I drove a $27,000 Chevrolet Trax. These 15 features show why it's a small, cheap SUV done right

The Trax features a muscular and athletic design with broad shoulders that GM says is inspired by the big brother, the Chevrolet Blazer.

The design gives the impression that the Trax is bigger and wider than it actually is. I think it looks terrific.

The Chevrolet Trax comes in five versions, with the base LS trim starting at $20,400. The range-topping 2RS and Activ trims start at $24,300.

Freight fees, a sunroof, and optional driver assistance tech pushed the as-tested price of my Korean-made Trax 2RS test car to $27,085.

All versions of the Trax are powered by a 1.2-liter, turbocharged, direct-injected Ecotec three-cylinder engine that produces 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque.

The turbo three, shared with the Buick Envista, is mated to a shiftable six-speed automatic transmission driving only the front wheels.

The engine has enough juice to tackle daily errands around town but can feel overmatched when the vehicle is loaded with passengers or cargo.

My 2RS test car boasts solid EPA fuel economy ratings of 28 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined.

The Trax's cabin is intuitively designed with decent material quality. The Chevrolet Trax is a great example of delivering an interior on a budget without it feeling cheap. It would be a stretch to call the interior luxurious or premium, but it also doesn't punish you for being frugal.

Interior quality is good, and there are plenty of soft-touch materials in the high-contact area. The red turbine-design air vents that felt out of place in the pricier Blazer EV worked well here to add a pop of color and visual appeal to the cabin.

My test car came with an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Trax's infotainment system has fairly limited features, but what it does have is very intuitive to use.

Lower trims get a smaller eight-inch screen.

There's standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as a backup camera.

The Trax 2RS comes with a stylish heated flat-bottom steering wheel.

The Trax comes standard with a traditional analog gauge cluster, but higher-end models come with an eight-inch digital instrument display.

As with most recent GM models, the Trax comes with handy audio controls on the back of the steering wheels.

My test car came with remote engine start, which activates by pressing the "curved arrow" on the Chevy key fob.

The feature is also available on lower trim levels but as part of an optional convenience package.

The Trax offers an impressive amount of room for a subcompact crossover. With 38.7 inches of legroom, the offers 2.5 inches more than the Mazda CX-30 and six inches more than the Toyota Corolla Cross.

Rear seat passengers also have access to dedicated USB-A and USB-C plugs.

My test car comes with comfortable RS-branded Evotex faux leather upholstered seats. Lower trims have traditional cloth seats.

My 2RS trim test car came with optional 19-inch black-painted machined aluminum wheels. The base Trax LS has 17-inch steel wheels, while all other trims have 17-, 18-, or 19-inch aluminum wheels.

Spare tires are becoming increasingly rare these days, especially in lower-priced vehicles where the carmaker is trying to keep weight and cost under control. So I appreciate Chevy for making the decision to offer them instead of giving us a can of fix-a-flat.

The Trax 2RS comes standard with the Chevy Safety Assist, which includes key features such as forward collision alert, lane keep assist, Intellibeam headlights, front pedestrian braking, and automatic emergency braking.

Adaptive cruise control requires an extra Driver Confidence Package.

Behind the rear seats, the Trax boasts a formidable 25.6 cubic feet of cargo space. The Trax's 60/40 split rear bench can fold nearly flat to expand cargo room to 54.1 cubic feet.