The compact SUV segment of the automotive market has been steadily growing in popularity over the last 10 years or so. The Holden Trax Petrol is one very fine example of a compact SUV that can be seen on quite a few Australian streets.

The Holden Trax Petrol is likely to appeal to a wide range of people, but it certainly seems to be designed with families in mind.  While the Holden Trax Petrol is not huge for a five-door vehicle, it certainly has a respectable amount of leg and head room front and rear, and ISOFIX child seat preparation comes as standard in the rear seats.  Nevertheless, the Holden Trax Petrol certainly manages to pack a large amount into a compact body.

One of the things that the Holden Trax Petrol manages to pack in is the infotainment system.  It’s hard to think what this doesn’t have. Siri eyes-free mode for compatible devices? Tick that box.  The ability to watch a photo slideshow or a movie off a USB stick when the vehicle is stationary? Tick the box again.  Bluetooth with audio streaming, iPod connectivity and auxiliary input? Tick, tick and tick again.

The Holden Trax Petrol also manages to pack in all the active safety features and driver aids as well.  At one end of the spectrum, you’ve got simple things like remote keyless entry for the doors, tailgate and fuel cover; follow-me-home dusk-sensing headlights, cruise control and electric power steering. At the other end, you’ve got rear view cameras and parking sensors, a pretty comprehensive stability and handling package that includes ABS brakes, brake assist, EBD, traction control and hill start control.  Did I miss anything?  Yes I did: descent control, which controls the speed of the vehicle as it heads downhill.

The seating (for five people) inside the Holden Trax Petrol is pretty comfortable, with cloth trim in the LS variant and Sportec trim in the LSZ.  The LSZ also has heated front seats.  There’s airbags all over the place and masses of cabin storage space (including a grand total of six cupholders if the rear armrest is down, and under-seat storage in the rear of the LSZ).  The rear seats, as you would expect, are 60/40 split folding for extra loads if needed.  Air con comes as standard in all models, and the LSZ variant of the Holden Trax Petrol also has rain-sensing window wipers.

All that comes packed in around this compact SUV, which measures 1674 mm from the bottom of the tyres (16-inch wheels in the LS; 18-inch in the LSZ) to the gently curving roof line (and roof rails), and 4278 mm from the chrome grille around the halogen headlamps (and fog lights on the LSZ) to the lion logo on the tailgate.  However, there is, of course, also room for the engine and other essentials that make a car a car, rather than a comfy lounge with a good entertainment system.

Interior: LTZ model

Inside the Holden Trax Petrol, you’ll have a choice of engines, which is largely dictated by your preferred variant. The Holden Trax Petrol LS sports a 1.8-L DOHC 4-cylinder petrol engine that comes coupled either to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The LSZ has a very peppy 1.4-L DOHC turbocharged engine that comes with the automatic transmission only.  The power output of the two engines is the same – 103 kW – but it peaks at different points, with the 1.8-L peaking at 6300 and the 1.4-L turbo peaking at 4900 rpm.  The engines differ in their torque, however, with the 1.4-L turbo taking out the top spot with 200 Nm at 1850 rpm compared to the 1.8’s 175 Nm at 3800 rpm.  The fuel economy is a shade better in the 1.4-L engine, with a combined test figure of 6.9 L/100 km compared to the 1.8’s 7.3 L/100 km.  However, the 1.4 requires unleaded 95-octane fuel but the 1.8 takes 91, so this evens up the difference between them somewhat when it comes to your fuel bill.

Current model series include:

• Holden Trax Petrol 1.8 Manual
• Holden Trax Petrol 1.8 Auto
• Holden Trax Petrol 1.4 Automatic

For any more information on the Holden Trax Petrol, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Holden dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!