Chevrolet's latest special edition SUV hopes to stop people in their Trax

By RELAXNEWS | 29 December 2015


DETROIT: The 2016 Trax Midnight Edition aims to give the hugely popular compact crossover a darker edge. Set to go on sale in February, the Midnight Edition boasts a black paint job, black exterior moldings and black wheels. Even the door handles and license plate frame have been given a touch of darkness.

Inside, it's a similar story but with gray piping offering a contrast against the shadows. Under the hood, there's a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine sending power to the front wheels as standard - larger displacements and all-wheel-drive are options -- while connectivity options include a 4G/LTE wi-fi hotspot.

Whether as the Chevrolet Trax in the US or as the Opel Mokka in Europe, the compact crossover is proving hugely successful regardless of the badge adorning the front grille. "The small SUV segment is the fastest growing in the industry," said Betsy Flegg, senior marketing manager, Chevrolet Crossovers.

Industry figures forecast that as 2015 comes to a close, in the US alone, SUV and crossover sales will represent more than 5 million vehicles for the first time in history.

It's a similar story in Asia and Europe, and that number is only going one way - upwards. This is largely because as the segment grows in popularity, so do carmakers' attempts to make the vehicles appealing to an even larger number of people who had been happy with a more traditionally styled sedan, hatchback or station wagon.

The Trax is a case in point, clocking up sales of 57,707 in Chevrolet form from January to November and giving it a 20percent market share in the process. "Introduced just a year ago, the Trax has quickly become an important vehicle for Chevrolet, bringing in new, younger and more female buyers to the brand," said Flegg.

And as it grows in popularity, so does the need to provide special editions to help it stand out, not only from the competition, but from other Trax already on the road.

The 2016 Trax Midnight Edition will cost US$26,625 (RM115,000) when it goes on sale in the US in February.

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