Six imported subcompact crossovers show up in Chevrolet Trax cross-shopping searches. Five of them can be ordered with all-wheel drive, at prices between $1,200 and $1,500.
The Trax cannot, at any trim or price.
Only the Hyundai Venue shares that limitation, and it undercuts the Trax by roughly $2,650, which makes front-drive-only a defensible position for a car built to a lower price rather than a matched one.
A seventh name still turning up in searches, the Kia Soul, is no longer sold new. Kia ended production in October 2025 and there is no 2026 model.
Key Takeaways
- Five of six import rivals offer all-wheel drive. Nissan Kicks and Honda HR-V add it for $1,500, Kia Seltos for $1,200, Toyota Corolla Cross for $1,300 on its two lower gas grades, and Hyundai Kona on every version.
- The Hyundai Venue is the only other front-drive-only car here, and it starts at $20,550 against the Trax LT’s $23,200.
- The Kia Soul is discontinued. Kia announced the end of production on October 6, 2025, and no 2026 model exists.
- The Honda HR-V is the most expensive entry point at $27,950 before adding all-wheel drive, roughly $4,750 above a Trax LT.
- The top Kia Seltos SX is all-wheel drive only, and the Corolla Cross Hybrid comes with all-wheel drive as standard equipment across all three of its grades.
- The Trax keeps a conventional six-speed automatic where several rivals in this class use CVTs.
- Compare on out-the-door pricing. Published figures in this segment vary in whether destination is included, and the Trax’s destination charge alone is $1,795.
Which Rivals Offer All-Wheel Drive
| Vehicle | All-wheel drive | Cost to add | Published starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Trax | Not available | Not offered | $23,200 (LT) |
| Hyundai Venue | Not available | Not offered | $20,550 |
| Nissan Kicks | Available | $1,500, any trim | $22,730 |
| Honda HR-V | Available | $1,500, any trim | $27,950 |
| Kia Seltos | Available | $1,200 | $25,285 (incl. destination) |
| Toyota Corolla Cross | Available | $1,300 on L and LE, $1,450 on XLE | $25,235 |
| Hyundai Kona | Available | $1,500, any trim | $25,500 |
| Kia Soul | Discontinued | No 2026 model | Not sold new |
Two entries deserve footnotes. The Kia Seltos SX, its top trim, comes only with all-wheel drive rather than offering it as an option. And every Corolla Cross Hybrid grade, S, SE and XSE, includes electronic on-demand all-wheel drive as standard, so choosing the hybrid removes the decision.
The prices above are not quoted on a single basis, which is worth knowing before reading anything into the gaps. The Trax and Corolla Cross figures exclude freight, at $1,795 and $1,495 respectively. The published Seltos figure already includes it. Comparing the two columns without adjusting for that will mislead by more than a thousand dollars.
The pattern across the class is consistent. All-wheel drive in this segment is a $1,200 to $1,500 option rather than a luxury, which is what makes its absence from the Trax lineup conspicuous.
The Kia Soul Is Gone
Searches comparing the Trax to the Kia Soul remain active, and they describe a car buyers can no longer order.
Kia confirmed the end of Soul production on October 6, 2025. The 2025 model year was its last, which leaves the used market as the only route to one.
For anyone who was drawn to the Soul’s boxy packaging, the Trax is a different shape, and the closest current equivalents on upright practicality sit elsewhere in the segment.
Price
Entry pricing across this group spans nearly $7,400, from the Venue’s $20,550 to the HR-V’s $27,950.
The Trax LT sits at $23,200, which places it in the lower half. Adding the $1,795 destination charge brings it to $24,995 before options, and a Trax carrying the Sunroof, Driver Confidence, Midnight Edition and LT Convenience packages reaches $27,975.
Published starting prices in this segment are not consistently quoted on the same basis. The Seltos figure above includes destination and the Trax figure does not, so a table comparison flatters whichever car is quoted without it. Anyone cross-shopping should ask for out-the-door numbers rather than trusting advertised starting points.
Where the Trax Holds Up
Three things work in the Chevrolet’s favor in this company.
It undercuts the Honda HR-V by roughly $4,750 at entry, which is a substantial gap for two cars aimed at the same buyer.
It uses a conventional six-speed automatic. Several competitors here run continuously variable transmissions, and a stepped automatic is something a meaningful number of shoppers seek out specifically.
It is one of the longer cars in the class at 178.6 inches on a 106.0-inch wheelbase, with 54.1 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume.
