Shopping a used Chevrolet Trax by model year runs into a problem on the second search. Two vehicles wear the badge, they share almost nothing mechanically, and there is a hole in the middle where a 2023 should be.
GM built the first Trax for the 2015 through 2022 model years around a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Production ended on November 30, 2022. The nameplate then sat out an entire model year before returning for 2024 as a longer, wider, lower vehicle powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder.
No 2023 Chevrolet Trax exists.
Anyone comparing a 2019 against a 2024 is comparing two different cars from two different design programs, built in different countries, with different engines and different failure patterns. Model-year advice that treats the run as continuous will point buyers at the wrong things.
Key Takeaways
- There is no 2023 Chevrolet Trax. First-generation production ended November 30, 2022, and the second generation arrived as a 2024 model after a full model year off.
- Two recalls for improperly welded front lower control arms cover 2015 through 2019. Campaigns 19V652000 and 19V312000 together reach every first-generation year in that span. A broken weld can partially separate the control arm from the car.
- 2015 is the most recalled model year with seven campaigns. The count falls each year after that, reaching zero for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- 2020, 2021 and 2022 carry no NHTSA recall campaigns at all. They are the cleanest first-generation years on the recall record.
- The low 2021 and 2022 complaint counts are mostly a sales artifact. Trax volume collapsed from 116,817 in 2019 to 26,598 in 2022 as the model wound down. Fewer cars generate fewer filings.
- Adjusted for sales, first-generation complaint rates fall steadily from roughly 149 per 100,000 for 2015 to about 34 for 2022, though older cars have had more years to accumulate filings.
- The 2024 model year holds 141 complaints, the highest single-year total in the nameplate’s history. It also carries six fire reports, the most of any Trax model year.
- The second generation has one recall so far, campaign 23V744000, covering instrument-panel software.
There Is No 2023 Chevrolet Trax
Search volume exists for 2023 Trax problems, 2023 Trax trim levels and 2023 Trax reliability. None of it describes a car sold in the United States.
First-generation assembly finished in late 2022. GM used the following year to bring the replacement to market, and the second-generation car went on sale during calendar 2023 badged as a 2024 model. Chevrolet moved 109,383 Trax during calendar 2023, and those were 2024-model-year vehicles.
That distinction matters when reading a listing. A dealer advertising a 2023 Trax is either describing a leftover 2022 or a 2024 sold in 2023. Check the VIN’s tenth character, which encodes model year, before assuming anything about which generation is on the lot.
Two Generations, Two Engines, One Name
| Specification | First generation (2015-2022) | Second generation (2024-2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.4L turbo four-cylinder (LUV) | 1.2L turbo three-cylinder (LIH) |
| All-wheel drive | Available | Not offered |
| Total NHTSA complaints | 650 | 210 |
| NHTSA recall campaigns | 9 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 53 | 15 |
| Fire reports | 12 | 9 |
| Injuries | 32 | 22 |
| Deaths | 1 | 0 |
| Largest complaint category | Engine (200) | Electrical (76) |
| Second largest | Electrical (154) | Engine (53) |
| Model years covered | 8 | 3 (and counting) |
Two differences drive most of the buying decision. The first generation could be ordered with all-wheel drive and the second cannot, at any trim or price. The engine went from four cylinders to three, and the newer unit is the subject of a class action filed against GM in March 2026 alleging connecting rod failures.
Nine fire reports against a generation that has existed for barely two years is the figure that stands out against 12 across the first generation’s eight.
Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
Complaint counts come from owner filings with NHTSA, which are self-reported and unverified. Recall campaign counts reflect manufacturer actions against a defined population of vehicles, which makes them the more objective of the two columns.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | US sales (calendar) | Complaints per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 94 | 7 (most) | 2 | 63,030 | 149 |
| 2016 | 111 | 5 | 2 | 79,016 | 140 |
| 2017 | 107 | 3 | 3 | 79,289 | 135 |
| 2018 | 95 | 2 | 1 | 89,917 | 106 |
| 2019 | 130 | 2 | 2 | 116,817 | 111 |
| 2020 | 84 | 0 | 1 | 106,299 | 79 |
| 2021 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 42,590 | 47 |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 26,598 | 34 (lowest) |
| 2023 | none built | none | none | none | n/a |
| 2024 | 141 (most) | 1 | 6 | 200,688 | 129 or lower |
| 2025 | 65 | 0 | 3 | 169,408 to 204,731 | not yet meaningful |
| 2026 | 4 | 0 | 0 | in progress | not yet meaningful |
The 2023 row is empty because no 2023 Trax was built. The 109,383 cars Chevrolet sold during calendar 2023 were 2024-model-year vehicles, which is where those complaints are counted.
The 2024 figure is expressed as a ceiling because 2024-model-year cars sold across two calendar years. Dividing 141 complaints by the 109,383 sold during calendar 2023 gives 129 per 100,000, and every additional 2024-model car sold during calendar 2024 pushes the real rate below that.
Independent sales trackers report different totals for calendar 2025, which is why that row carries a range.
Why the 2021 and 2022 Numbers Look So Good
Reading down the complaint column, 2021 and 2022 look like the years GM finally sorted the car out. Twenty filings, then nine.
