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SUVs are all the rage in recent years. The carmakers offer all types of recipes when it comes to SUVs. From the smallest to the biggest, from the most luxurious to the most affordable, GM has all the recipes to meet your needs. GM has made many trials when it comes to SUVs. Remember the Pontiac Aztek, which attracted a lot of criticism. But this is ancient history. This week Torque News had the chance to test drive the all-new 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer.
Chevrolet launched its seventh SUV in its SUV lineup in 2020. The all new Trailblazer fits between the Trax and the Equinox. As this segment is increasingly popular, GM is ensuring a presence there, as it does in all categories. And this is serious. In the segment of between the Trax and Equinox the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is small without being tiny.
Thankfully the new 2021 Trailblazer has absolutely nothing to do with the previous generation of vehicles of this name. I think GM was looking for a name to ensure affiliation with its bigger brother the Chevy Blazer. Moreover, in terms of design, the link between the two is striking. In my opinion this is a good thing, because the whole is very unique, modern and will certainly attract a young clientele.
The Exterior
The 2021 Trailblazer is really stylish. It stands out in the automotive landscape and. It looks like it's made for the urban driver in mind. Its high beams are placed at the top of the huge central grille, and just below, you can see the headlights which also integrate the turn signals. This type of design is becoming more and more common among several manufacturers who target SUVs made for city life.
This style may not be to everyone's taste, but on the Trailblazer the result is quite pleasant. Moreover, what I particularly like is that Chevrolet offers original colors with contrasting roof. In short, the result is original and contributes to the overall appearance of the vehicle.
For the rear, again, we see the Trailblazer with the shape of the lights and the integration of arrows in LED. With the RS, you get two well-rounded functional exhaust pipes, while on the Activ version they are angular. Chevrolet makes a real effort to distinguish between the different models of the Trailblazer, and it works. In a world where everything is customizable, GM illustrates that it is possible to do so even with affordable products.
The Price
Speaking of affordability and price, I think ou have to compare the pricing and value, offered by the 2021 Chevy Trailblazer with those of the Hyundai Kona, the Kia Seltos, the Mazda CX-30 and the Subaru Crosstrek. These are vehicles that are very convincing, although the Trailblazer he its strong convincing points as well, which I discussed above, and this vehicle has its own merit and qualities. The 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer's L trim starts from $19,000 and the top AWD Activ trim can go as high as $27,245.
Motorization and The Fuel Economy
Thanks to its compact size, the Chevrolet Trailblazer does not need 8 cylinders, a huge supercharger and 500 horsepower to move with ease. As standard, the SUV the Trailblazer is equipped with a small turbocharged engine of only 1.2 liters, but the latter still boasts an output of 137 horsepower and 152 pound-feet of torque. Some versions benefit from a turbocharged 1.3-liter engine and the power here jumps to 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque, which is quite impressive for such a modest powertrain. The first option on the mechanical level is paired with a continuously variable transmission, which does the trick, but since we have the choice, the 9-speed automatic transmission that accompanies the 1.3-liter engine is much preferred.
Having said all of this I have to admit that the 2021 Trailblazer's engine can be a little more powerful. While you have to pay extra to get the 1.3-liter engine, it still doesn't really impress. But again, it's a decent vehicle.
Either way, fuel economy remains a priority and thankfully for Trailblazer owners, the latter seems particularly efficient at this level. The 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer gets 28 MPG combined, 26 city and 30 highway fuel economy.
The Interior
The exterior design's dynamism is continued in the interior of the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Space is generous at the front and rear for a vehicle of this size. Passengers do not lack space either in height or at the level of the legs. Instruments like the radio and air conditioning fall very well to hand and require very little adaptation for ease of use. The traction control, lane monitoring, integral mode and sport adjustment buttons are placed at arm's length at the bottom of the center console. Also, a charging plate for a smartphone was present in our Activ model.
Being the most expensive model in the Trailblazer lineup, our trim (AWD Activ) receives a lot of very interesting equipment. The ones that caught my attention were the wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.Overall, the finish is impressive, but I noticed some gaps here and there, especially at the rear.
The Driving
The steering calibration is frankly nice. It is direct and precise. I didn't expect to have so much fun. The suspensions of the 2021 Trailblazer show a lot of firmness. For the driving dynamics, it works, but we feel the imperfections of the road a lot more. If your trim has the Sport mode, it will have an effect on throttle response as well as engine speed and gear changes.
Overall, I think the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is a small and elegant SUV, which has a bright career ahead of it. I believe that the design of the Chevrolet Trailblazer is definitely what sets it apart from the rest. Let's just say that Chevrolet has gone above and beyond expectations when it comes to design.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.
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