When Chevy introduced their new Trailblazer last year and I subsequently saw a few on the roads I was excited as it seemed to tap into all the things that buyers are looking for these days. I just needed to be able to get my hands on one to see if it really was all it appeared to be. The only thing I initially considered odd about it was reusing the Trailblazer name since the new one has virtually nothing in common with the long defunct model, especially the size, this one is much smaller. Yet the old one was clearly a success for Chevy, or enough of one anyway to not need to dustbin the name forever. In any case, last week I finally got my request granted and now I can report my findings.
While the new Trailblazer fits into the Chevy SUV lineup below the Equinox and above the Trax, that’s only in relation to its size, in terms of price the Trailblazer actually starts lower than the Trax, making it the least expensive way to get an elevated driving position in a popular vehicle segment wearing the bowtie ($19,000 even plus destination which seems an excellent value). Trax production is being curtailed somewhat to make more room for the Trailblazer which makes sense, especially seeing as how the Trailblazer has the currently popular look about it while the Trax is far more nondescript.
What’s the look? Well, the model that I got to try out is the top of the line “Activ” trim level (so not exactly near that $19k base price), but externally all of them look very similar. Overall it has an aggressive go-anywhere look about it, or at least as aggressive as something so small can be; a hedgehog is sort of aggressive too with all of its spiky quills but so small as to come across as cute and cuddly.
The headlights are the separate unit kind with the lower items being the actual lights and the upper slivers housing the markers and signals. It’s got the requisite black trim around the fenders and most of the perimeter. The bodywork features some, dare I say, daring contours without being completely anti-social. The roof and mirrors can be spec’d in contrasting colors to the body, and in this trim level with the AWD option it gains another half inch of ground clearance for a total of 8 inches.
Styling is of course very subjective, my opinion is that they nailed it and I find this to be the most physically attractive SUV sold by the division currently. It gets people what they seem to want along with loads of practicality, economy, all weather capability, good build quality, and certainly value for money. Especially if one is selective with wants versus needs.
It’s probably obvious to everyone here, but the basic car is the same as the Buick Encore GX (the larger one of the two Encores), one of which we reviewed here last year. That one was a FWD version and I thought it a very good car while wondering how the AWD option might change it, now I can opine on that as well, and my thoughts will likely transfer right back to that Buick as well.
Just like with that car, the doors open wide and sitting down is a simple matter of sliding in with the seat at more or less the perfect height and the roof not in the way. The driver’s seat itself, while no wider than it absolutely needs to be to not have bits of me hanging over the edges, is comfortable and easy to adjust along with providing two-way (i.e. either more or less but at a fixed spot) lumbar support. The driver’s seat was powered with 10-way adjustments while the passenger’s was a four way strictly manual affair.
The roof is high and in this case there was no sunroof provided although a panoramic one is an available option, here leaving me with an abundance of headroom. The steering wheel is well-shaped and covered in leather (as is the gear shifter) while the seats themselves are draped in a faux-leather material that felt good to the touch.
Instrumentation is clear, providing all the important information with a center display between the gauges for more information that can be toggled through with a control on the wheel. In conjunction with that as well as telephone and adaptive cruise controls on the wheel, radio volume and presets can be adjusted via buttons on the back of it an easy finger’s reach away without removing hands from its well-padded rim.
Much of the dash and door panels are hard plastic except for the areas most likely to come in contact with the driver or passenger and not any worse off for it. There were a few attractive colored accent pieces in this one (a coppery color as opposed to the exterior bronze accent paint) that do a lot more than the ubiquitous silver pieces do, and a sort of black/gray denim-like material in the door where the back of your hand might hit it.
In the center of the dashboard is of course the touchscreen, in this case integrated into the dashboard and upgraded from the standard 7″ to an 8″ version and providing audio, secondary HVAC, communication, and vehicle settings options. The backup camera picture quality housed within is of notably higher quality than that of many cars costing multiples of this price and is far better than it needs to be.
Navigation is not included but directions can be provided using the included OnStar system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on board too (wirelessly!) and can easily fulfill navigation duties as well. A central volume button and some basic controls at the base serve to fulfill most users’ wishes for some hard buttons.
