Chevrolet Trailblazer test drive.
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The new Trailblazer has a very nice and pleasant design. Which gives it a friendly personality. I have actually seen a few people noticing it while I was driving it. And it seems to be one of the fastest-selling cars these days, so I would say most people really like the design.
Same thing inside. Chevrolet did a great job with the interior. Not only does it look good, but the materials are top-notch. And I really like the various materials used (like the grey cloth mixed in with the leather) The stitches on the seat and dash do look great and quite premium (they don’t always do..)
I was also pleasantly surprised by how solid everything feels. The switchgear especially.
And the doors have a very solid an reassuring sound when you close them.
The Trailblazer really makes quite an effort to make you think you bought a more expensive car…
The main gripe I have with the interior is the placement of the remote charging mat. Which is right under the climate controls, in a very dark area. And since this means the phone is never physically connected to anything (thanks also to wireless Carplay) I actually forgot the phone in the car a couple of times.
I think you should still be able to see your phone.
Although that is probably something you get used to if you drive this every day…
As usual, a panoramic glass roof is a great option. Something you cannot have on the Mazda CX-30. Or most of the competition.
The rear seats and cargo area are very roomy. Especially for its size.
On the road, I was really curious about GM’s new 3 cylinder engine.
My test car had the larger 1.3 Liter option. And the 9-speed auto (which is standard on the AWD models)
I have driven cars with 3 cylinder engines before. Like the Ford Fiesta. And, especially, the super cool Citroen Cactus I rented while in Europe a few years ago.
The engine sounds wonderful. It is super quiet and smooth 90% of the time. And of course, not so much when you push it hard. (although it is almost completely silent at idle)
But the sound you do hear is very pleasant. At least to me. It is different and actually gives the car quite a personality. To me, this, when pushed, sounds better than most 4 cylinder engines.
But, this is not a car that is meant to be pushed or driven fast. Just like all of its competition. These are sold as small crossovers. I think the smooth and quiet engine also has plenty of power for what it is.
It does feel much faster than the Honda HR-V. And maybe about the same as the Hyundai Kona Turbo.
But really, you would have to drive these cars back to back to really be able to tell.
The 9 speed auto works perfectly. It always seems to be eager to downshift if you want a bit more power.
The first thing I noticed was how artificial the steering feel was. Of course, you get used to it after a while, but it never feels that great…
The suspension is always comfortable, although a little bit on the firm side. Even with the thicker, more off-road-oriented tires on the Activ version.
Which brings me to the major issue I had with the car: road noise.
It starts creeping up at over 35MPH around town. But it does get really bad at freeway speed. Surprisingly bad…
(The tires on the Activ version are Hankook Dynapro AT2 all-terrains.)
I really like the look of the Activ version, inside and out. But unless you are willing to always turn the sound system up a bit when you drive, I would steer toward the more on-road-oriented versions of the Trailblazer.
And by the way, the Bose system on my test car sounded pretty fantastic…
One small detail I kept noticing while driving, was how square the front side window design was. A very retro feel in such a modern car.
The Trailblazer AWD 1.3 is rated at 26 City and 30HWY MPG.
Being careful, I was able to get 25/26 around town. But had no problem getting about 34MPG on the freeway.
I really enjoyed driving the new Trailblazer Activ. It actually has a bit of a personality. (Mostly because of it s great engine)
But the road noise would keep me away from getting the Activ version. (Unless you are used to a Jeep Wrangler or something that noisy)
Althouugh the Trailblazer starts at a really low $19 000, my loaded Activ model was priced at $33 000.
(Active AWD starts at $27 000)
Which is quite a bit of money. And just a few $1000s aways from larger very well equipped Crossovers.
Be carfeul with options, watch for discounts, and you’ll be getting a really good car.
I've driven an LT and road noise was as bad as the Activ. This is not a tire issue, but a real lack of sound deading material.
That is terrible if true. I was really blaming the specific tires for this. If all versions have that much road noise it is really bad…
I wonder if the Buick version has more sound proofing?
A YouTube reviewer called those Hankook tires "poser" tires, because they look like all terrain from the side, but the tread is really just regular all season. They just have the rubber stamped to look like off road tires, lol.
As for the Trailblazer itself, wouldn't the slightly larger and 4 cylinder Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona, or Mazda CX-30 be better bets for similar money? Or even a Buick Encore GX? Or the Crosstrek?
I take a shot of booze when Vince writes "Modern". My liver is shot.
Yes, the Buick has more sound proofing. But here in Canada, you can't get the Buick with 1.3 and FWD, but it's available on the Chevrolet…
The Buick version is getting better reviews because of sound deadening.
Road noise is a non starter. Not a good value. and what about this mpg?