2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer Activ Review: Triumphantly Tiny

Design | Consolation | Know-how | Efficiency | Security | Gasoline Financial system | Pricing | FAQ

I am not going to present you a historical past lesson on the Chevrolet Trailblazer. It does not matter. Firms rehash outdated nameplates on a regular basis – typically it really works, many instances it does not. What actually issues is whether or not or not the 2022 Chevrolet Trailblazer is a compelling compact crossover in a aggressive class. And finally, it’s.

The Trailblazer stands out from the group with sturdy styling, vibrant paint choices, and principally visible rugged parts as a part of the Activ mannequin examined right here (or sporty cues on the RS trim). It brings attraction and persona to a section that would use a bit extra of it, in addition to first rate pep courtesy of a turbocharged three-cylinder engine. Nostalgic or not, the brand new Chevrolet Trailblazer is an efficient all-around car – no surprise sellers cannot hold them on the lot.

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• Exterior Colour: Vivid Orange
• Inside Colour: Jet Black W/Arizona
• Wheel Measurement: 17 Inches

Not lots of vehicles can pull off the colour orange, however dang, the Trailblazer wears it properly. Vivid Orange ($395), a contrasting white roof, and rugged accouterments as a part of the Activ trim – like further underbody cladding and all-terrain tires – make the Trailblazer look correctly robust.

All variations of the Trailblazer sport the identical entrance fascia design, with slim LED working lights up high, headlights decrease down on the bumper, and a two-piece grille. Solely right here, the Activ mannequin will get additional protecting plastic versus the mesh-heavy grille of the RS mannequin. And out again, but once more, there’s extra cladding down low on the bumper.

The Trailblazer’s inside is not as funky as its outsides, that includes Chevy’s ubiquitous combo of onerous black plastic and matching fake leather-based. No less than actual leather-based covers the steering wheel and shift knob, and there are two attention-grabbing design parts that make the cabin really feel much less like a copy-and-paste job: a fabric texture that traces the highest of the door panel and a pretend copper swoosh slightly below the window line.

• Seating Capability: 5
• Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
• Cargo Capability: 25.3 / 53.8 Cubic Toes

If you would like a comfortable crossover for long-distance cruising, this is not it. The Trailblazer is loud at freeway speeds, with annoying engine, wind, and tire noise echoing all through the cabin always (the latter a results of these knobby all-terrains). And the experience is harsh over something aside from good pavement.

The seats aren’t probably the most form-fitting, both – it feels such as you’re sitting on them fairly than in them – and rear passengers get an equally un-cushy, uncomfortable second row. However at the least the driving force’s seat affords 10-way energy adjustability with lumbar help, which meant I used to be capable of finding a good seating place after sufficient fiddling. The entrance passenger has to make do with four-way handbook seat controls and no adjustable lumbar.

The Trailblazer saves some face on this class because of an abundance of inside area, providing 40.0 inches of headroom up entrance and a close to best-in-class 38.4 inches within the rear. Solely the Ford Bronco Sport has extra headroom up entrance (41.5 inches), and the Jeep Compass is barely higher within the again (38.5 inches).

The Trailblazer’s 40.9 inches of entrance legroom and 39.4 inches of rear legroom are middling to only above common for the category, as are its 25.3 cubic toes of cargo area behind the second row. However fold the rear seat flat and that determine expands to a formidable 54.4 cubes.

• Heart Show: 8.0-Inch Touchscreen
• Instrument Cluster Show: 4.2 Inches
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: Sure

The Trailblazer will get a regular 7.0-inch touchscreen show and a small in-cluster show positioned between two analog gauges. Including the Know-how bundle ($1,620), which my tester had, expands that central touchscreen to eight.0 inches and swells the productiveness display to a usable 4.2 inches, whereas additionally including wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Sirius XM.

Chevy’s Infotainment 3 interface is straightforward, however it works properly. The identical color-coordinated menu gadgets, uncluttered structure, and crisp middle display carry over from different Chevy fashions, and the system is as straightforward to make use of as ever. Contact responsiveness is a contact laggy, however it’s the one knock in opposition to an in any other case excellent setup.

Including the Know-how bundle additionally provides wi-fi charging within the middle console and upgrades the audio system to a Bose seven-speaker premium setup, which sounds nice. On high of that, the Trailblazer affords customary USB-A and USB-C ports up entrance with elective shops within the second row, together with a full-sized 110-volt plug. The rear shops are elective as a part of the $520 comfort bundle.

• Engine: Turbocharged 1.3-Liter Three-Cylinder
• Output: 155 Horsepower / 174 Pound-Toes
• Transmission: 9-Velocity Automated

“Peppy” can be a very good phrase to explain the Trailblazer. With its turbocharged 1.3-liter three-cylinder engine doling out a wholesome 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet, the small crossover accelerates eagerly and affords a shocking quantity of shove from a standstill. You will get a base 1.2-liter three-cylinder when you go for one of many front-wheel-drive fashions, and that engine produces 137 hp.

