Chevrolet Trax vs Lincoln Nautilus

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax underwent such a comprehensive revitalization that calling it by the same name as its lackluster predecessor seemed almost unfair to the design team. The only thing it had in common with the older model was its name. The new Trax adopted a design philosophy of "longer, lower, wider," reminiscent of GM's stylistic heyday in the '50s and '60s. It was 11 inches longer, nearly six inches extended in wheelbase, four inches lower, and two inches wider than before. Borrowing cues from the Chevy Blazer, the Trax featured a dominant grille that nearly overshadowed the headlights and daytime running lights. There was also a notable contour between the rear body sides and the windows, lending it a significant road presence, especially in comparison to the more boxy Hyundai Venue and Nissan Kicks.

Base models like the Trax LS came with 17-inch steel wheels, with 18-inch and 19-inch aluminum options available on higher trims. The Activ and RS trims sought to attract those looking for more rugged and sportier styles, respectively. The Trax Activ featured subtle flourishes like faux skid plates, while the RS trim sported additional blacked-out elements. Inside, the Trax LS featured standard cloth upholstery with a predominately plastic interior, typical of an entry-level model, yet it included quirky design features like a slim dashboard design with a freestanding touchscreen and round air vents. Higher trims boasted Evotex upholstery, mimicking leather but closer in texture to activewear, and unique stylistic elements like contrast stitching on Activ models and piano-black plastic on RS models.

Available in Premiere, Reserve, or Black Label trims, the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus debuted with a more streamlined and sophisticated exterior styling. The new grille, reminiscent of those seen on Mercedes-Benz models, extended LED lighting through the grille, illuminating the Lincoln star logo. An animated LED light bar and dual exhaust ports adorned the rear, further enhancing the horizontal design language. The high-set door handles integrated into the beltline added a neat design twist to the profile.

The interior of the Nautilus was its showstopper, featuring a full-width screen we will discuss later. The interior materials were top-notch, featuring polished metal accents, ambient lighting, open-pore wood, and fine leather. However, the piano key shifter, despite being a long-standing Lincoln tradition, seemed somewhat dated. For an extra $3,000, the Jet Appearance Package added two-tone paint, black exterior trim, and black 20- or 22-inch wheels, along with some unique interior tidbits depending on the model.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax replaced its previous 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a smaller 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. This resulted in a decrease in power to 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque from the previous 155 hp and 177 lb-ft. Despite the reduced power, Chevy estimated the new Trax could accelerate to 60 mph faster by about a second compared to its predecessor. The three-cylinder engine offered strong response, particularly when pulling away from a stop, and made highway overtakes easy. Turbo lag was minimal, which was impressive for a small-displacement turbo-reliant engine.

The Trax maintained the previous generation’s six-speed automatic transmission, but the 2024 model was available only with front-wheel drive (FWD), differentiating it from the all-wheel-drive (AWD) Trailblazer. This decision was driven by cost considerations and a desire to differentiate the two similar-sized crossovers.

Handling in the new Trax was designed to be more car-like, with a wider track providing a more planted feel compared to average crossovers. This setup resulted in a driving experience closer to small hatchbacks, albeit with limited grip and significant body roll reminding drivers they were still in an econobox. Remarkably, the Trax exceeded expectations in refinement, featuring active noise cancellation that kept annoying sounds at bay, although tire noise was still a factor. The ride quality was on the rough side, but it was a reasonable tradeoff for its above-average handling.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup provided smooth power application and unobtrusive shifts. However, for an extra $1,500, the hybrid setup was recommended, offering 310 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque, and an impressive EPA estimated 30 mpg in combined driving. This was significantly better than the 24 mpg combined of the gas-only engine. The hybrid setup also boasted over 600 miles of range, far surpassing the gas-only version.

Every Nautilus came with AWD and five drive modes. An adaptive suspension, available as an option, allowed drivers to maximize these modes. Normal mode provided a cushy ride and relaxed steering for city driving, while Excite mode tightened steering and throttle response and reduced body roll. Other modes included Conserve, Slippery, and Deep Conditions for varied driving conditions. The hybrid's continuously variable transmission (CVT) avoided typical drawbacks such as droning or over-eager engine speeds.

