Holden Trax 2013 News

None of us wants to crash our shiny new car but, if we do, we want to know we're safe. That's where the Australian New Car Assessment Program's standardised crash-testing analysis is invaluable, providing comparable ratings for vehicles of all types.The ANCAP site notes that a one-star car is twice as likely to kill you as a five-star model. Carsguide examines ANCAP's results to find the best of breed in each segment. It's worth noting the advanced software in some cars that readies the vehicle if a crash is imminent are disabled during the official tests. Cars are scored out of 37 points after the following tests.FRONTAL OFFSET TEST: The subject vehicle is accelerated to 64km/h and rammed into a deformable alloy barrier to simulate a head-on crash. To increase the severity and reproduce real-world conditions only 40 per cent of the car hits the wall - equating to a driver swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle.SIDE IMPACT TEST: The T-bone hit rams a 950kg trolley into the side of the car at 50km/h. The sled has an alloy face to simulate the front of another vehicle, which deforms and absorbs some of the impact.PEDESTRIAN TEST: Simulates the results of hitting a pedestrian at 40km/h. The test assesses adult and child impacts, given their heads and limbs strike different areas of the car.POLE TEST: This is the most demanding test in the ANCAP repertoire. Trees and poles don't deform, so all the crash energy is transferred to the vehicle. The car is put on a sled and propelled towards a fixed steel pole at 29km/h.SAFEST SMALL CARSAUDI A3 36.41 See reviews of this carOfficially the best small car to occupy in an accident. Impressively, the windscreen pillar didn't move after a 64km/h hit with the concrete block.  HONDA INSIGHT 36.39 See reviews of this carIts score reflects a 3mm movement of the pillar in the frontal offset test and "slight risk" of serious leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 1 SERIES HATCH 36.33 See reviews of this carThere's a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver in the frontal and side crash test and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger in the frontal crash.   SAFEST MEDIUM CARSMERCEDES B-CLASS 36.78 See reviews of this carTops the charts with the highest score of any car in ANCAP database. Technically there's a 4mm movement of the front pillar and a slight risk of injury to the passenger leg closest the door.  BMW 3 SERIES 36.76 See reviews of this carBarely behind. It showed a 1mm movement of the pillar and there was a slight risk of serious injury to the driver's and passenger's legs.VOLVO V40 36.67 See reviews of this carThe only loss of points occurred during the frontal crash test, with a slight risk of serious injury to the front occupants' legs closest the door and the driver's chest.SAFEST LARGE CARSTOYOTA AURION 36.59 See reviews of this carFirst place in this class makes it the only locally built vehicle in any top-three line-up. There's a slight risk of lower leg injury for driver and passenger.   BMW 5 Series 36.53 See reviews of this carNot a bad place to be in the event of an accident either. It blitzed the side impact tests and only lost fractions of points in the head-on hit.    VOLVO S60 36.34 See reviews of this carSweden maintains its safety credentials. The passenger compartment stayed intact with only a 1mm movement of the front pillar.    SAFEST COMPACT SUVS SUBARU XV 35.53 See reviews of this carLike the slightly lower-riding Impreza, the XV scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.    HOLDEN TRAX 35.18 See reviews of this carThe surprise packet. One of the smaller cars in the class has only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.   Skoda Yeti 34.67 See reviews of this carDepite being one of the older examples in this segment, the Yeti still rates well for safety, with only a slight risk of serious leg injury for those in the front in a head-on crash.    SAFEST MEDIUM SUVSVOLVO XC60 36.53 See reviews of this carANCAP says the cabin 'held its shape extremely well" in the frontal test, with the pillar shifting just 3mm. There was a slight risk of serious chest and leg injuries to the driver.  FORD KUGA 36.33 See reviews of this carA solid second, posing a slight risk of serious chest injury for both front seat occupants. The front pillar moved 15mm.   HONDA CR-V 35.91 See reviews of this carPlaced well despite being penalised for the foot-operated park brake moving upwards and back. Structurally there was only a 2mm movement of the pillar.  SUBARU FORESTER 35.64 See reviews of this carTested this year, it scored highly in all crashes, with a slight risk of injury to the front occupants' chests and legs.   SUBARU OUTBACK 35.52 See reviews of this carFills the brand's quinella. Crashed in 2008 and at the time topped the charts as the safest vehicle ANCAP had tested. SAFEST LARGE SUVSMERCEDES-BENZ ML 36.34 See reviews of this car Luxury SUV has a slight risk of serious chest injury for driver and passenger in the head-on hit and a slight risk of serious leg injury for the passenger. The pillar moved 2mm. RANGE ROVER 36.19 See reviews of this carBig Brit has a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver and the pillar shifted by 15mm.   NISSAN PATHFINDER 35.73 See reviews of this carSlight risk of serious leg injury for the driver. Unlike the other two, it applies to the upper leg as well as the expected lower-leg hits. Docked points for a marginal pedestrian impact result.