At something above metropolis speeds, although, the Trailblazer rapidly loses steam. You may should bury your foot into the throttle to get the crossover as much as 70 and hold it there; the tiny 1.3-liter engine has a lot of low-end torque however lacks stamina on the high of the rev vary.

Entrance-wheel drive comes customary on most fashions, however the Activ trim has part-time all-wheel drive as an alternative – accessible by way of a single click on of the AWD button. So as to add to its ruggedness, the Trailblazer sits 8.0 inches off the bottom courtesy of recent tires and a few minor suspension tweaks, in comparison with the bottom mannequin’s 7.0 inches.

I did not get an opportunity to check that additional functionality on the path, as Chevy promotes, however patrons in snowy states will certainly recognize grip in any respect 4 corners and extra elevate. Choosing the Activ mannequin (or some other 1.3T/all-wheel-drive mixture) additionally swaps the usual constantly variable transmission for a smoother nine-speed automated that was principally inoffensive.

The place the Trailblazer and plenty of of Chevy’s trendy crossovers excel is within the corners. Press the Sport button close to the shifter and Trailblazer tightens up its steering and improves its throttle response, which suggests you may fling it round extra fervently. It nonetheless does not meet the mark of “efficiency crossover,” however the suspension is responsive and the steering is sharp, greater than what you anticipate of different choices on this class (outdoors of possibly the Mazda CX-30).

• Driver Help Stage: SAE Stage 2 (Palms-On)
• NHTSA Ranking: 4 Stars
• IIHS Ranking: Prime Security Decide+

The bottom Trailblazer has fundamental lively security options like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep help as a part of the no-cost Chevy Security Help bundle. The Activ mannequin provides adaptive cruise management for no further payment – it is a $770 choice on LS and LT fashions – and the $345 Driver Confidence bundle included right here provides rear park help, rear cross-traffic alert, and a lane-change alert with blind-spot monitoring. Past the lane-keep help function being sluggish to react when the automobile exited a lane, the entire Trailblazer’s lively security options labored properly.

In response to the NHTSA and IIHS, the Trailblazer scores properly in crash testing. The NHTSA offers it 4 stars general – 5 stars in entrance driver’s facet influence and three stars in entrance passenger-side influence – whereas the IIHS scores it a Prime Security Decide+ for 2021.

• Metropolis: 26 MPG
• Freeway: 30 MPG
• Mixed: 28 MPG

The Trailblazer will get as much as 31 miles per gallon mixed with front-wheel drive and the elective turbocharged 1.3-liter engine. This Activ mannequin, although, with part-time all-wheel drive and the elective engine, achieves 26 mpg metropolis, 30 freeway, and 28 mixed. In a wholesome mixture of metropolis and freeway driving over per week, the Trailblazer produced simply over 27 mpg in accordance with the in-car readout.

These aren’t horrible figures, contemplating the Bronco Sport and Mazda CX-30 each get 26 mixed with all-wheel drive, whereas the Jeep Renegade achieves 27 mpg mixed. However the Subaru Crosstrek continues to be one of the best of the bunch with as much as 30 mpg mixed, whereas the all-wheel-drive Kia Seltos is subsequent finest, returning 29 mpg.

• Base Value: $21,600 + $1,195
• Trim Base Value: $28,395
• As-Examined Value: $31,900

The Trailblazer is among the most inexpensive crossovers in its class, with the 2022 mannequin beginning at $22,795 with $1,195 in vacation spot charges included. Solely the Hyundai Kona is cheaper, and simply barely at $22,375. Choosing the Trailblazer Activ mannequin will value you at the least $28,395 – which places it nearer to the Bronco Sport ($28,910).

The Trailblazer examined right here prices $31,900 with choices, with the priciest add-on of the bunch being the $1,620 Know-how bundle. The Comfort bundle (auto-dimmer rearview mirror, 120-volt outlet, twin local weather management) is one other $520 on high of that, the Vivid Orange paint is $395, and some different decisions spherical out the listing.

However until Vivid Orange and a 120-volt outlet are two must-haves – I actually just like the paint – you possibly can avoid wasting money by skipping these. In any other case, the Trailblazer is a well-equipped little crossover that’s peppy, personable, and never all that expensive.

FAQs

What Is The Distinction Between The Trailblazer Activ And RS?

The Trailblazer Activ is the model’s “rugged” variant. It has extra cladding on the entrance and rear bumpers, a 1.0-inch elevate over the bottom mannequin, and harder all-terrain tires. The RS mannequin is the sporty trim, with a decrease experience top, greater rims, and sleeker styling on the entrance finish.

Which Is Greater, The Chevy Trailblazer Or The Equinox?

The Trailblazer is a compact crossover, measuring in at 173.5 inches lengthy in base kind. The Equinox is nearer to a mid-size crossover, stretching out to 183.1 inches lengthy. 

How A lot Does The Traiblazer Activ Price?

The Traiblazer Activ mannequin begins at $28,395 together with the $1,195 vacation spot payment. That is a rise of $5,600 over the bottom Trailblazer, which begins at an affordable $22,795 with charges included.