Despite its increased size, the 2024 Trax didn't universally translate this into more interior space. The rear seat legroom increased by three inches, with a slight bump in front-seat legroom. However, first-row headroom remained the same, and second-row headroom decreased by 0.7 inches. The shoulder room was also slightly reduced in both rows, indicating a more confined positioning reminiscent of other GM subcompact crossovers like the Chevy Trailblazer and Buick Encore GX. Passenger space was comparable to competitors like the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue, although the Trax offered the most rear-seat legroom among them.

Cargo space saw a 12% increase, offering 25.6 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 54.1 cubic feet with them folded down. This improvement made it slightly better than the Nissan Kicks and significantly more spacious than the Hyundai Venue.

All trims of the Nautilus included power-adjustable, heated, and cooled front seats. However, the Black Label trim featured Lincoln's 24-way Perfect Position front seats, considered some of the most comfortable in the mid-size luxury SUV segment, even surpassing the offerings from Mercedes-Benz and Genesis. These seats featured a massage function that stayed active until manually turned off and heating elements that could stay on for over six hours.

The rear seats, while not as luxurious, still offered heated options on the top trim and an impressive 43 inches of legroom. This was nearly six inches more than the BMW X5 and two inches more than the Mercedes-Benz GLE, making it very comfortable for tall passengers.

Cargo space in the Nautilus was quite generous, with 36 cubic feet behind the second row and 71 cubic feet with the seats folded down in the Premiere trim. Higher trims saw a slight reduction in cargo space. It was notably more spacious than the Lexus RX. The Nautilus was available only with seating for five, as opposed to some competitors like the Cadillac XT6 and BMW X5, which offered three-row options that were generally too cramped for adults.

The Trax received significant infotainment upgrades. A standard 8-inch touchscreen was on LS and 1RS trims, while LT, 2RS, and Activ models featured an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging, were newly available for the Trax, complementing its Wi-Fi connectivity.

The infotainment system was user-friendly, with the larger optional screen offering sharp graphics and a logical menu layout. However, the tilt of the screen toward the driver made it less accessible for the front-seat passenger. The optional digital instrument cluster was easy to read and could display information from the main touchscreen, serving as a substitute for a head-up display.

The Trax included standard two front USB ports—one USB-A and one USB-C—with additional ports available for the rear seats on higher trims. Wireless phone charging was optional and somewhat problematic due to its odd shape and angle, potentially not accommodating all phone sizes.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus impressed with its massive 48-inch curved display, which included a digital dash for the driver and customizable three-section display for auxiliary information like weather and audio. The graphics were clean and bright.

A smaller 11.1-inch touchscreen on the center console took care of basic infotainment duties, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Though HVAC controls were conveniently designed as permanent icons on the screen, adjusting the vents required navigating through menus, which was distractingly cumbersome. Unlabelled steering wheel controls added to this distraction, appearing on the curved screen when touched, which took time to get used to.

Additional tech features included Google Maps and Alexa Built-in for voice controls, gaming, and web browsing while the car was stationary. Over-the-air updates were standard to keep systems current, and wireless charging was available alongside multiple USB ports throughout the cabin.

At the time of publication, crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable for the 2024 Chevrolet Trax. However, it did come with a substantial amount of standard driver-assist features. These included 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 Chevy’s Teen Driver system, which activated certain safety features, muted the radio until front-seat occupants fastened their seat belts, and prevented the driver from shifting out of Park without a buckled seat belt. This system also monitored teens' driving behavior and provided a "report card" to parents.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus featured an extensive range of standard safety features, including the Lincoln CoPilot 360 suite with lane-keeping assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and emergency braking. Blue Cruise 1.2 technology, offering hands-free/eyes-up functionality, was included with a 90-day trial on Premiere and Reserve trims, and for four years on the Black Label trim. Post-trial, the subscription cost was $75 monthly or $800 annually. This technology facilitated adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping on pre-mapped highways and included automatic lane-change assist and In-Lane Repositioning for smoother rides alongside larger vehicles.

The 2024 Nautilus had yet to be rated by the NHTSA, but the 2023 model earned five stars for frontal and side crash protection and four stars for rollover protection. The IIHS gave the Nautilus a top "Good" rating in crashworthiness, though the latest model's ratings in front crash prevention and other categories were pending.