While there are two vents above the screen, the dedicated HVAC console is right below it, in this case providing a single zone automatic HVAC option. Knobs for temperature and fan speed, with buttons for direction of airflow, defroster options as well as the (front) heated seats make for a user-friendly and simple to understand and use system. Note that the Buick referenced earlier was provided with different electric/electronic options in regard to the seats and the HVAC.
The chrome dials of the knobs on this one though were frankly unpleasant to use though with little tactile feedback but, even worse, being very loose and flimsy with significant play in them, not what I was expecting and a clear area for improvement no matter the price level. It was almost enough to just use the touchscreen instead.
Under the HVAC module are multiple outlets/inputs including a small AUX input, USB, USB-C, as well as a regular 12v one and a SD-memory-card slot. And just below that resides the bin that contains a wireless phone charger with enough slope in it to securely hold a phone in place until the end of a journey. A small button bank controls the safety assist items as well as the button to engage the AWD which I’ll discuss further below.
Aft of that is the gear shifter with a button to hold (or max out at anyway) a selected gear, the electric parking brake and two cupholders. Behind that another bin and then the padded armrest which is the lid for yet another storage space. The passenger also has a small shelf ahead of them above the glovebox for small oddments, but it isn’t really deep enough for a modern smartphone. Perhaps a pen or some mints etc.
The back seat too was roomy enough for me, my 6’1″ self had good space both around head and shoulders as well as the knees, it’s not swimming in room for people my size but not at all bad for the exterior size. Cupholders, various media plugs at the back of the center console, and decent sightlines at least to the sides make this an area that is easily usable for adults as well as children.
In regard to children (or smaller people I suppose), I was able to wrangle one of my own flock and convinced him to help produce a short video extolling the virtues of this particular back seat area from the perspective of a frequent back seat occupant which is below.
The cargo area is fairly roomy with a spare tire below the floor and tool kit, as well as some space around it to stow smaller and/or softer items . This example did not have a powered rear hatch, but it is available as well if desired. As you’ve seen if you took the in my opinion well worth it four minutes to watch, even those smaller of stature though can reach high enough to close it manually.
The box above measures 19″x19″x17″ and is pushed up against the rear seat. The hatch closed just fine on it and being a fairly upright design the rear space is practical. There are also small bins to the sides that can hold loose items to stop them from bouncing all around the whole area. In total the rear area provides just over 25 cubic feet of cargo space and with the rear seats folded that expands to 54 cubic feet.
The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split manner for more space and the passenger seat can fold forward to become completely flat as well, which could be used for a rear passenger to stretch their legs out or more likely to enable the carrying of longer items very easily. Perhaps there isn’t a need for a Suburban after all, you could get three of these instead. Or just one or two and leave some for others.
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Not one picture of the underhood or a mention of engine size. Nice report……
Seriously Dude?!?! – Both of those things were right there at the top of page 2 of the review.
Perhaps you missed the entire Page 2?
The brake-by-wire has me intrigued. Does this system do away with hydraulics altogether? Or is it some kind of hybrid with hydraulics at the wheels and electronics replacing the master cylinder’s function? It would be interesting to know what was the driving force behind the feature- cost, weight (for CAFE) or that it is really better than what it replaces.
And don’t think it wasn’t apparent how you are priming Riley’s expectations for a car when he’s 16 – a handed-down car that is inexpensive and practical. I didn’t notice that question being posed about any of the pricey and powerful stuff you get to test. 😀
I believe it’s still hydraulic but without the vacuum booster. GM also uses it on the Encore(s), various Cadillacs and the Corvette.
Yes you busted me re Riley! 😃
I drive past a Chevy dealer on my commute and see very few of these on the lot and have only seen a few on the road which leads me to think it’s supply-limited. The Buick doesn’t seem to be, it comes across as being a slow seller as is the Trax but I wonder whether that’s because GM has been all but giving away the “old” Encore.
