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| 2015 Chevrolet Trax |
Everyone knows that this is the Chevrolet Trax, a compact crossover that's been around for two years ago when it went on sale in South Korea and then selected parts of the world. So, the main question was, why am I now talking about the Trax again? Well, there's one main reason for it following Chevrolet's decision to withdraw from the European market for good, the folks from GM wanted to sell the Trax to another nation with some added exposure and that nation is the USA. Why the USA? Because of the abundance of crossovers in the Land of the Free, Chevrolet decided to do what they haven't done in the first place but don't we have the Buick Encore for that matter?
The thing is though the Trax is now available in the US at a very reasonable 20,120 US Dollars, which is five grand more than its Buick Encore cousin and that makes it great value for money but is it any good?
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| 2015 Chevrolet Trax interior |
For starters, the Trax is available only with a 1.4L ECOTEC turbo engine which produces 138HP of power and 148lb-ft of torque, which is fine for a big city car full stop, and if you opt for a 4WD variant, the Trax is normally in front wheel drive but half of the power goes to the back for dire emergencies. It's fine to drive if you faced some "slippery when wet" situations but for adventures, it's not quite making the grade for itself because this is just another tall hatchback made for the city and not for the outdoorsy type of people who want to go wild at the wilderness.
On the inside, it looks vague, but because this is a can-do-all machine for the young urban professionals who spend most of the time doing stuff with their smart gadgets, there's so much stuff to do. It has more storage compartments than its Japanese rivals such as the Nissan Juke, the Subaru XV, and the Mitsubishi ASX, and if you go for top-spec models, you can have a sat-nav with SIRI- EYES FREE and if you have a very terrible data plan from your carrier, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, so people with gadgets can find some thrills by scrolling through status updates from Facebook and Twitter. Yes, this is as thrilling as your grandma flickering through random channels until it hit the stressful part like a rollercoaster ride.
It also has good boot space and a variety of seating configurations that can suit any situation people can see fit. It even comes with a fold-flat front passenger seat which allows you to store longer stuff than any crossover like logs or chaise longue or a body bag with something in it.
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| 2015 Chevrolet Trax |
The Trax is a handy capable car for city dwellers but if you're looking for some thrills, perhaps you've come to the wrong place because I know that the 1.4L turbo engine sounds so nippy and peppy but it doesn't have the oomph to get you through all sorts.
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| 2015 Ford Edge |
If you're looking for oomph in the metropolis should try out the Ford Edge but this is the all-new model. It's been regenerated and it's now ready to take on the world that its predecessor couldn't do.
Under the bonnet, you can get either a 2.0L EcoBoost engine, a 3.5L V6 engine, or for the Sport version, a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 engine developing 315HP of power and 350lb-ft of torque. Whichever engine you choose, you can opt for either a front-wheel drive or a four-wheel drive.
In the past, the Ford Edge has been a rubbish car to drive and it feels as dated as a Zune mp3 player that no longer exists. For the new model, the Edge has been slightly improved from the ground up. It comes with a new suspension system that not only handles like a sportscar but is comfortable enough to cushion impacts like in the case of small potholes or bumps.
Technology-wise, the new Edge comes with a plethora of features that will keep the driver interested for more such as a 180-degree camera at the front, Blind Spot Information System, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Keeping System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Park out assist that helps the driver steer out of a tight space, and side parking sensors that can warn the driver of incoming objects at all sides.
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| 2015 Ford Edge interior |
There are some issues with the new model such as the image that feels like it came from its previous model, the electric power steering that is somewhat an oddball for the driver and might understeer in some circumstances, the sat-nav is still the hopeless Microsoft-derived SYNC with MyFord Touch, and the pricing that starts at around 28,100 Dollars, which is a lot more than the Trax.
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| 2015 Ford Edge |
Let's not forget that despite the odds, both the Edge and the Trax are crossovers built for city dwellers. They're both American, they're both five-seaters, they're both offered with an available four-wheel drive, and they're capable in almost any situation they see fit. The Trax is all about pound-for-pound value for money while the Edge is all about the oomph drivers deserve but deciding on both of these crossovers is a nervous choice because only fate can decide which one will you deserve and in the end, the jury's out for you to accept.
