Subcompact crossovers may have small footprints, which makes them easy to zip around town in, but they also feature roomy interiors and more cargo room than most sedans. This makes them great options for our Jacksonville area car shoppers.
Two great options are the 2020 Chevy Trax and the 2020 Hyundai Kona, as they hit all the key needs in a small crossover and more. Which is best for you? Find out below.
Exterior
The Chevy Trax arrived in 2015 and was then considered to be a bold design in the crossover space. Today, with all the crazy styling going on in the subcompact crossover realm, the Trax is seen as a relatively timid design. This makes it an excellent option for buyers seeking something that blends in a bit and gets them from point A to point B with as little fuss as possible.
On top of this simple design, the Trax also has plenty pf standard exterior features, including 16-inch painted aluminum wheels, power mirrors with manual-folding feature, an acoustic-laminated windshield, variable-intermittent windshield wipers, variable-intermittent rear wiper, and more.
The Hyundai Kona is one of the newest subcompact crossovers on the market, as it debuted back in 2018. It continues into 2020 with the same wild design it introduced three model years ago that includes slitlike headlights, a squished-down grille, massive fog light housings, black body cladding, a swoopy floating roofline, and a backside that almost mirrors the front end.
This look is sure to attract a lot of looks, which some buyers may like. But those who prefer a calm, stare-free commute may find this a bit over the top.
Like the Trax, the Kona is well-equipped from its base trim. Its standard exterior equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, halogen projector headlights with auto-on/off, LED daytime running lights, power mirrors, body-color door handles, and more.
| Measurement | 2020 Chevy Trax | 2020 Hyundai Kona |
| Length (in.) | 167.2 | 164 |
| Width (in.) | 69.9 | 70.9 |
| Height (in.) | 64.9 | 61.6 |
| Wheelbase (in.) | 100.6 | 102.4 |
| Ground Clearance (in.) | 6.2 | 6.7 |
| Curb weight (lbs.) | 3,124 to 3,344 | 2,890 to 3,276 |
Advantage: 2020 Chevy Trax
- More traditional look
- Acoustic-laminated windshield minimizes wind noise
Advantage: 2020 Hyundai Kona
- Smaller, lighter, and nimbler
- Eye-grabbing design
Interior
Much like its exterior, the 2020 Chevy Trax’s cabin is about as traditional as they come. Yes, it has some curves and swoops here and there, and some satin-chrome trim, but there is nothing over the top about it. It is a traditional cabin that looks great and offends no one.
In terms of features, the 2020 Trax offers lots of value. In its base trim, it comes with the typical cloth seats, power windows, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and more, but it also meets the needs of tech lovers with its standard Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System with a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto™, and Apple CarPlay®. It also features a standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi® hotspot (data plan required). At $22,295, this is a good deal.
The 2020 Hyundai Kona’s interior, like its exterior, is bold. It includes a sharp three-spoke steering wheel, rounded air vents, a “floating” infotainment screen, and bright contrasting bezels. If you aren’t too fond of its exterior, the Kona’s interior certainly won’t steal your heart. But if you are a fan of that bold outward look, this interior is just right for you.
In terms of equipment, the Kona matches most of what the Trax has, including its standard Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. Where is falls short is its lack of Wi-Fi®. It does, however, make up for this with standard safety goodies the Trax lacks, including lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and driver-attention warning.
Buyers looking for a roomy cabin will find more useful seating space in the Trax, thanks to its extra 1.6 inches of front headroom, 1 inch of rear headroom, and 1.1 inches of rear legroom. The Trax also has an extra 2.6 cubic feet of cargo room with the seats folded, but the Kona wins by 0.5 cubic feet with the seats upright.