The Trailblazer sold just over 25k until in Q1 of 2021 for second place in the segment, barely behind the Honda HR-V. Both Encores combined sold about 24.6k and the Trax did 17k. Year over year the entire segment is up about 30% to about 275k sales total in Q1 vs 2020.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/04/chevrolet-trailblazer-sales-numbers-figures-results-first-quarter-2021-q1/
Note that the factory has been affected by the current chip shortage starting this quarter (Q2) so those numbers may fall. My local Chevy dealers lot looks like a ghost town too currently.
Great to see Riley’s real world impressions!
This seems like a competent, well priced vehicle in a competitive segment. What if Chevy offered this level of competence in every vehicle they built? I may be old fashioned, but that actually sounds like a winning business plan. Good for them on getting this one right. We all benefit when manufacturers up their game.
Thanks for the great review!
Agreed. GM seems to be upping their game here, with solid results. Of special note is that fold-flat passenger seat. It’s the sort of small detail that can make a big difference and a complete turnaround from the hoary old days when the rear seat of the first generations of Equinox wouldn’t fold flat (unlike all the competition).
Combined with the inevitable rebates and incentives that makes the street-price lower than the more popular models from other makes, the new Trailblazer would be hard to pass by in this market segment.
Thanks for this, I was behind one the other day and I wasn’t sure were it fell in the Chevy lineup. It sure looked good in the flesh, I thought. Pricing seems very competitive too.
Those of us who are at a certain age have deep trauma with regard to ‘leatherette’ (a.k.a. vinyl) seats. Good times with no A/C in the summertime.
I don’t think I could bring myself to owning a vehicle with them.
This smaller model should’ve been called Blazer, and the mid-size CUV Trailblazer. Other than that, no complaints.
Thank you for your review.
This is a good looking vehicle, but overall it just doesn’t float my boat. Some of my own thoughts, listed in bullet point format, are below:
*I just find it plain weird why subcompact, bite-sized SUVs are so popular to begin with. I would think that part of the appeal of an SUV would be to own a large vehicle.
*Another thing I just don’t understand is why anybody would pay a premium for a vinyl interior. (The marketing people have come up with alternative names–GM uses the term “Leatherette” and Ford uses the term “ActiveX,” to give two examples–but all these names refer to are vinyl car seats.) I grew up in an era where consumers paid more for cloth seats than for vinyl and where the cloth offered was high-quality velour, so that might be why I’m puzzled as to people’s current preferences.
*Despite the Trailblazer’s overall exterior attractiveness, I find the lower half of its grille to be quite ugly.
*IMO, the center armrest in the front row is way too small. (Some vehicles offered for sale today are much better in this regard.)
*It’s very odd to learn that the Trailblazer lacks a GMC sibling (and doubly odd to know that it nevertheless has a Buick sibling). Are there any other Chevrolet truck or SUV models in the recent past that lacked a GMC sibling?
*Their opinions are hardly gospel, but Consumer Reports gives the Trailblazer only a so-so rating. For those curious, CR rated–out of a possible score of 100–and ranked the following 2021 subcompact SUVs as follows:
1. Subaru Crosstrek – Score of 84 (was “Recommended” by the magazine)
2. Hyundai Kona – Score of 76 (Recommended)
3. Mazda CX-30 – Score of 75 (Recommended)
4. Mazda CX-3 – Score of 73 (Recommended)
5. Honda HR-V – Score of 71 (Recommended)
6. Kia Seltos – Score of 63
7. Nissan Rogue Sport – Score of 59
8. Chevrolet Trailblazer – Score of 55
9. Chevrolet Trax – Score of 48
10. Ford EcoSport – Score of 45
11. Jeep Renegade – Score of 37
12. Fiat 500X – Score of 31
Note that the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and the 2022 Volkswagen Taos–which goes on sale in June–have not yet been tested by Consumer Reports. Also note that the Buick Encore GX doesn’t appear in the above list because CR had a separate category for luxury entry-level SUVs; the Encore GX ranked # 7 of 11 in this category with a score of 64 out of 100 and was not “Recommended.”
