crosstrek. They aren't earth-shattering numbers, but it's selling well, especially for a small car which many can (and will) argue is inferior to Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, and Mazda3 (all of which it outsells).

Also, it's a heck of a lot better than what it replaced. And even that got good marks in frontal crash tests.

TraumaForYou wrote:they dont even sell that much.

The Sonic is so popular in Odessa that I can't even. This is in an area where everyone wants a truck because they think they need it 24/7. I personally dislike the Sonic and Trax because the exterior styling is icky and cheap-looking, but apparently a lot of people around here absolutely love the things.

KITT222 wrote:

TraumaForYou wrote:Well I know one thing from being in a family that has worked for Chevy forever. The trax is a nice decent car, the Buick encore is basically a shoe with wheels, stupid design. Not to bag on anyone but the sonic was a horrible car to make. Not a good model and basically a death trap. Not safe lol. They just turn out to not be very good cars and unfortunately they are making another model like the sonic in the bolt... Making these little compact cars is a stupid idea and they dont even sell that much.

Ten standard airbags and IIHS ratings of "good" (highest mark) in all but the small-overlap crash test beg to differ. And sales (Sept 2014 YTD) beg to differ with you as well.



Notice how Sonic outsells many cars which other brands have called great successes, such as the XV Crosstrek. They aren't earth-shattering numbers, but it's selling well, especially for a small car which many can (and will) argue is inferior to Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, and Mazda3 (all of which it outsells).

Also, it's a heck of a lot better than what it replaced. And even that got good marks in frontal crash tests.

People are buying them because they are cheap. Its not about it being a good car. People cant afford the more expensive nicer cars.

Fiesta has a very similar MSRP ($200 more) and Fit is $1400 more than Sonic. Kia Rio is actually less. I'm not saying Sonic is the epitome of the compact/subcompact car, I'm saying it isn't terrible. I've driven them, I know people with them, and I worked at an Advance Auto store where they had a Sonic. They all say generally the same thing: It isn't great, but it's a good little car.

My GF owns a Trax. It now has just over 1200kms on it. I can't comment too much about interior space other than the fact that it has very good headroom, being sunroofless (I'm 6'4).

I drove it for the first time today. It has the 1.4t awd and 6spd auto. The gas/brake pedal are too close together so required a careful positioning of my shoe to avoid riding both pedals. Vision is good all around. I'd say that in manual mode the drivetrain has more pep than my 1.8 Vibe used to. Left to its own devices the transmission up shifts too soon and is always in top gear for fuel economy (as most automatics are). The manual mode though is a true manual shifter... The gear you select is the gear it stays in. Put it in M3 and it stays in 3rd gear no matter your speed or how much you mash the gas. It only downshifts if the engine is going to go below its idle speed! The engine seems very happy pinned in lower gears at 4000-6500 rpm!

To those that say it feels like a dog and should have more pep... Well this is only a $20k vehicle... You want more then you have to pay to play, go bigger or upscale! An STI, Magnum, or CTS-V wagon would suit you better!

My dad just picked up a brand new 2015 Trax LT FWD today. Seperate progress thread with more info and pictures coming soon...

vibenvy wrote:My dad just picked up a brand new 2015 Trax LT FWD today. Seperate progress thread with more info and pictures coming soon...

Nice car. Hope he didn't pay too much, local dealers are selling these for over 20% off MSRP with $500 free gas..

https://www.facebook.com/hamelchevrolet ... 91/?type=3

A couple of notes:

1. I've driven a unicorn fwd 6 speed manual trax. I liked it well enough, but it seems like a car that doesn't lend itself to a manual... It's meant to have a slushbox. Not unlike a 6MT Chevy Orlando or a 6MT Kia rondo

2. After we wrecked our first 03 GT, we had a 1.8 6A sonic sedan...I liked it. Was pretty damn good on gas, too. Was at 7L/100km with 80% highway.

3. I've driven the 1.4T in the cruze eco and LT versions both with 6MT and would buy one myself. We almost replaced the VGT with a new LT turbo 6MT cruze, but I hate car payments