Bali on the right Trax

The younger and better-looking Chevrolet model

Author with Chevrolet PH’s Lyn Buena at the Ancient Temple

A trip to Bali or watch a Coldplay concert? That was the dilemma that I faced two weeks ago when I received an invitation from Chevrolet Philippines.

I bought my tickets as early as four months ago for Coldplay, but the call of the beach was so intense and the fact that I have never been to Bali made deciding even a tougher.

Another stumbling block was that I had just submitted my passport to the Canadian embassy for visa renewal and it may not come out in time.

Also, I wasn’t so happy with my camera and might not have enough time to buy a new one.

But in three days, my passport was released with a visa stamped, and the people from Leica Philippines hooked me up with a Leica Dlux travel camera for the trip, so I was set. It was a sign.

We were in transit for nine hours, first stopping for breakfast in Hongkong then onwards to Bali.

It was surprising to see how big the airport was for an island destination.

We were brought to the surfing section of Bali and checked in at the Komune Beach Club. There, we were received by the regional officers of Chevrolet for dinner and drinks to be told that this experience would be a chill and relaxing drive—just like the Chevrolet Trax.

The next morning, we were briefed beachside on our adventure for the day.

The Trax is one of the global SUV name plates of Chevy. This new design is a product of the GM Design Center in Korea, incorporating the new GM/ Chevrolet Mantra “I care.”

Stuart Norris, general manager of GM Korea Design.

Through social media, from the dealers and other channels, GM/Chevy gathered the different customer feedback, making the customer the center of the GM/Chevrolet car design and manufacturing process.

This Chevy Trax model is the first to be executed in the best plants in Asia with a Fit and Finish Perspective.

The look

The New Chevy Trax is the younger and better-looking sibling in the lineup.

It has an active, sporty face with the Chevy signature double grill plus a Buzz Lightyear jaw, giving it an illusion that it is a big car.

New sleek headlamps flow around the corners and into the front fenders and offers halogen projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps as well as LED tail lamps and chrome accents along the fog lamp bezels.

The Trax has a more scriptural and sophisticated design

“It is a more sculptural and sophisticated design,” said Stuart Norris, general manager of GM Korea Design. “There is also a sporty streak in the new styling that speaks of the new Trax’s agile, fun-to-drive personality.”

Inside

If you look at the car front wise, it looks big. When you look at it from the side, it looks compact.

So it was quite surprising that inside, including the boot, was so spacious. The generous spacing gave it a very airy feel.

The seats had a good angle with two of the sides embossed, giving your arms a place to rest.

18-inch aluminum wheels

The console did not follow the futuristic and spaceship like trend seen in new cars today: the design is modern but conservative.

For me, I welcome this, because sometimes I get intimidated with a super high-tech design.

The Trax has a touchscreen infotainment interface with enough goodies to give you a pleasant drive.

It supports the latest connectivity technologies, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto where available, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, and voice commands and steering wheel controls.

Performance

The Trax has a powerful 1.4-liter turbocharged engine that comes standard with the six-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission.

Redesigned instrument panel with a sweeping dashboard

After my initial familiarization with driving on the right-hand side, taking the wheel of the Trax was comfortable and enjoyable.

It was small and agile enough to navigate through the small inner roads of Bali. The ride was solid and quite responsive.

It is not the type of vehicle where you need to mind how you are driving, but instead, gives you enough play to enjoy the surroundings.

When overtaking, there is a bit of lag before the turbo kicks in, so it’s necessary to floor the accelerator. But if your commute is just within the city, it’s an excellent package especially with the parking camera aid feature.

Safety

Numerous active and passive safety features are available in the new Trax. It has six airbags, passive entry/passive start, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution, electronic stability control, hill start assist, hill descent control, and parking assist including a rearview camera all designed to help drivers avoid potential crash situations.

Generous space despite its size

GM International vice president of Quality Ty McGinnis said, “The Trax has always been an exceptional performer. Although the new Trax is a significant update to the previous model, we started this program from a fantastic base.”

Our drive took us to an ancient temple and a volcanic mountain lake that unfortunately decided to hide behind the fog.

But it was fun to see this different side of Bali, where you feel that you are in the world of Lara Croft when she is tomb raiding.

The beach part was full of people trying to catch some waves and sun, but the inner parts made you feel you were in a world that needed to be discovered.

So, was it worth missing Chris Martin sing “Yellow” live? With my business class upgrade going home, I think I was on the right Trax.

Available in two trim levels, LS and LT, the Trax 1.4L Turbo LT is priced at P1,358,888 and Trax 1.4L Turbo LS at P1,123,888.