The Chevrolet Trax comes to 2016 virtually identical as it was when it arrived just last year. The new compact crossover SUV shares its bones with the popular Buick Encore and like it, is built in Korea.

The sub-compact crossover competes in a class fast growing here in North America, one that now includes the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX3. Its footprint is small which gives it a bounding and tall silhouette that borders on cute.

Though similar in style to the Buick Encore, it has its own Chevrolet face that’s distinctive enough, though it is a carbon copy of most other vehicles in the brand’s model lineup. Not a bad thing.

Inside, you will find the seating position to be very upright, giving that SUV feeling that we all seem to like. You are sitting down in the Trax however, not on top of it so it has that nice safe cocoon like vibe in spite of its compact size.

The design of the cabin is clean and well laid out. Materials are on the more basic end of the spectrum but they have paid close attention to making the switchgear feel of quality. The fit and finish is also commendable given the competition it faces.

Rear seat space is adequate and the seating position high enough for most people, though you won’t mistake this space for one found in the compact or mid-size crossovers. That rear seat does fold down of course, giving you a near flat cargo space.

In my short drive with the Trax, I found its 1.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to offer decent power. A bonus is that its 138 horsepower is delivered through a traditional 6-speed automatic transmission and not a CVT like the Honda HR-V.

Thus it delivers spirited down shifts when you step on the accelerator and really does try to please you most of the time. My tester was all-wheel drive, and I would have to guess a front-wheel drive model might have slightly more pep.

Even though it’s tall and small, the ride isn’t top heavy or bouncy like you might expect in a sub-compact. Instead it has a rather civilized and stable feel around town and at speed on the highway. I didn’t however experience crosswinds, so I can’t comment on that. What I can say is that it’s quiet and comfortable.

As tested, the 2016 Chevrolet Trax LTZ tips the scales at about $28,000 which might make it a tough choice given the many option out there at that price larger in size. It does start much cheaper at $20,800 however, where apples to apples competition is far thinner.

At least what you get for its compact size is a vehicle which can achieve up to an EPA rated 34 mpg highway with the front-wheel drive model or 31 mpg highway in the all-wheel drive one I tested.