Compare the2026 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2026 Chevrolet Trax

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Corolla Hatchback are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Trax doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Trax doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Trax doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chevrolet Trax, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-2 MPH
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-22 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-4 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-11 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.5 sec	1.4 sec
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-3 MPH
Warning Issued-Low beams	2.4 sec	1.3 sec

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Trax doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Trax’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Corolla Hatchback has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Trax.

The Corolla Hatchback’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Trax doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Trax have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Chevrolet Trax:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	27%	28.8%
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	27%	39.7%
Neck Stress	165 lbs.	220 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	97 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Chevrolet Trax:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	92	171
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.2 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	288 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	378
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	68 G’s
Hip Force	367 lbs.	405 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	239	464
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	54 G’s
Hip Force	623 lbs.	733 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Trax:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	99	476
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	1.57 in
Shoulder Force	268 lbs.	335 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	150	424
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	134 lbs.
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.38 in	1.77 in
Shoulder Force	312 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.57 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	9 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Corolla Hatchback is 5% less likely to roll over than the Trax.

Warranty

The Corolla Hatchback’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Trax’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Hatchback for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Trax.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Corolla Hatchback’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Trax’s camshafts. If the Trax’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla Hatchback’s reliability 38 points higher than the Trax.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked fifth.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota third in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (169 vs. 137) than the Trax’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Chevrolet Trax:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
Zero to 60 MPH	8.6 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85.9 MPH	78.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Trax:

		MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	SE/Nightshade 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
	XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 hwy
Trax
	1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	28 city/32 hwy

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Trax. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Trax doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Corolla Hatchback stops shorter than the Trax:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trax
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Trax LS/LT’s standard 60 series tires. The Corolla Hatchback FX/XSE’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Trax RS’ optional 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Trax has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Trax’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Corolla Hatchback has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Trax doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Corolla Hatchback’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (59.4% to 40.6%) than the Trax’s (61% to 39%). This gives the Corolla Hatchback more stable handling and braking.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Trax ACTIV pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Corolla Hatchback’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Trax’s (37.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

Chassis

The Corolla Hatchback is 6.6 inches shorter than the Trax, making the Corolla Hatchback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has .1 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trax.

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Trax’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Trax can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start is an extra cost option on the Trax and only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Corolla Hatchback’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Trax’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet charges extra for heated mirrors on the Trax.

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Trax doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Corolla Hatchback XSE’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Trax doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Corolla Hatchback’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Trax LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Corolla Hatchback and the Trax offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Trax doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

With standard voice command, the Corolla Hatchback offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Trax doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Compared to the Chevrolet Trax, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Corolla has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Trax and isn’t available on the Trax LS.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Chevrolet Trax isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Corolla Hatchback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Trax isn't recommended.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Chevrolet Trax by 19% during 2024.

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