Making Trax to the Dealerships!

[ocnblu]

Whoa, last I heard the new Chevy Trax wasn't going to be out until well after the first of the year.  I just checked Build&Price on a lark, and the site is fully up, with detailed pricing and the inventory search is up and running with a plethora of Trax' coming into my area.  I want to see one!

[Drew Dowdell]

I thought it was going on sale January 2.   It's not like they have to turn up production from scratch or anything.  Swap out the gauge cluster from KM to MPH, and done.

[ocnblu]

Well, inventory is in the pipeline, doesn't mean they're on the ground at the dealerships yet.  Pretty cool though!  These little pups will do great, I think.

[Drew Dowdell]

yeah, I think being first to market will really help to.  Get lots of momentum before the Renegade, Fit Crosstour, and CX-3 hit the ground.

 

Ford and Hyundai are conspicuously absent in this segment.

[Cory Wolfe]

I'll be interested to see them in person again. Josh is looking to replace his Sonic with another SUV and he has been eyeing all the mini-crossovers, including this one. 

[Drew Dowdell]

I'll be interested to see them in person again. Josh is looking to replace his Sonic with another SUV and he has been eyeing all the mini-crossovers, including this one. 

 

I can say from experience that the AWD in my Encore is fantastic.  I'm assuming that they're using the same system in the Trax.  The nice thing about the system is that from a dead stop, it starts in a Subaru-like 50/50 front/rear power split.... once you get rolling and the system decides you're not slipping, it dials it back into being a FWD vehicle.  It's the exact opposite of our Honda which only will engage the rear wheels once the front starts to slip... and then only sometimes. 

[ocnblu]

It's a handsome little guy, at least in photos.  It should be a solid, proven situation at the start here in the U.S.  I would like to see a bit more expressiveness in the color palette, as they've done with the Spark, and to a lesser extent, Sonic (LOVE the Dragon Green and think it would look super on the Trax!)  They've got orange and bright blue, which is shared with Encore.

 

Dealer where I ordered my Colorado says they don't keep deposits... if I see a Trax LTZ AWD lightly optioned (at $27k) and fall in love... all bets are off.  Just sayin'.

Edited December 18, 2014 by ocnblu

[Drew Dowdell]

It would certainly be the MPG king for your commute verse the Colorado. Even in AWD form, our Encore typically sees 33mpg - 35mpg highway

[ocnblu]

Twist - my commute could change soon.

[David]

Twist - my commute could change soon.

I could see the Colorado being a short term option as the Trax makes Trax's for you on your possible new Commute!

[ocnblu]

We'll see how the cards are dealt soon I guess. 

[frogger]

Your own little new car soap opera

[Cory Wolfe]

They're here... http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/624041603/overview/

[David]

Very Cool

[ocnblu]

Hmmm... that is an LS AWD, and the wheels don't seem as tiny as the car show shots we saw earlier.  I know they're 16s, maybe my mind is clouded by seeing the Encore with standard 18s all the time.

[ocnblu]

Local dealer has two in stock, both black, an LS AWD at $22k and an LTZ AWD, loaded at $28k.  I stopped by on my way home from work and found the LTZ unlocked, so I helped myself inside.  I will say right now, I believe these will sell like the proverbial hot.cakes.  What a sweet little runner!  These have upgraded equipment v. non-US models, too.  Even the LS has alloys, and it does not look bad at all sitting on its 16 inch rims, if one's budget runs like that.  The wheelwells are really filled out on the LTZ though, with its 18" rims.  The leatherette in the LTZ is going to fool a lot of ppl into swearing it's leather... love the blue stitching, too.  They resemble a bulldog puppy... what's not to love?

[Drew Dowdell]

Local dealer has two in stock, both black, an LS AWD at $22k and an LTZ AWD, loaded at $28k.  I stopped by on my way home from work and found the LTZ unlocked, so I helped myself inside.  I will say right now, I believe these will sell like the proverbial hot.cakes.  What a sweet little runner!  These have upgraded equipment v. non-US models, too.  Even the LS has alloys, and it does not look bad at all sitting on its 16 inch rims, if one's budget runs like that.  The wheelwells are really filled out on the LTZ though, with its 18" rims.  The leatherette in the LTZ is going to fool a lot of ppl into swearing it's leather... love the blue stitching, too.  They resemble a bulldog puppy... what's not to love?

Could you be swayed pre-colorado?

[GMTruckGuy74]

I saw one last weekend while stalking what I consider to be the perfect '15 Impala for me it was a white LS that the carrier dropped earlier that day (still fresh in its car carrier wrap). Interesting cars but the wife and I prefer the Encore to the Trax still.

[Drew Dowdell]

I saw one last weekend while stalking what I consider to be the perfect '15 Impala for me it was a white LS that the carrier dropped earlier that day (still fresh in its car carrier wrap). Interesting cars but the wife and I prefer the Encore to the Trax still.

There isn't a huge price difference and you do get more base equipment and such for the extra money.