When he wakes in hospital with amnesia, this man's Holden Trax features help him trace the mystery of his identity.

Growing Holden's SUV line up to four models, Trax will be offered in two-trim levels, the LS and LTZ, ranging in price from $23,490-$27,990. Every Trax model will feature as standard on every model, a seven-inch touch-screen with MyLink embedded apps, rear view camera, rear parking sensors, six airbags and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. Trax features the same fuel efficient 1.8 litre DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder petrol engine as the Holden Cruze and is paired with a five-speed manual transmission (LS only) to deliver fuel economy of just 7.0 litres per 100 kilometres. A Gen II six-speed automatic transmission with Active Select is standard on the LTZ and available as an option on the LS, delivering very competitive fuel consumption of 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres. Holden Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Philip Brook said Trax was arriving in Australia at the right time to make the most of accelerating interest in small SUVs. “The SUV segment continues to grow rapidly with small SUV sales growing 20 per cent this year,” Mr Brook said. “Trax offers a great package at an exceptional price point and we believe it will pose an immediate challenge to established models when it arrives in Holden dealerships in September.” Trax has been designed to be fully-flexible, offering everything in a small SUV from multiple seating configurations to advanced technology features. It is the only vehicle in the class to include a 240V electrical socket in the rear of the centre console. “We've included a standard rear view camera and rear parking sensors across the range. Our MyLink system offers access to the widest range of apps currently available in an Australian vehicle, including BringGo, an exceptional low-cost navigation option with functions that include Google places search,” Mr Brook said. Holden Trax LS also features 16-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel with audio controls, Bluetooth, cruise control and auto headlamps. Trax LTZ adds 18-inch alloy wheels, Sportec seats, heated front seats, fog lamps, under passenger seat storage tray and trip computer. Trax LTZ is offered standard with the six-speed automatic transmission for a retail price of $27,990.  

Holden will finally join the booming compact SUV market with the budget-priced Barina-based Trax. It is due to arrive in showrooms in September and will fill the void between Holden’s small-car range and its Captiva SUV. Priced from $23,490 plus on-road costs (auto adds $2200 to $25,690) the Holden Trax undercuts most of the competition, including the Nissan Dualis and Subaru XV -- but it is dearer than the similarly-sized Suzuki SX4. Standard fare includes six airbags, a five-star safety rating and a rear-view camera across all models. The Trax is designed for inner-city types but could find its way as a favourite among sales reps who spend their working life on the road. The Trax is the only car in its class to come standard with a 240V power socket to charge lap-top computers while on the move. It also has a seven-inch touchscreen embedded with Pandora, Tune-In Radio and Stitcher mobile audio apps which work seamlessly when tethered to a smartphone via a USB port in the glovebox. Fuel economy from the 1.8-litre petrol engine is par for the class  (7.0L/100km for the five-speed manual and 7.6L/100km for the six-speed auto). Holden has removed the spare wheel and tyre to help limbo to these ratings which are done in laboratory conditions and are sensitive to such weight reductions. However, a full-size spare is a no-cost option at the time of purchase so be sure to ask the dealer before taking delivery. The flagship LTZ model is available with automatic transmission only and is priced from $27,990 plus on-road costs. The $2300 price premium buys premium upholstery with heated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels (instead of 16-inch alloys on the base LT model), front fog lights and a storage tray under the front seat. Metallic paint -- six of the eight available colours on both models -- is a $550 option. Holden Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Philip Brook said sales of small SUVs grew 20 per cent last year. “We believe (Trax) will pose an immediate challenge to established models when it arrives in Holden dealerships in September,” said Brook. “None of the best-selling vehicles in this segment currently offer the same features for the price.” Fast facts: Holden Trax LS manual $23,490 Holden Trax LS automatic $25,690 Holden Trax LTZ (auto only) $27,990 Country of origin: South Korea Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol Power: 103kW and 175Nm Economy: 7.0L/100km (manual), 7.6L/100km (auto) Transmission: Five-speed manual or six-speed auto Length/width/height: 4278/1776/1674mm Luggage capacity: 357/785/1370L (seats up, seats flat, seats flat to roof) Safety: Six airbags, five-star ANCAP rating, rear-view camera, stability control, ISOFIX child restraint anchor points, four height-adjustable headrests. Service intervals: 9 months/15,000km Spare tyre: None. Full-size spare is a no-cost option but you must ask for it at time of purchase. This journalist is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling  