| Measurement | 2020 Chevy Trax | 2020 Hyundai Kona |
| Front headroom (in.) | 39.6 | 36.9 (w/o sunroof)/38 (w/ sunroof) |
| Front legroom (in.) | 40.8 | 41.5 |
| Front shoulder room (in.) | 54.1 | 55.5 |
| Front hip room (in.) | 51.7 | 53.3 |
| Rear headroom (in.) | 38.8 | 37.8 |
| Rear legroom (in.) | 35.7 | 34.6 |
| Rear shoulder room (in.) | 52.8 | 54.5 |
| Rear hip room (in.) | 50.7 | 52.2 |
| Cargo room w/ rear seat upright (cu. Ft.) | 18.7 | 19.2 |
| Cargo room w/ rear seat lowered (cu. Ft.) | 48.4 | 45.8 |
Advantage: 2020 Chevy Trax
- Standard in-car Wi-Fi®
- Roomier in the key areas
- More max cargo room
- Inoffensive interior design
Advantage: 2020 Hyundai Kona
- Bold interior design
- More cargo room with the seats upright
- More widthwise seating room
Performance
Under its hood, the 2020 Chevy Trax comes standard with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque. This power flows through a six-speed automatic transmission on its way to the front or all four wheels for a 9.3-second 0-to-60 run.
The 2020 Hyundai Kona has a pair of powertrain options. The standard powertrain includes a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain connects to the front wheels or all four for a 9.2-second 0-to-60 sprint time.
On Limited and Ultimate trims, the 2020 Kona comes with a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This powerplant pairs with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that sends the power to the front or all four wheels for a spritely 6.6-second gallop to 60 mph. The Kona delivers that performance while getting up to 30 mpg combined versus the Trax’s up to 28 mpg combined.
| 2020 Chevy Trax | 2020 Hyundai Kona | |
| Standard engine | 1.4-liter turbo 4-cyl | 2.0-liter 4-cyl |
| Horsepower | 138 hp at 4,900 rpm | 147 hp at 6,200 rpm |
| Torque | 148 lb-ft at 1,850 rpm | 132 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm |
| Transmission | 6-spd automatic | 6-spd automatic |
| Driveline | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) |
| 0-60 time | 9.3 seconds | 9.2 seconds |
| MPG City (FWD/AWD) | 26/24 mpg | 27/26 mpg |
| MPG Highway (FWD/AWD) | 31/29 mpg | 33/30 mpg |
| MPG Combined (FWD/AWD) | 28/26 mpg | 30/28 mpg |
| Optional engine | N/A | 1.6-liter turbo 4-cyl |
| Horsepower | N/A | 175 hp at 5,500 rpm |
| Torque | N/A | 195 lb-ft at 1,500 to 4,500 rpm |
| Transmission | N/A | 7-spd dual-clutch automatic |
| Driveline | N/A | FWD (std)/AWD (opt) |
| 0-60 time | N/A | 6.6 seconds |
| MPG City (FWD/AWD) | N/A | 28/26 mpg |
| MPG Highway (FWD/AWD) | N/A | 32/29 mpg |
| MPG Combined (FWD/AWD) | N/A | 30/27 mpg |
Advantage: 2020 Chevy Trax
- One simple engine option
Advantage: 2020 Hyundai Kona
- Surprisingly quick with turbo engine
- Slick dual-clutch transmission
- Superior fuel economy
Pricing and Features
The 2020 Chevy Trax has a three-trim lineup – LS, LT, and Premier – and their starting prices range from $22,295 to $28,595.
Five trims make up the 2020 Hyundai Kona lineup: SE, SEL, SEL Plus, and Ultimate. Their starting prices range from $20,100 to $27,750.