Against that, the Trax carries the class’s most conspicuous omission in all-wheel drive, and its 1.2-liter three-cylinder is the subject of a class action filed against General Motors in March 2026, covered in our report on that engine.
Which to Buy
Buy almost anything else here if you need all-wheel drive. Five of the six live rivals offer it for $1,500 or less, and no Trax configuration answers that.
Buy the Hyundai Venue if price is the only constraint. At $20,550 it is the least expensive car here, undercutting even the Kicks by $2,180, and its front-drive-only layout is consistent with what it costs.
Buy the Kia Seltos if you want all-wheel drive for the least money. Its $1,200 upcharge is the lowest in the group, and the SX trim comes with it as standard.
Buy the Corolla Cross Hybrid if you want all-wheel drive without choosing it. Every hybrid grade includes it.
Buy the Trax if you want a stepped automatic and a low entry price, and if front-wheel drive suits where you live. Those are real advantages, and they are the ones worth paying for here.
Do not shop the Kia Soul new. It is out of production.
Verdict
All-wheel drive is the axis this comparison turns on, and the Trax is on the wrong side of it. Five of its six current import rivals offer it for between $1,200 and $1,500, which is option money rather than a segment jump, and Chevrolet offers no answer at any trim.
The only rival that shares the limitation is the Hyundai Venue, which starts $2,650 lower. A car can reasonably skip all-wheel drive to hit a price. The Trax does not hit that price.
What the Chevrolet does bring is a conventional six-speed automatic in a class drifting to CVTs, a competitive entry price against the Honda HR-V in particular, and one of the larger cargo holds in the segment. For a buyer in a climate where driven rear wheels never matter, that combination holds up. For everyone else, the option list ends one line too early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Chevy Trax have all-wheel drive?
No. No 2026 Chevrolet Trax offers all-wheel drive at any trim level or price. Among its import rivals, the Nissan Kicks, Honda HR-V, Kia Seltos, Toyota Corolla Cross and Hyundai Kona all offer it, typically for $1,200 to $1,500. The Hyundai Venue is the only comparable import that is also front-wheel drive only.
Which is better, the Chevy Trax or the Nissan Kicks?
The Kicks offers all-wheel drive for $1,500 on any trim and the Trax offers none, which decides it for buyers who need traction. On price the Kicks also starts lower, at $22,730 against $23,200 for a Trax LT, both before destination. A front-drive Kicks undercuts the Trax, and a Kicks with all-wheel drive costs about $1,030 more than a Trax that cannot be had with it.
Is the Chevy Trax cheaper than the Honda HR-V?
Yes, by roughly $4,750 at entry. A 2026 Trax LT starts at $23,200 before destination against $27,950 for a front-drive HR-V. Adding all-wheel drive to the Honda costs another $1,500, taking it near $29,450 and widening the gap further, though the Trax cannot be matched on drivetrain at any price.
Is the Kia Soul still made?
No. Kia announced the end of Kia Soul production on October 6, 2025, making the 2025 model year its last. There is no 2026 Kia Soul, so any comparison against a new Trax now applies only to used examples.
Which subcompact SUV has the least expensive all-wheel drive?
Among the Trax’s import rivals, the Kia Seltos at $1,200 to add. The Toyota Corolla Cross asks $1,300 on its L and LE grades and $1,450 on the XLE, while the Nissan Kicks and Honda HR-V both charge $1,500. Every Corolla Cross Hybrid grade includes all-wheel drive as standard equipment rather than as an option.
What is the most affordable small SUV compared to the Trax?
The Hyundai Venue, at a starting MSRP of $20,550 against the Trax LT’s $23,200. The Venue runs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder across a two-trim lineup of SE and SEL, and like the Trax it is front-wheel drive only. It is the only rival here that shares that limitation.
Does the Chevy Trax use a CVT?
No. Every 2026 Trax uses a conventional six-speed automatic transmission. Several competitors in the subcompact crossover class use continuously variable transmissions instead, which makes the Trax’s stepped automatic a genuine point of difference for shoppers who prefer one.
Sources and Disclosure
Pricing and drivetrain availability are manufacturer and published figures verified in July 2026. Starting prices in this segment are not quoted on a consistent basis regarding destination charges, and this is noted where relevant; buyers should compare out-the-door totals. Trax specifications come from the vehicle’s window sticker and published spec databases. The manufacturer provided The Weekly Driver with a 2026 Chevrolet Trax 1LT, which supplied the photography published here. No driving evaluation informed the analysis, and no comparative driving claims are made about any vehicle named here.
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.
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