So these pre-show images give a good idea of what we’re likely to get – at least as far as the exterior goes.The Trax is based on the same platform as the new Barina city car, but rides higher and gets some beefy body styling to give it tougher presence.Three four-cylinder engines have been announced for overseas markets: a 102kW/200Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol, a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol and a 96kW/300Nm 1.7-litre diesel. Gearbox choices are a six-speed manual transmission with stop-start system that temporarily shuts down the engine when the car is not moving.A six-speed automatic will be available for the 1.4-litre and 1.7-litre diesel, which also offer on-demand all-wheel drive, with the 1.6-litre arriving only in front-wheel drive.The safety list includes six airbags, anti-lock brakes with electronic assistance for panic stops and uneven loading, stability and traction control, hill start and descent controls, and a trailer stabilising system. 

The Holden will arrive in 2013 after it makes its debut at the Paris motor show in September. Trax wears other names in other countries including the Buick Encore and Opel Mokka. With room for five passengers, and available in two and all-wheel drive form, Trax is a global car that will be sold in more than 140 markets around the world. Eagled-eyed car enthusiasts may see a number of test cars on Australian roads in the near future as Holden engineers complete development work on the global program. Holden Director of Powertrain Engineering, Simon Cassin said Holden's engineering know-how had been called upon to work on this important model. "We are working closely with the homeroom on global calibration work and of course making further refinements to ensure Trax will be well suited to Australian roads and conditions when it arrives next year," he said. The global Chevrolet version of Trax is set to make its official debut at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012. Ironically, however, the car will not be sold in the United States because it could undermine sales of the Chevvy Equinox. Holden has four engines to choose from with this model, along with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions. In Europe, cars with a manual transmission will be equipped with the fuel saving start/stop system. They will also be equipped with many other sophisticated features. It is not known whether our version will include any of these technologies (probably not). Holden has four engines from which to choose but the decision is likely to mirror the Cruze hatch and sedan that features the same drivetrain. There's a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated engine with 85kW of power and 155Nm torque, a naturally-aspirated 1.8-litre with 103kW and 175Nm and a 1.4-litre turbo with 103kW and 200Nm. There's also a 1.7-litre turbo diesel available with 96kW and 300Nm of torque. In Europe the new model introduces new state-of-the-art technologies to the segment, such as a string of Driver Assistance Systems based on the Opel Eye front camera system, as well as a rear view camera. It gives the driver access to several functions including Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and the second generation of Traffic Sign Recognition system (TSR II) which now recognises even more EU and non-EU traffic signs including rectangular signs and dynamic LED displays. Parking is made easier with further optional kit that includes a rear view camera and park assist sensors for the front and rear. Additionally, the loading capacity of the car can be complimented with the new generation FlexFix rear bicycle carrier. The user-friendly carrier is fully integrated in the rear, functions like a drawer and can accommodate up to three bicycles at a time. More details will be released closer to launch.  

Reflecting the immense power internet users now wield, the car company is handing the decision to consumers.Rather than the usual research channels, GM is conducting an online poll to allow the public to select the company's next small car.It will debut three concept cars at the New York International Auto Show, which begins today. People can log on to vote4chevrolet.com and vote for which one they think should be on the road in production form.All three cars — the Beat, Groove and Trax — are tipped to appeal to young buyers. Chevrolet will take the votes on board in deciding which best suits the market.Yet while Australians can log on and cast their vote, we may not get the chance to buy one.A Holden spokesman said yesterday the company did not know if the final car chosen would come to Australia.Chevrolet is part of the GM group, so Holden would have the option to bring it here.