Before I conclude, I was shocked to see how poorly the EcoSport rated. With SUVs being such a huge part of Ford’s business, does that company have a refreshed model on the horizon?
>I would think that part of the appeal of an SUV would be to own a large vehicle.
Yes and no. Most “SUVs” on the market are CUVs, and the most popular models of that segment are compact and 2-row mid-size. Most of the appeal lies in having an upright seating position and in having similar cargo volume to the next-size-up sedan/wagon.
I’m a compact CUV fan myself, but I don’t see the appeal of the subcompact, at least the “first-generation” models made from 2010-20. Most of them had significantly less cargo space than their compact siblings, and while their engines had better fuel economy on paper, it wasn’t enough of a difference to warrant their lack of power. And many of them had questionable styling as well (looking at you, Nissan Juke). These newer models are mostly an improvement in all those respects.
>It’s very odd to learn that the Trailblazer lacks a GMC sibling (and doubly odd to know that it nevertheless has a Buick sibling). Are there any other Chevrolet truck or SUV models in the recent past that lacked a GMC sibling?
The only one that comes to mind is the Avalanche pickup; it had a Cadillac Escalade variant (EXT) but no GMC equivalent. As for the subcompacts, there have been rumblings now and again that GMC is getting their own model called the Granite, but nothing concrete (no pun intended).
>I was shocked to see how poorly the EcoSport rated. With SUVs being such a huge part of Ford’s business, does that company have a refreshed model on the horizon?
The EcoSport is a pretty lamentable vehicle by American standards; it was made specifically for the BRIC market and only came to the US so Ford would have something smaller and more fuel-efficient than the Escape. I have to assume that Ford does have a newer model in the works. Apparently the Fiesta-based Puma will not be coming here.
I really really want people to review bomb Ford for not bringing the Puma here because of the fact that vehicles that are more car-like are easier to drive and more appealing to people with certain types of disabilities
Well yes, you do seem to be a (the) Full-Size Sedan Fan, I can see the potential issue 🙂
Some people don’t want to spend a lot of money on the purchase and care and feeding of a larger SUV, don’t have the space to house it or simply believe in not buying more than they actually need.
Vinyl (and leather) do very well in long term durability and ease of maintenance as opposed to almost any cloth. It’s rare to see a used car with cloth seats and 100k miles (or much less) that are in non-soiled condition. Especially if kids are involved or dirty-ish outdoor pursuits such as the types of activities that SUVs in theory promote doing. Show me an SUV with a tan or light gray cloth interior and I’ll show you an owner that never takes it off a paved road.
Interesting re: CR, thanks for that. It’s curious they haven’t purchased and tested the Outlander Sport, it’s been on sale for literally a decade now.
As far as the others go, I found I liked the Crosstrek but only with the new, larger engine, the Kona is likely good while polarizing in the looks dept, CX-3 is TINY in the back, more of a two-seater, haven’t looked at the CX-30, HR-V seems alright though I haven’t driven it and leads the segment (barely), I really liked the Seltos last year, the Rogue Sport (smaller one) feels slow, plasticky and decidedly non premium (the Kicks should be in this comparo too, btw), Trax looks boring and cheap, esp. compared to this and Encore, EcoSport is an Indian import and seems compromised for US tastes, the Renegade is good offroad but more than a little cartoonish, and I liked the 500X with the current engine offering (not sure which engine the CR one had) except for the front headrest.
Of all of these though I would term the Trailblazer, Honda, and Nissan as the three that most closely resemble what people think of when they picture the small SUV segment and I’d say the TB is the best-looking which is of course subjective although I have no particular affinity towards Chevy historically.
Vinyl interiors have come a very long way, and I’d credit Mercedes-Benz for that. For years, they had M-B Tex or ‘Mercedes leather’. Yeah, it was vinyl, but it was treated in such a way that it was quite durable and long-lasting to the point of being as good (if not better) then genuine leather.
Other manufacturers (finally) picked up on being able to treat and process vinyl in the same manner so today’s vinyl in virtually any new car is a far cry from the thin, quickly degrading stuff it used to be.
