Holden to boost Trax

GM Holden has confirmed the imminent arrival of a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol version of its small SUV, the Trax.

Speaking at a media event in the NSW Central Coast hinterland yesterday, Holden's Executive Director of Sales and Marketing, Philip Brook, said that the new engine will be available in the Trax by the start of the fourth quarter.

"It's coming later this year -- only a few months away, actually," he said.

Brook said that the decision to either run the new variant alongside the ex-isting 1.8-litre powerplant or to superseded it had not yet been decided.

"We're just working through what the line-up is going to look like at the moment."

Also seen in the Barina RS light hatch, the cast-iron block, alloy-head tur-bocharged 1.4-litre engine develops 103kW at 4900rpm and 200Nm at 1850rpm,

The Trax's existing 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine develops the same 103kW but at a higher 6300rpm, and less torque with 175Nm at a higher 3800rpm.

The 1.4 comes with a six-speed manual (the manual available with the 1.8-litre Trax is a five-speed unit), but both engines share the same six-speed automatic transmission.

Holden also offers the 1.4-litre engine locally in the Cruze Equipe sedan and hatch, teamed only with the six-speed automatic transmission.

With a similar kerb weight -- but with a less bluff front-end than the Trax -- the Cruze Equipe 1.4 turbo auto consumes an average of 6.8L/100km. The Trax 1.8 auto averages 7.6L/100km.

The 1.4-litre engine is not new to the Trax in other markets (where it is marketed as the Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore and Opel Mokka), and has been available since the diminutive SUV's global launch in early 2013.

The Barina-based, front-drive Trax arrived in Australia last August in two model variants, the $23,490 Trax LS and the $27,990 Trax LTZ.

The Korean-made city-SUV was Holden's fourth best selling model last month and continues to be a key player in the increasingly popular small SUV segment.