2025 Chevrolet Trax Safety Ratings Revealed: Crash Test Results and Standard Features
The 2025 Chevrolet Trax proves that good things come in small packages, especially when it comes to standard safety technology—though its crash-test performance shows there’s still room for improvement.
You’ve just spotted the new Trax at your local dealer, and you’re wondering if it’s as safe as it is stylish. Maybe you’re a first-time buyer looking for peace of mind, or a parent checking crash-test scores before making a decision. The Trax comes packed with standard driver-assist features, but the official ratings tell a more complex story. Let’s break down exactly what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found when they put this little Chevy through its paces.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
The 2025 Chevrolet Trax earns a solid 4-star overall rating from NHTSA, with 5 stars for driver protection in frontal crashes . However, the IIHS ratings are more mixed. The Trax earned “Good” ratings in the demanding small overlap front crash tests , but its vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking system scored “Poor,” and its pedestrian detection system earned “Marginal” . The Trax also didn’t qualify for any IIHS Top Safety Pick awards due to shortcomings in the updated side test and headlight performance . On the positive side, every Trax comes standard with Chevy Safety Assist, a comprehensive suite of six active safety features including Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, and Lane Keep Assist .
Key Takeaways
- NHTSA gives the Trax 4 stars overall—with 5 stars for driver protection and 4 stars for front passenger, side front, and rollover protection .
- IIHS small overlap tests are strong—the Trax earned “Good” ratings in both driver-side and passenger-side evaluations .
- Automatic braking performance is a weak spot—IIHS rated the Trax’s vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking as “Poor” .
- Chevy Safety Assist is standard across all trims—this includes Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indicator, and IntelliBeam high-beam assist .
- No Top Safety Pick award for the Trax—it fell short in the updated side test, headlight requirements, and pedestrian test .
Understanding the Ratings: IIHS vs. NHTSA
Before we dive into the numbers, it helps to know who’s doing the testing. The IIHS runs some of the toughest crash tests in the industry, using “Good,” “Acceptable,” “Marginal,” and “Poor” ratings. They’re particularly known for the small overlap front test, which simulates hitting a tree or pole. The NHTSA uses a 5-star system for its New Car Assessment Program, testing frontal, side, and rollover protection.
Here’s the thing about comparing these two—they test different things in different ways. A car that does well in one might struggle in the other, which is exactly what we’re seeing with the Trax.
NHTSA Ratings: A Solid 4-Star Performance
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2025 Trax an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars . This rating applies across all trim levels—LS, LT, Activ, and RS .
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Frontal Driver | 5 stars |
| Frontal Passenger | 4 stars |
| Side Front | 4 stars |
| Side Rear | 5 stars |
| Rollover | 4 stars |
| Overall | 4 stars |
The 5-star driver rating is a bright spot, showing strong protection in a head-on collision. However, the 4-star passenger rating suggests there’s some room for improvement on the other side of the front seat.
IIHS Ratings: A Mixed Report Card
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety paints a more complicated picture. The Trax was redesigned for the 2024 model year, and these ratings apply to 2024 through 2026 models .
Crashworthiness: The Good News
The Trax performed exceptionally well in the small overlap front tests—both driver and passenger side .
Small overlap front ratings:
- Driver-side: Good (G)
- Passenger-side: Good (G)
In every subcategory for these tests—structure, head/neck injury, chest injury, hip/thigh injury, lower leg injury, and restraints—the Trax earned “Good” ratings . This is excellent performance in a test that many vehicles struggle with.
The Trax also earned an “Acceptable” overall rating in the more severe updated side impact test, compared to a “Marginal” rating for some competitors like the GMC Terrain .
Crash Avoidance: Where the Trax Falls Short
This is where the Trax’s safety story gets complicated. The IIHS tested both the automatic emergency braking system and the headlights.
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle: The Trax scored a “Poor” rating . In tests against a passenger car target:
| Test Speed | Target Position | Speed Reduction |
|---|---|---|
| 31 mph | Centered | 27 mph |
| 31 mph | Off-center | 26 mph |
| 37 mph | Centered | 17 mph |
That means at 37 mph, the system only slowed the Trax by 17 mph—leaving a significant impact speed remaining.
Front crash prevention: pedestrian: The Trax scored a “Marginal” rating . Nighttime performance was a particular concern—in some low-beam tests, the system failed to slow at all .
Headlights: The Trax earned a “Marginal” rating . This means the high-beam assist and overall visibility didn’t meet IIHS standards for an award.
Other IIHS Ratings
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Seat belt reminders | Acceptable (A) |
| LATCH ease of use | Acceptable (A) |
Standard Safety Features: Chevy Safety Assist
The Trax might not have won any IIHS awards, but it does come with a generous suite of standard safety technology across all trims. Chevrolet calls this Chevy Safety Assist .
Here’s what’s included on every 2025 Trax:
- Automatic Emergency Braking — helps avoid or reduce the severity of frontal collisions
- Front Pedestrian Braking — detects pedestrians and can brake automatically
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning — gently steers you back into your lane
- Forward Collision Alert — warns you when you’re approaching a vehicle too quickly
- Following Distance Indicator — shows how much space you’re leaving between you and the car ahead
- IntelliBeam High Beam Assist — automatically switches between high and low beams
Other standard features include a rearview camera, LATCH child seat anchors, and a check rear seat reminder . Available upgrades include blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors .
What This Means for You
So, should you buy a 2025 Trax? The answer depends on what matters most to you. If you want a small SUV with excellent crash structure protection and a generous suite of standard safety tech, the Trax delivers. The small overlap results—the “Good” ratings—are genuinely impressive for a vehicle in this class.
However, if you’re concerned about automatic emergency braking performance or want a vehicle that earns top IIHS awards, you might want to look elsewhere. Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Subaru have small SUVs that earned Top Safety Pick+ ratings .
The Trax is a great value proposition with strong safety fundamentals. But the braking system’s “Poor” rating from IIHS means you should treat it as a backup system, not a guarantee. Always stay alert and ready to brake yourself—especially at higher speeds or in low-light conditions.
FAQ: Your Top Chevy Trax Safety Questions Answered
Q: What is the NHTSA overall safety rating for the 2025 Chevrolet Trax?
A: The 2025 Trax earns a 4-star overall rating from NHTSA, with 5 stars for driver frontal protection and 4 stars for passenger frontal, side front, and rollover .
Q: Did the 2025 Trax win any IIHS awards?
A: No. The Trax did not qualify for either Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards due to shortcomings in the updated side test, headlight requirement, and pedestrian test .
Q: What safety features come standard on the 2025 Trax?
A: Every Trax includes Chevy Safety Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Following Distance Indicator, and IntelliBeam high-beam assist .
Q: How did the Trax perform in the small overlap front crash test?
A: The Trax earned a “Good” rating in both the driver-side and passenger-side small overlap front tests, the highest possible score .
Q: Why did the Trax receive a “Poor” rating from IIHS?
A: The “Poor” rating specifically applies to the vehicle-to-vehicle automatic emergency braking system, which didn’t slow the vehicle enough in IIHS tests .
Q: Are the safety features the same across all Trax trims?
A: Yes, the standard safety features are consistent across LS, LT, Activ, and RS trims. Optional upgrades like blind spot detection are available on higher trims .
References
Chevrolet Trax Safety Resources:
