Open Today Sales: 8:30 AM-7 PM
2026 SMALL SUV COMPARISON • ST. LOUIS
The 2026 Chevrolet Trax and 2026 Nissan Kicks are five-seat small SUVs with different strengths. Trax combines a turbocharged engine, front-wheel drive and practical passenger space. Kicks offers available all-wheel drive and a naturally aspirated four-cylinder. Compare the actual trims, the cargo you carry and the written deal; a blanket claim that one wins every category does not help you buy the right vehicle.
Explore Chevrolet TraxRequest a Trax test drive
U.S. 2026 model comparison. Inventory, features, prices and incentives change by vehicle and date.
| Decision | Chevrolet | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2L turbocharged three-cylinder; 137 hp and 162 lb-ft | 2.0L four-cylinder; 141 hp and 140 lb-ft |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | Front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Six-speed automatic | Xtronic continuously variable transmission |
| Maximum cargo with rear seats folded | Chevrolet lists about 54 cubic feet | Nissan lists a configuration-dependent range; as much as about 60 cubic feet |
| Best starting question | Does its cabin, response and purchase offer fit your use? | Do you need available AWD or a specific Kicks layout? |
Cargo volume for the Kicks changes with drivetrain and configuration; compare usable shape and the exact vehicle, not only the model maximum.
The current Kicks is not merely a smaller city runabout. Nissan redesigned this generation with a 2.0-liter engine and available AWD. Its official 2026 brochure lists 141 horsepower, 140 lb-ft and a CVT. Chevrolet lists 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft for the 2026 Trax turbo engine with a six-speed automatic. The Kicks has the higher horsepower number; Trax has the higher published torque number. Neither number by itself predicts the feel of a loaded daily commute.
If you regularly travel I-64, I-270 or I-70, drive both vehicles through a realistic merge and passing situation. Listen to the engines, feel the transmissions at your usual speeds and test how quickly the vehicle responds with a passenger aboard. Do not use an older Kicks review to evaluate the current generation.
Trax is front-wheel drive only for 2026. Kicks offers AWD on qualifying versions, an important advantage for a shopper who has made AWD a requirement. AWD helps direct power when traction is limited; it does not change stopping distance on ice and cannot replace good tires or prudent driving. Compare the exact AWD Kicks price and equipment against the FWD Trax proposal rather than comparing their cheapest advertised examples.
If you like Chevrolet but need AWD, consider the 2026 Trailblazer with available AWD, or step up to Equinox. This keeps the choice honest and gives a St. Louis shopper another path instead of pretending Trax offers a drivetrain it does not.
The old version of this page treated Trax as automatically roomier. Chevrolet publishes about 54 cubic feet maximum cargo volume with the Trax rear seats folded. Nissan publishes a Kicks cargo range that varies with drivetrain and configuration, reaching about 60 cubic feet in some versions. Those manufacturer maxima are measured under defined conditions and are not a guarantee that a stroller, kennel or bicycle will fit.
Bring the items you use. Open the hatch, look at the lift-over height, fold the split rear seat, and verify what passenger seating remains when you load a long object. Check headroom and legroom with the front seats in your normal driving position. A better cargo choice depends on the shape and access of your actual equipment, not only a single cubic-foot figure.
Compare the 2026 trim levels you can actually buy. Open the vehicle settings, connect your own phone, test maps and audio, and check whether the chosen trim includes the camera, parking aids, heated equipment and driver assistance you want. Feature names can sound similar while implementation and standard equipment differ. A bigger screen does not automatically mean a simpler interface.
Chevy Safety Assist is a suite of driver-assistance features on Trax; Nissan Safety Shield 360 is Nissan’s named suite. Review the original window sticker and operating instructions for the specific vehicle. Assistance technologies have limitations and require attentive driving. If a particular feature is a deciding factor, have the salesperson demonstrate it in a safe setting.
Chevrolet advertises an EPA-estimated 30 MPG combined for 2026 Trax. Nissan lists up to 31 MPG combined for FWD Kicks and 30 MPG combined for AWD Kicks, depending on configuration. These are test estimates, not a promise of what your I-270 traffic, tires, temperature and driving style will return. A one-MPG difference may matter less than an insurance premium or an equipment package you actually want.
Ask for two itemized proposals with the exact VIN, MSRP, optional equipment, current discounts and incentives, taxes, title, fees and financing assumptions. A quoted monthly payment alone conceals term and total cost. Weber Chevrolet can help calculate a Chevrolet option through its finance application and trade evaluation; compare the Kicks proposal from its selling dealer on the same basis.
Begin with a Trax listing and save its VIN or stock number. Ask Weber Chevrolet to confirm that exact vehicle, trim, installed equipment, color and written price. At the Creve Coeur store, seat your usual passengers, check child seats or sports gear, and drive a local road, highway ramp and parking maneuver. Bring the Kicks information you are comparing so the equipment and financing terms are not accidentally mismatched.
The Trax can be a good fit when its driving feel, cabin and deal match your use. The Kicks may be stronger if you need its available AWD or prefer its cargo configuration. If neither works, compare Trailblazer or Equinox rather than forcing a decision between two entry-level SUVs.
No. Chevrolet lists front-wheel drive for the 2026 Trax. Ask about an AWD-equipped Trailblazer or Equinox if AWD is required.
Nissan lists 141 horsepower versus Chevrolet’s 137 for Trax. Chevrolet lists 162 lb-ft of torque versus Nissan’s 140. Test the exact vehicles rather than treating one metric as the whole driving experience.
Published maxima depend on measurement and Kicks configuration. Some 2026 Kicks configurations list a larger folded-seat maximum than the Trax; bring your real cargo and verify the layout.
Explore current Trax options at Weber Chevrolet in Creve Coeur, save a VIN, then contact the store to confirm availability and arrange a drive.
Select a Trax trim that fits the actual budget, then bring a stroller, crate or luggage to Weber Chevrolet at 12015 Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur. Ask for the VIN-specific window sticker and compare its front-wheel-drive equipment with the particular Kicks proposal you have received. If AWD remains essential, ask to see a qualifying Trailblazer instead.
Explore Chevrolet TraxContact Weber Chevrolet about this comparison