2020 Chevrolet Trax Key Features and Pricing by Trim
LS: $22,295
- 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Six-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Electric power steering
- 16-inch painted aluminum wheels
- 16-inch compact spare tire
- Mechanical jack and tools
- Beltline moldings
- Halogen reflector headlights with auto-on/off
- Sculpted taillights
- Body-color power mirrors with manual-folding feature
- Acoustic-laminated windshield
- Variable-intermittent windshield wipers
- Variable-intermittent rear wiper
- Body-color door handles
- Body-color liftgate applique
- Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System
- 7-inch touchscreen
- Bluetooth® connectivity with audio streaming
- Apple CarPlay®
- Android Auto™
- Six-speaker AM/FM audio system
- 4G LTE Wi-Fi® hotspot capable (data plan required)
- Dual USB ports
- Cloth upholstery
- Four-way manual-adjust driver’s seat
- Two-way manual-adjust passenger’s seat
- Flat-folding front passenger’s seat
- 60/40 split-folding rear seatback
- Carpeted floor mats
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- 3.5-inch driver-information center
- Digital compass
- Power door locks
- Remote keyless entry
- Power windows with driver-side one-touch up/down and one-touch down in other positions
- Single-zone manual climate control
- Rear heater duct
- Satin-silver and chrome shift knob
- Rear cargo cover
- Four cargo-area tie-downs
- Cargo-area lighting
- Chevrolet Connected Access capable
- Theft-deterrent alarm
- OnStar
- Rearview camera
LT: $24,195
- All LS features, plus
- Halogen projector headlights
- LED taillights
- LED daytime running lights
- Roof-rack side rails
- Chrome beltline moldings
- Silver-painted front and rear skid plate appliques
- Heated mirrors
- Deep-tinted rear glass
- Deluxe cloth seating
- Cruise control
- Font-passenger under-seat storage drawer
- SiriusXM® satellite radio
- 110-volt power outlet
Premier: $28,595
- All LT features, plus
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Fog lights
- Power sunroof
- Chrome-accent door handles
- Chrome liftgate applique
- Bright door-sill plate
- Leatherette upholstery
- Six-way power driver’s seat
- Heated front seats
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror
- Bose® premium seven-speaker audio system with Richbass™ woofer
- Keyless open and ignition
- Forward collision warning
- Lane-departure warning
- Blind-zone monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear parking sensors
2020 Hyundai Kona Key Features and Pricing by Trim
SE: $20,100
- 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine
- Six-speed automatic transmission
- Front-wheel drive
- Normal and Sport drive modes
- Electric power steering
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Halogen projector headlights with auto-on/off
- LED daytime running lights
- Body-color, power mirrors
- Body-color door handles
- Cloth upholstery
- Six-way manual-adjust driver’s seat
- 60/40 split-folding rear seatback
- Dual-level cargo floor
- 7-inch color touchscreen
- Android Auto™
- Apple CarPlay®
- 1-amp USB data port and on USB charging port
- Manual climate control
- Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
- Steering-wheel-mounted controls
- 3.5-inch driver-information center
- Power windows with driver’s side one-touch-down operation
- Power door locks
- Remote keyless entry
- Rearview camera
- Theft-deterrent alarm
- Lane-keep assist
- Automatic emergency braking
- Driver-attention warning
SEL: $21,900
- All SE features, plus
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Mirror-integrated turn signals
- Tinted rear glass
- Roof rails
- Heated front seats
- HD Radio®
- SiriusXM® satellite radio
- External temperature display
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Front one-touch-up/down windows
- Proximity key with keyless ignition
- Blind-spot collision warning
- Lane-change assist
- Rear cross-traffic assist
SEL Plus: $23,750
- All SEL features, plus
- Fog lights
- Power sunroof
- Shark-fin antenna
- Eight-way power driver’s seat
- Power lumbar
- Infinity® premium eight-speaker audio system with Clari-Fi™ music restoration technology
- Wireless charging pad
- Blue Link® Connected Car System
- Blue Link® Connected Care Package
- Blue Link® Remote Package
- Auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink®
- 4.2-inch color multi-information display
Limited: $25,900
- All SEL Premium features, plus
- 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine
- Seven-speed dual-clutch transmission
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- LED headlights
- LED taillights
- Leather seating
- Automatic climate control
Ultimate: $27,750
- All Limited features, plus
- 8-inch color touchscreen
- Head-up display
- Blue Link® Guidance
- Adaptive cruise control
- Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Parking distance warning
- Automatic high-beam headlights
Who Should Buy the 2020 Chevy Trax
Buyers who prefer to just go about their daily commute without much fuss will appreciate the low-key look and feel of the Chevy Trax. It’s far from boring to look at, but it also stays away from being an eyeball grabber at every stoplight.
Who Should Buy the 2020 Hyundai Kona
Buyers who crave attention and love when people stare at their ride will get all the gawks they would ever want in the 2020 Hyundai Kona. This slick crossover also has plenty of advanced safety features the Trax lacks at a lower price.
Is the 2020 Chevy Trax the right crossover for your family? Stop by Garber Automall, serving Jacksonville, Orange Park, and the surrounding areas, today to take it for a spin and see what it can offer you. Whether you just need a commuter car to get to work in Green Cove Springs, wheels to get your kids to school in Fleming Island, or just need a crossover to tinker around in Jacksonville, the 2020 Chevy Trax has you covered. Check out all our in-stock Trax models and schedule a test drive today.