Hitting the sweet spot in the market for entry level cars. And looks much better than the Trax, as does the Encore GX compared to the Encore.
I fully appreciate all the practical attributes of this vehicle, along with the solid build quality, the fact that it takes regular gas, and the cost and ease of finding parts and service. Chevrolet seems to finally be in sync with market preferences and is fielding a credible alternative, the CR ratings noted above notwithstanding.
While the Chevy’s exterior styling is of the moment, I personally find it cliche-ridden and unattractive, and the bunker-like greenhouse seriously impedes rear visibility, as noted here. Oddly enough, I found the Buick version somewhat enticing, particularly the interior, which really does feel Lexus-like (or at least higher-end Toyota-like). Perhaps it was the color combination?
Within the next year or so, we will probably be in the market for a car in this class or one step above it. I will do my best to get my wife to at least test drive the Trailblazer or Encore GX, but my guess is she will be far more interested in the new VW Taos (an email from VW about the new Taos has already piqued her interest) than the GM products, particularly if it is available as a hybrid or EV.
My personal experience with a turbocharged motor is that while it runs okay on regular gas, it runs waaaay better on premium.
Thus, I use premium. I have no problem with the extra $10 a tank.
Now it’s $15 per tank! Not quite so easy to disregard. I do see some benefits when I put 89 E10 in my Trax over the usual 87 E10, like maybe a bit more power and 1 to 1.5 more mpg. Running straight gas – no ethanol – seems to be about the same improvement as 89.
I need to put only one of those in my car for a couple of months, and then the same with the others and keep notes on each and every fill to see if there’s any real world difference. The only difficulty would be finding E0 on a trip when the gas gauge dictates when the next fill happens.
My gut tells me the cheapest option is E10 87 as the improvements I’ve seen are on the order of 5%. If you can find midgrade for 18-25 cents or less over regular, the math favors midgrade. Currently, it’s about 35 cents more, so nope.
Nice review as always, Jim. I especially likes Riley’s comments and real world review. He could be on a new segment of Motor Week called the “Kids Perspective” or whatever…
…and I still say you sound a little like John Davis, speaking of Motor Week.
Something to consider here if I could talk my wife down from the CR-V class to the HR-V class CUV. This seems like a decent competitor to the Honda. We’re still in the thinking-about-it stage when it comes to replacing her Lancer.
I like that it doesn’t have the ipad glued to the dash look but has the screen well integrated
This is the form of the modern “car”. The CUV combines the compact size of old models like the Civic and Corolla and combines them with a hatchback. It makes for a very user friendly vehicle. The off road styling is just that, the style. Just like the original Mustang’s looks were sporty looking and what the market wanted. My only surprise is the fuel mileage, my ’90 Civic SI with five speed, averaged 36 miles combined and on freeway trips could return 42 mpg. True, it didn’t have a/c or an automatic, or all the power accessories but I thought the Chevy could do better. I’v driven late model minivans and big CUVs that return 22-24 mpg.
I’ll bet the extra 1,000 pounds of weight have a lot to do with the difference (3,300 vs 2,300). And a tall but short (in length) shape with 8″ of ground clearance and sort of chunky tires will never do that well on the freeway either. There’s more room in the Trailblazer too, I spent a lot of time in a friend’s 1990 Civic Si as well in high school. Roomy inside for a small car but still….small, it won’t take a family of four and their luggage, this will.
I’m wondering if the new Bolt EUV (the new, larger one with more ground clearance) will get some people looking at it that originally went to look at the Trailblazer.
I saw the Trailblazer on the GM website and I like the styling a lot. The three cylinder motor is very interesting and shows how turbocharging can make a small motor very flexible and pleasant to drive.
Alas, I have not seen one on the street here since GM cars aren’t all that popular in my neck of the woods.
I will be so happy when black exterior cladding and black interiors fall out of fashion. Of course, I’ll probably be dead. I’ve owned 3 black-painted cars for 24 years, so don’t cancel me.
I have a mid-sized crossover booked for our vacation this summer. After reading your interesting and well-written article, I could certainly do a lot worse than a Trailblazer.