Sales explain most of it.
Trax deliveries peaked at 116,817 in 2019 and fell to 42,590 in 2021 and 26,598 in 2022 as GM wound the model down ahead of its replacement. A model year with a quarter of the volume produces roughly a quarter of the filings at identical quality. The per-100,000 column corrects for that and still shows improvement, from 149 down to 34, so the trend is real. It is smaller than the raw numbers suggest.
A second effect works the same direction and cannot be corrected for here. A 2015 Trax has had eleven years to generate complaints. A 2022 car has had four. Older model years accumulate more filings for reasons that have nothing to do with build quality.
Both distortions push the same way, which means the honest reading of the first generation is a genuine but modest improvement across its run, concentrated after 2018.
The same caution applies to comparing generations. The 2024 model reached its ceiling of 129 per 100,000 in about two years, while the 2015 model needed eleven to reach 149. On pace, that is not an improvement. Complaint filing also tends to be front-loaded, since problems on a new car under warranty get reported, so the two figures still are not measuring the same thing.
The Control Arm Recalls Cover 2015 Through 2019
Two separate campaigns address the same defect: a joint in one or both front lower control arms may have been welded improperly, and a broken weld can partially separate the arm from the vehicle.
Campaign 19V652000 covers 2015 through 2018. Campaign 19V312000 covers 2017 through 2019. Together they reach every first-generation model year from 2015 to 2019, with 2017 and 2018 falling inside both.
For a used buyer this is the single most useful line on the page. Verify completion of both campaigns by VIN before buying any first-generation Trax built in that span.
| Campaign | Trax model years | Component | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15V146000 | 2015 | Steering | Steering column housing can contact the power steering circuit board, wearing it |
| 15V162000 | 2015 | Equipment | Tire placard omits rim size, failing FMVSS 110 |
| 16V257000 | 2015-2016 | Equipment | Radio fails to sound the key-in-ignition chime, failing FMVSS 114 |
| 16V422000 | 2015-2016 | Electrical | Radio fails to sound seatbelt and key chimes, failing FMVSS 208 and 114 |
| 16V651000 | 2015-2017 | Air bags | Sensing and diagnostic module fault under certain driving conditions |
| 17V437000 | 2015-2016 | Air bags | Vehicles previously remedied under 16V651 may not have received the correct fix |
| 18V774000 | 2019 | Air bags | Sensing diagnostic module left in manufacturing mode, preventing deployment |
| 19V312000 | 2017-2019 | Suspension | Improperly welded front lower control arm joint |
| 19V652000 | 2015-2018 | Suspension | Improperly welded front lower control arm joint |
Two patterns come out of that list. Air bag sensing modules produced three campaigns across 2015 to 2019, one of which existed only to correct an incomplete repair of an earlier one. Suspension produced two more, and suspension is the top complaint category for the 2018 model year specifically.
Nothing on the list concerns the 1.4-liter engine, despite engine being the first generation’s largest complaint category at 200 filings.
What Changed for 2024
The second-generation car is 11 inches longer and two inches wider, and it sits lower, at 61.7 inches tall on a 106.0-inch wheelbase. Rear legroom grew by three inches. Cargo behind the rear seat grew by 36 percent, from 18.7 cubic feet to 25.6, though maximum volume with the seat folded rose only about 12 percent, from 48.4 to 54.1. Rear headroom fell by 0.7 inches.
All-wheel drive disappeared.
The 1.4-liter four gave way to the 1.2-liter three-cylinder, which uses a timing belt that runs submerged in engine oil. That engine is now the subject of litigation and a distinct complaint pattern, covered separately in our breakdown of the 1.2-liter engine failures.
Complaint categories inverted along with the hardware. Engine led the first generation at 200 filings with electrical second at 154. On the second generation, electrical leads at 76 and engine sits second at 53.
One recall has been issued so far. Campaign 23V744000 covers Virtual Cockpit Unit software that can blank the instrument panel at startup or while driving, and it applies to 2024 Buick Encore GX, Buick Envista and Chevrolet Trax vehicles.
Which Years to Buy
Best first-generation picks: 2020, 2021 and 2022. No recall campaigns against any of the three, the lowest sales-adjusted complaint rates of the generation, and all three fall outside both control arm campaigns. The 2022 car is the cleanest on paper at roughly 34 complaints per 100,000.
Approach 2015 with the most caution. Seven recall campaigns, the highest of any model year, plus the generation’s only recorded death and the highest sales-adjusted complaint rate at about 149 per 100,000.
2017 and 2018 need both control arm recalls verified, since those years fall inside 19V312000 and 19V652000 at once.
2019 has the highest first-generation complaint count at 130 filings, though its sales-adjusted rate of 111 sits mid-pack because it was also the best-selling year.
The 2024 model year is the one to research hardest. It holds the highest complaint total in nameplate history, the most fire reports of any model year, and the engine at issue in the class action.
Whichever year, run the VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup rather than trusting a seller’s summary. Owner-reported data on both generations is broken out in The Weekly Driver’s reliability record for the 2015-2022 Trax and the entry for the 2024-2025 car.