[ocnblu]

Well I really like the Trax.  There is an approximate $4k difference between the LTZ and the Colorado I ordered.

[David]

Savings or increase in price?

[ocnblu]

Colorado $32k, Trax LTZ with roof, $28k.  Don't need a sunroof.  Trax AWD LTZ with cargo tray:  $27k.  So that is $5k cheaper than the truck... but is it worth giving up the pleasures of truck ownership to drive a nifty little urban SUV?  DUN Dun duuuuhhhhn..... stay tuned for the next episode of... 

[David]

Colorado $32k, Trax LTZ with roof, $28k.  Don't need a sunroof.  Trax AWD LTZ with cargo tray:  $27k.  So that is $5k cheaper than the truck... but is it worth giving up the pleasures of truck ownership to drive a nifty little urban SUV?  DUN Dun duuuuhhhhn..... stay tuned for the next episode of... 

Very cool, be looking forward to hearing what you do!

[ocnblu]

Thanks Mr. dfelt!

[GMTruckGuy74]

Colorado $32k, Trax LTZ with roof, $28k.  Don't need a sunroof.  Trax AWD LTZ with cargo tray:  $27k.  So that is $5k cheaper than the truck... but is it worth giving up the pleasures of truck ownership to drive a nifty little urban SUV?  DUN Dun duuuuhhhhn..... stay tuned for the next episode of... 

I feel ya, Bill. I could easily let the wife get a Buick Encore and skip on the Canyon, but I'd ultimately miss having a pickup. Right now we're trying to keep it to one car payment (G6 was paid off last July), so we're not looking at two new vehicles at this time. She's doing her best to convince me the Encore would be the better buy over a pickup, but I told her it's an emotional purchase for me with the truck so practicality is out the window

[David]

Common GMCTruckGuy! When was any auto purchase not emotional in one way or another.

[hyperv6]

I am waiting to see how Encore sales remain once the Chevy hits the market. I hope GM has some plans to make these two models more different. While the Encore is more expensive I see it a better value in the long run over the Chevy.

[Drew Dowdell]

I'm interested in what they're going to do about production capacity for these critters.  The Holden Trax has been doing very well with 50% y/o/y growth rates and it is actually a newcomer to an existing market in the AU.... Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Ford, and Suzuki all have existing models there that are direct competition.  The Opel Mokka is showing some rather ridiculous growth numbers as well. Opel sold 70,768 Mokkas in 2013 and in the 11 months reporting for 2014, they sold 114,638... so over 120,000 for 2014 is a possibility.  Here in the US, 2013 was a short year for the Encore with low inventories until at least August, still Buick sold 30,956 Encores in 2013 (one of those is mine!). In 2014 so far Buick has sold 45,790 Encores with one month left to report... they'll get pretty close to 50,000 Encores sold this year.  Then they also have to feed China.

 

Right now, all of these are being built out of the one plant in Korea. Eventually, they're going to need another production line for these vehicles and it will need to be sooner rather than later.

[hyperv6]

If they need a second plant that is no issue as GM has too many plants already and opening a closed plant or adding production to a present one will not be an issue.

 

Ingersoll will need new product soon if the CAW will work with them. Same for Oshawa.

 

Either way needing more production is a good problem. The real key is how well will the Chevy do here. Will the people go big with it or just temped interest?  

[Drew Dowdell]

The way people took to the more expensive Encore, I have a feeling the Trax will do well.  Outside of the Buick, it also has the advantage of being first to market. 

[hyperv6]

But yet this is where my concern is. How will the Trax affect the Encore sales? Will it take from Nissan and Toyota or will it take only from Buick?

GM is only going to market the Trax on Social media and this worries me as I see many older people driving the Encore. You may say well that is because it is a Buick. Well I have also seen many older people in the Scion, Cube, Rav, Juke, HHR and PT.

Honda was first out with the smaller odd utility wit the Element and tried to sell it to collage kids only to find out most buyers were 50 and older.

 

Not sure what it is but these odd small CUV models attract older people too and I think not marketing with regular advertising may be a mistake.

 

I am sure the Trax will do well just I wonder if they will leave anything on the table where sales could have been better.

As for the Encore it is not that much more and will offer a much better interior. I just wish they would bump up the power to make it even more a value for the price and off set the difference between the similar models.

[Drew Dowdell]

Generally, option for option the Encore tracks about $3k higher than the Trax. If people bother to drive both, I'm betting most would select the Encore as long as the money isn't an issue. The trax can be for the people who would never drive a Buick just because it is a Buick.

[hyperv6]

The Encore is pretty much the same thing but for the price difference it is the winner for interior and quiet.

 

As for the other issue of it being a Buick Most people would not own a Chevy if they would not own a Buick. The key to both of these vehicles is to capture buyers from other makes. The Buick has done it with levels of trim you can not find on the imports in this size and price. Chevy has none of that going and they will have to earn it alone on appeal and price.