Chevrolet Trax Named Safest Car of the Year in Korea

Seoul--December 13, 2013: GM Korea today announced that Chevrolet’s all-new small SUV, the Trax, has been named the Safest Car of the Year by Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

The Trax received a first-class rating (93.5 points) in overall safety and the best score in the pedestrian protection category in Korean New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP) history. It was the safest car among the 11 vehicles tested by KNCAP in 2013.

The Captiva also demonstrated Chevrolet’s “Safety First” philosophy by receiving a maximum five stars in KNCAP crash tests.

This year’s testing was more stringent than past years’ testing. Eight crash tests were done: frontal crash, frontal offset crash, side crash, pole side crash, whiplash, pedestrian protection, rollover and brake test.

In every crash test conducted by KNCAP, the Trax received the maximum five stars. It had perfect scores in the 56 km/h frontal crash test and side pole crash test. In addition, KNCAP reported that the Trax provided good protection for pedestrians in all areas.

“This is another important achievement for GM Korea,” said Steven Clarke, GM CIO(Consolidated International Operations) Chief of Vehicle Engineering. “It demonstrates our commitment to offering world-class safety in all of our products to meet our customers’ expectations.”

Safety has been maximized in the Trax through a sturdy body structure, 66 percent of which is made of high-strength steel. The Trax has adopted the Body Frame Integral System, which connects the upper frame and infrastructure of the chassis. This system offers a solid structure for stable high-speed driving and smooth, sophisticated handling.

The Trax comes with six driver, passenger and side curtain air bags as standard, while its front bumper, hood and breakable-type windshield wipers are designed in pursuit of protection for pedestrians.

It also comes with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), the Traction Control System (TCS), Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) and Hill Start Assist (HSA). In addition, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – which is only available as an option on other models – comes standard on all trim levels of the Trax to further enhance driving safety.

The Trax was awarded the top five-star rating by the independent European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) in May 2013.