2024 Chevrolet Trax vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax underwent a significant transformation, shedding its previous image to emerge as a more stylish and modern vehicle. The design team embraced a "longer, lower, wider" philosophy, resulting in a vehicle that was 28 centimetres longer, 10 centimetres lower, and 5 centimetres wider than its predecessor. This redesign borrowed elements from the midsize Chevy Blazer, such as a prominent grille and distinctive body lines, giving the Trax a commanding presence despite its compact size. The base Trax LS featured 17-inch steel wheels, while higher trims offered 18-inch and 19-inch aluminum options. The interior, though primarily plastic, incorporated clever design features like a freestanding touchscreen and large air vents, adding a touch of sophistication to the entry-level model.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a true crossover built on the TNGA-K platform, sharing its underpinnings with the regular Highlander and other Toyota models. It was a spacious vehicle, measuring over 5 metres in length with a 2,950 mm wheelbase, surpassing competitors like the Kia Telluride. The Grand Highlander's design leaned towards a more rugged aesthetic, with a blockier appearance reminiscent of the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot. Inside, it offered three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with Softex synthetic leather on the XLE and real leather on higher trims. The interior was designed for comfort, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room across all rows, making it an ideal choice for families seeking a roomy and comfortable ride.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax featured a single engine option, a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. While this was a reduction from the previous model's power, the new engine offered improved acceleration, reaching 100 km/h about a second faster than before. The Trax retained its six-speed automatic transmission and was available only with front-wheel drive, differentiating it from the all-wheel-drive Trailblazer. The Trax's handling was tuned to be more car-like, with a wider track providing a stable feel. Despite limited grip and noticeable body roll, the Trax delivered nimble handling akin to small hatchbacks. Active noise cancellation enhanced cabin refinement, although tire noise was noticeable in the 2RS test vehicle.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option delivered 245 combined net horsepower. At the top of the range, the Hybrid Max powertrain combined a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric motors, producing 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with all-wheel drive in Canada. The Grand Highlander excelled in acceleration, particularly with the Hybrid Max, achieving a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. While its size made it less maneuverable than smaller models, the Grand Highlander offered solid brakes and adequate acceleration. Three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—allowed for customization, with additional off-road modes available on certain models.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax, despite its larger size, didn't uniformly translate to increased interior space. It offered 7.6 cm more rear-seat legroom, with slight increases in front-seat legroom. However, first-row headroom remained unchanged, and second-row headroom decreased by 1.7 cm. Shoulder room also decreased, resulting in a snugger fit. The Trax's passenger space was comparable to rivals like the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue, with the Trax offering the most rear legroom. Cargo space increased by about 12%, providing 725 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,532 litres with them folded.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, on the other hand, was larger than its primary rivals, offering more than 5 metres in length and a 2,950 mm wheelbase. This translated to impressive cargo capacity, with 2,761 litres available, surpassing competitors like the Kia Telluride. With seats in position, it offered 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all three rows up. The Grand Highlander provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row, ensuring comfort for all passengers, even in the third row.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax saw significant upgrades in infotainment technology. An 8-inch touchscreen was standard on LS and 1RS trims, while higher trims featured an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging, were available for the first time. The Trax's infotainment system was user-friendly, with crisp graphics and a logical menu layout. However, the screen's tilt towards the driver made it less accessible for front-seat passengers. The Trax also offered multiple USB ports and optional wireless phone charging.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While visually impressive, maximizing its usefulness required a connected-services subscription. This included an intelligent assistant, cloud-based navigation, and live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum trims featured an 11-speaker JBL stereo, delivering balanced sound quality. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of publication. However, it offered a decent array of driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, and a following distance indicator. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The Trax also featured the Teen Driver system, which monitored driving behaviour and provided a "report card" to parents.

Similarly, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. However, it came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) as standard, offering features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Platinum grade included traffic jam assist and a head-up display. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.