2024 Chevrolet Trax vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax underwent a significant transformation, shedding its previous image to emerge as a more stylish and modern vehicle. The redesign embraced a "longer, lower, wider" philosophy, resulting in a vehicle that was 11 inches longer, four inches lower, and two inches wider than its predecessor. This new design borrowed elements from the midsize Chevy Blazer, such as a prominent grille and distinctive body lines, giving the Trax a more commanding presence. 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 elements like a freestanding touchscreen and large air vents, adding a touch of sophistication to the entry-level model.

In contrast, the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport positioned itself as a sportier SUV within the Range Rover family, boasting a more athletic appearance with a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top. The exterior featured large front air intakes and fake vents, contributing to its sporty demeanor. The Range Rover Sport lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the Dynamic SE offering a Stealth appearance package. The SV Edition 2, the highest-performance model, showcased carbon-fiber elements and a subtle exterior design. Inside, the Range Rover Sport maintained a minimalist aesthetic, with a focus on luxury materials and a cockpit-like feel, although the high console and dash made the front seats feel somewhat cramped.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax featured a new 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Despite the decrease in power compared to the previous model, the new engine offered a quicker 0-60 mph time by about a second. The engine's flat torque curve provided strong acceleration from a stop and smooth highway overtakes, with minimal turbo lag. The Trax retained its six-speed automatic transmission and was available only with front-wheel drive. Its handling was tuned to be more car-like, with a wider track for a planted feel, although it still exhibited some body roll and limited grip.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 horsepower, while the Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and a plug-in hybrid option with 454 hp. The Autobiography trim increased the plug-in hybrid's output to 543 hp, and a BMW-sourced twin-turbo V8 was available with 523 hp. The SV Edition Two pushed the V8's output to 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. The Range Rover Sport excelled in both performance and luxury, with sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring enhancing its agility and ride quality.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax, while larger overall, offered mixed results in terms of interior space. It provided three more inches of rear-seat legroom and a slight increase in front-seat legroom, but headroom decreased slightly in the second row. The Trax's cargo space increased by about 12%, offering 25.6 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 54.1 cubic feet with them folded. The driving position was more car-like, with low window sills for excellent visibility, although SUV enthusiasts might miss the elevated seating position.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, positioned between the Velar and full-size Range Rover, offered ample space for a midsize SUV. It featured reclining rear seats and 20-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation. The cargo space measured 31.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 53 cubic feet with the seats folded. While it lacked a split tailgate, the power operation and air suspension's "access height" setting facilitated loading and unloading. The Range Rover Sport's towing capacity was impressive, with turbo-six and V8 models capable of towing up to 7,716 pounds.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax saw significant upgrades in infotainment technology, with an 8-inch touchscreen standard on lower trims and an 11-inch touchscreen with an 8-inch digital instrument cluster on higher trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging, were available for the first time. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with crisp graphics and a logical menu layout, although the screen's tilt favored the driver. The Trax also featured multiple USB ports for front and rear passengers.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport shared its screen setup with the larger Range Rover, featuring a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration were standard. While the screens looked impressive, the minimalist design left some functional gaps, requiring screen widgets for climate control and drive mode selection. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car included "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax 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 came standard with the Teen Driver system, which monitored driving behavior and provided a "report card" to parents.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, although the parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.