Chevrolet Trax....

[MrH]

GM seems to have a thing about bringing it's most useful and fuel efficient models (Trax, Orlando, etc) to Canada but not the USA.  While I have no burning desire to own this thing, I find it a bit incredulous GM thinks it's American customers don't deserve to have a choice.

[GoCougs]

Yep - Why would GM bother with choices customers by and large wouldn't choose?

[CJ]

Yep - Why would GM bother with choices customers by and large wouldn't choose?

Can't imagine why...

[Madman]

Yeah, because everyone should be made to drive the same freakin' car! 

[ifcar]

Yeah, because everyone should be made to drive the same freakin' car! 

They're not made to. They can buy any competitor they like if GM isn't making something that satisfies them. Judging by the Equinox's sales -- and at rather high prices, too -- that's not the case.

The maximum amount of choice is great for the consumer, but it's not in the automaker's best interest to offer more selection than it has to. Usually GM is accused of having too many models, not too few.

[Madman]

Usually GM is accused of having too many models, not too few.

Historically, GM's problem wasn't that it had too many models.  The problem was they had too many of the SAME models masquerading under different names.  The Cavalier/Sunbird/Firenza/Skyhawk/Cimarron being a prime example.

[hotrodalex]

That is a tall front fascia.

srsly.

[nickdrinkwater]

A car is a luxury in Europe. Any car.

Not sure if serious

[cawimmer430]

Not sure if serious

Dead serious.

You of all Europeans should know that given how insane the insurance rates for teenage drivers are in the UK.

So once again, a car is a luxury in Europe. ANY CAR.

[mzziaz]

Dead serious.

You of all Europeans should know that given how insane the insurance rates for teenage drivers are in the UK.

So once again, a car is a luxury in Europe. ANY CAR.

Yeah, no.

[ifcar]

Something isn't a luxury based on how much it costs, it's based on whether it's something you don't actually need. Housing costs a fortune, for instance, but it's not a luxury to have a place to live. If you're in an area where you can get around easily without a car, it's a luxury, but a necessity is by definition the opposite of a luxury.

[TurboDan]

Dead serious.

You of all Europeans should know that given how insane the insurance rates for teenage drivers are in the UK.

So once again, a car is a luxury in Europe. ANY CAR.

Judging by some of the European traffic jams I've been stuck in, it seems like everybody leads a pretty luxurious life over there. 

[nickdrinkwater]

Judging by some of the European traffic jams I've been stuck in, it seems like everybody leads a pretty luxurious life over there. 

We do    You should see how we live man.  My sister just bought a 2001 Yaris to get to work.  I told her to walk the 15 miles but she wanted to live a life of luxury 

[mzziaz]

[2o6]

We do    You should see how we live man.  My sister just bought a 2001 Yaris to get to work.  I told her to walk the 15 miles but she wanted to live a life of luxury 

Wise choice. 

[cawimmer430]

We do    You should see how we live man.  My sister just bought a 2001 Yaris to get to work.  I told her to walk the 15 miles but she wanted to live a life of luxury 

You do know what I mean.

The costs of owning a car are becoming more and more outrageous in Europe. High fuel prices, taxation, the cost of servicing and spare parts and insurance all make OWNING ANY CAR (even a piece of shit 1990s Opel Corsa) A LUXURY.

[TurboDan]

You do know what I mean.

The costs of owning a car are becoming more and more outrageous in Europe. High fuel prices, taxation, the cost of servicing and spare parts and insurance all make OWNING ANY CAR (even a piece of shit 1990s Opel Corsa) A LUXURY.

Then why don't you vote out the politicians who keep raising taxes to the point where simple items like economy cars become luxuries?

[sportyaccordy]

I'm not saying the Buick Encore is a good idea, or the Trax is necessarily a bad idea, just that we're reaching market saturation with these crossovers beyond belief. If the Trax has something going for it, it's the fact that it doesn't look like a Fisher Price toy like a Juke, but GM can sell the type of vehicle 20 other automakers are selling, or they can make something different.

I thought market saturation was impossible.

[2o6]

I thought market saturation was impossible.

....it's not saturated.

[TurboDan]

I thought market saturation was impossible.

It's rare, but not impossible. I think we might be crossing into rare territory with the sheer number of crossover models at this point.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I thought market saturation was impossible.

It's not. Ever heard of the perfect competition concept?

EDIT: The perfect competition concept is never sought after by one manufacturer though, it just happens 

[cawimmer430]

Then why don't you vote out the politicians who keep raising taxes to the point where simple items like economy cars become luxuries?

Because every political group in Germany is in favor of these automotive taxes.

The worst offenders are the Green Party. Their name says it all...

[Galaxy]

Here is the Opel version. The Mokka.

[2o6]

A live photo of the car shot in Ontario.



I think it looks really good, chunky and nice. Something I can't say about the Encore.




http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120719/AUTO03/207190372/1148/auto01/Sneak-peek-Chevrolet-Trax


Odd that Canada gets the Trax and Orlando despite their market being vastly smaller than ours.

[68_427]

The Trax is pretty cool actually.

[2o6]

Now sold in the US.


This must be the "mystery small car" GM was talking about.



Power comes from the now ubiquitous 1.4T, mated to a 6AT and FWD or AWD. Underneath, it's a Buick Encore, but not as nice, and will be cheaper.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/15/2015-chevy-trax-official-pictures/

[giant_mtb]

Looks goofy, but not bad. Like it's trying to be a miniature Terrain with a Chevy grille.

[MrH]

Now sold in the US.


This must be the "mystery small car" GM was talking about.



Power comes from the now ubiquitous 1.4T, mated to a 6AT and FWD or AWD. Underneath, it's a Buick Encore, but not as nice, and will be cheaper.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/15/2015-chevy-trax-official-pictures/

Oh god. It's finally happening. I argued with GM for awhile about this because the potential added volume fucked up my capacity planning.

[2o6]

Oh god. It's finally happening. I argued with GM for awhile about this because the potential added volume fucked up my capacity planning.

Was this before they pulled out of Europe, though?

[MrH]

Was this before they pulled out of Europe, though?

Yeah, but this was never projected to be a big seller over there I don't think.  If I remember correctly, the bulk of production was for South America originally.