2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer Review

1.3 Liter Turbo 4

155 hp / 174 tq

Base: $19,000
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Guy who did stuff:  Yousef Alvi

Pictures:  Manufacturer

The Great:  

Fitting into the same design aesthetic as the Kia Kona, Mazda CX3 and the lot.  The compact crossover market is exploding with new models every few weeks.  The Trailblazer sets itself apart with a spacious interior, decent cargo holding ability and actual slight off-road goodness like skid plates, AWD and All Terrain tires available.  

The Good:

The 1.3 liter turbo 4 offers excellent throttle response and mid range torque.  The 9 speed transmission does a commendable job of smooth shifts around town and during aggressive use.  The steering is direct, communicative and add that with some excellent chassis tuning…the Trailblazer offers some ‘tossable’ fun to the equation. 

The Bad:  

While it’s interior is not bad by any means…the Korean alternatives offer a much more premium feeling from their plastics, vinyl, switchgear and seating.  Which is ironic because this Trailblazer is actual made in Korea!

The Ugly:

The Trailblazer idles like a misfiring tractor at stoplights, the gauges are cheaply backlit and overall it just feels ‘cheap’.  

The Overall:

We are reaching a tipping point in cheap compact automobiles.  Automakers have finally figured out how to manufacturer an affordable vehicle that doesn’t feel like a ‘cheap’ vehicle.  From the use of high quality materials, excellent interior fit and finish, refined looks and drivetrain options…the scenario of ‘only being able to afford X’ is not a kick to the gut anymore.  The Trailblazer comes close but it’s rivals does the whole ‘cheap price but not cheaping out’ a bit better.