Verdict
Chevrolet Trax reliability splits cleanly at the generation line, and the first generation improved as it aged. Recall campaigns fall from seven for 2015 to none for 2020, 2021 and 2022, and the sales-adjusted complaint rate drops by roughly three quarters across the run. Buyers shopping that generation should favor the last three model years and verify both control arm campaigns on anything from 2015 to 2019.
The second generation is too new to call. Three model years, one recall, and 210 complaints do not settle a reliability question. What the record does show is nine fire reports in barely two years and an engine facing unresolved litigation over connecting rod failures.
Anyone treating the 2024 as a refreshed version of the 2022 is misreading the car. Different engine, different platform, no all-wheel drive, and a complaint profile that inverted. The reliability history of the first generation says nothing useful about the second.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most reliable Chevy Trax years?
2020, 2021 and 2022 are the strongest first-generation years on the public record. None carries an NHTSA recall campaign, all three fall outside the two front control arm recalls that cover 2015 through 2019, and their sales-adjusted complaint rates are the lowest of the generation, reaching roughly 34 per 100,000 for 2022.
What is the worst year for the Chevy Trax?
2015 carries seven NHTSA recall campaigns, more than any other model year, along with the highest sales-adjusted complaint rate at about 149 per 100,000 and the only recorded death in the nameplate’s complaint record. On raw complaint volume the 2024 model year is highest at 141 filings, but it is also the best-selling year by a wide margin.
Is there a 2023 Chevy Trax?
No. First-generation production ended on November 30, 2022, and GM skipped the 2023 model year. The second-generation Trax arrived as a 2024 model and went on sale during calendar 2023, which is why 109,383 units were delivered that year. A listing advertising a 2023 Trax is describing either a leftover 2022 or a 2024 sold early.
Is the Chevy Trax reliable?
The answer depends on which generation. The 2015-2022 car accumulated 650 complaints and nine recalls across eight model years, with a clear improvement trend after 2018. The 2024-2026 car has 210 complaints and one recall in three model years, which is too little history to settle the question, and its 1.2-liter engine is the subject of a class action filed in March 2026.
What is the Chevy Trax control arm recall?
Two campaigns, 19V652000 covering 2015 through 2018 and 19V312000 covering 2017 through 2019, address a joint in one or both front lower control arms that may have been welded improperly. A broken weld can cause partial separation of the control arm from the vehicle. Any first-generation Trax from 2015 to 2019 should have both campaigns verified complete by VIN.
How many recalls does the Chevy Trax have?
Nine NHTSA recall campaigns cover the 2015-2022 first generation, concentrated on air bag sensing modules and front suspension control arms. One campaign, 23V744000, covers the second generation so far, addressing Virtual Cockpit Unit software that can blank the instrument panel. The 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2026 model years carry no campaigns.
Did the Chevy Trax used to have all-wheel drive?
Yes. All-wheel drive was available on the first-generation Trax built from 2015 through 2022. The second generation launched for 2024 as front-wheel drive only, and no 2024, 2025 or 2026 Trax can be ordered with all-wheel drive at any trim level or price. Buyers who need it should look at the Chevrolet Trailblazer or Equinox.
What engine does the Chevy Trax use?
First-generation cars from 2015 to 2022 use a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, GM engine code LUV. Second-generation cars from 2024 onward use a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, code LIH, which is also fitted to the Buick Envista and Encore GX and to some Chevrolet Trailblazer builds. The two engines share no relevant components.
Why do older Chevy Trax years have more complaints?
Neither cause has anything to do with build quality. Older model years have had more time to accumulate filings, so a 2015 car has eleven years of exposure against a 2022 car’s four. Sales volume also varied enormously across the run, from 116,817 units in 2019 down to 26,598 in 2022, and a model year with less volume produces fewer complaints at identical quality.
Should I buy a used Chevy Trax?
A 2020 through 2022 first-generation Trax is the lowest-risk choice on the public record, with no open recall campaigns and the generation’s best sales-adjusted complaint rates. Anything from 2015 to 2019 needs both control arm campaigns verified first. A used second-generation car carries the unresolved 1.2-liter engine question and warrants complete service documentation before buying.
Sources and Disclosure
Complaint, recall and severity data comes from the NHTSA databases and The Weekly Driver’s reliability records, retrieved July 2026. Sales figures are US deliveries by calendar year; independent trackers disagree on the 2025 total, which is given as a range. Complaint counts are owner filings and are unverified. The manufacturer provided The Weekly Driver with a 2026 Chevrolet Trax 1LT, which supplied the photography published here. No driving evaluation informed the analysis.
Michael Kahn
Michael Kahn is the writer, photographer, and publisher behind The Weekly Driver. He cares about how cars drive and what they're like to own. He covers automobile industry news, car shows and events, and new car reviews. The reviews come from behind the wheel: day trips that favor back routes, treating a good meal as half the reason to go. He directs and produces the visual media, matching each car to a setting and mood that fit it. When he's not reviewing new cars, Michael races paddleboards, camels, and ostriches, along with the occasional exotic car on the racetrack, and has driven in every state and country visited.
https://theweeklydriver.com