2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer AWD - one week behind the wheel and its pros and cons

[trinacriabob]

I was in a situation where I had rented a car – a category with a trunk – and there weren’t any available.  Their running out of certain categories happens frequently nowadays.  As such, I was assigned a 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer.

This didn’t look like any of the Trailblazers I remember.  For one, it was a lot smaller.  It was also badged as AWD.  I assumed there would be a Chevy 1.5L T I-4 under the hood.  Previous Trailblazers of the New Millennium ran with a 4.1 L I-6, possibly the modernized, aluminized version of the same 250 c.i. I-6 of the last century.  A friend bought one of these in the early 2000’s.  I was once given one by a rental agency and its 4.1L I-6 was incredibly smooth, but given how quickly the fuel gauge headed west, I took it back for an exchange within a day.

Before even settling into the car, I looked under the hood to find a 1.3L T 3-cylinder engine.  Three-cylinder engines have become a lot more prevalent in Europe, even in small SUV-CUV types but typically in econoboxes. 

As for initial impressions, it looked like the car would be sensible to drive and operate its functions.  This tuned out to be true.  The seats are supportive and comfortable enough, together with some attractive stitching, The materials are not high grade, with the same tougher fabric which might be in the Malibu.  In fact, except for some minor differences, transitioning from a Malibu to a Trailblazer is easy.  The width of the cabin, the gauges and switches, and the urethane steering wheel and its controls are similar.  In fact, in the Trailblazer, some things are better.  The touch screen is engaged in the dash, with the center vents above it, providing for excellent dispersion of what the air conditioner was dishing out - which was very cool.  Further down, the cubby for electronic devices is flatter and larger and the outlets and switches are all linearly arranged next to each other for easy use.  Also, with the inherently higher seating position, the view is better and the shifter and console height are in a more user-friendly position.

The exterior sheet metal shows good taste, and the character lines are nicely done.  The front fascia with its lighting set-up is its strong point.  Even the rear taillamps look good as they wrap the rear corners.

Returning to mechanical specifications, the transmission was a geared one.  The interwebs and its owner manual revealed this.  If a new Trailblazer is AWD, the transmission is a 9-speed automatic.  If it’s a 2WD, the transmission is a CVT.   

This is a very utilitarian and practical package, and it couldn’t be described as refined.  However, the engine is not grainy but its rhythmic but not hushed hum is always present.  When pushed, it just hums more audibly.  The engine does what it’s supposed to do.  With around 140 horsepower, this is not a powerplant with which to riskily pass, sprint up long grades, and think it’s a jackrabbit, despite its having a turbocharger.

The transmission is a “humorous” one.  I can’t think of another word.  There’s the expression “children should be seen and not heard.”  In this Trailblazer, it’s more like “children are heard but not seen.”  As the gearbox marches through its 9 gears, the spool-ups are quick and you hear them, but the unit slushes into the next gear as if it was a CVT and you don’t even feel the shifts.  However, if throttled, you will definitely feel the shifts and, in stop and go driving at lower speeds, it can hunt within the first 3 gears and do it in a jerky way.  However, in composed linear driving, the shifts are seamless but the short intervals for each gear, complete with the “sound effects,” was humorous … at least to me.

The Trailblazer is a nimble enough vehicle.  It rides fairly smoothly, but can quickly become unsettled.  Its ride quality is not as budget-like as that of the now gone Chevy Spark and Sonic, but not as pleasant as that in the Malibu or even what they were able to accomplish in the final-gen Cruze.  Wind noise is reasonably controlled, but tire and suspension related noises aren’t as effectively soaked up.  The road surface is always being communicated to the cabin, telling you this is not a premium vehicle.  In the CUV-SUV category, I’ve only driven the much larger Chevy Traverse with a 3.6 VVT V6 … and we’re talking two different worlds.

With the higher seating position, front and side visibility are good.  The thick rear sail panel makes angled rear visibility challenging.  This seems to be the norm in this typology of vehicles.  This unit did not have parking or side traffic sensors, which are much needed, and a few lane changes were more challenging since I like to mix up looking over my shoulder and using the mirrors. 

With the rear seat up, storage space is good … thanks to the Trailblazer’s the boxy shape, and it’s very good with the split rear seat folded forward into the cabin.  It would come in handy to move boxes or a bundle of items.  There was a slot for a rear cover over the storage area, but it was missing.  This is one of the reasons I try to avoid this typology at the rental counter.  The windows are more tinted toward the rear, but I was still not comfortable with that.  The rental agency said ‘but we sell insurance for your personal effects.’  I doubt someone has the time to replace apparel and items that have been purchased over a span of agent while traveling.  Rental agencies don’t do a good job of monitoring this item.  I’m sure that a private owner would keep the retractable cover in its place as needed.

Inside, while the controls are logically placed, there is no remote hatch or fuel filler release.  However, if the vehicle is locked, the fuel door cannot be opened.  Fuel consumption can vary a lot and the instant fuel mileage readout will clue in the driver to that.  I set the drivetrain to 2WD and “eco” mode, but it still has to lug around AWD hardware.  The readout goes from unimpressive city driving fuel efficiency to very plausible mileage at steady highway cruise.  The 9-speed automatic allows the Trailblazer with AWD to cruise at 65 mph at about 1,900 rpms.  That’s why it can attain the higher fuel mileage, but it took going to 3 cylinders to attain that.

It was very easy to transition to the Trailblazer from several other Chevrolet models, and especially the Malibu.  Thinking of the similarities and differences, the Trailblazer could almost be viewed as a higher sitting and less refined riding 3-cylinder Malibu turned CUV-SUV.  For a consumer at the intersection of needing the packaging this vehicle provides and its price point, the Trailblazer could make sense.

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PHOTOS FORTHCOMING

Edited April 30 by trinacriabob

[trinacriabob]

EXTERIOR PHOTOS

The side view shows the more compact shape and the sheet metal accents, attractive alloy wheels, and a roof rack 

The angled rear view shows taillamps which look fairly true-to-form for Chevrolet, but the liftgate is slightly heavy to pull up and push back down ... a person also has to make sure it's fully shut

The angled front view shows attractive (LED) lighting

[trinacriabob]

INTERIOR PHOTOS

This is what the driver sees upon entering and the light switches are in their own small panel (set to auto)

This is the view from the passenger's door and this provides a good view of the outlets above and buttons below the cubby space at the front of the console

The dashboard is very sensibly arranged, easy to learn, and easy on the eyes ... note several push buttons for drive mode, traction, etc. right ahead of the shift lever and various plugs right below the climate control panel.  The touch screen is engaged and the vents above the center stack provide excellent air circulation.

This shows typical Chevrolet gauge graphics, a fuel gauge with graphic bars, and an always useful coolant temperature gauge.  Key lights for driving modes (traction, following distance, etc.) are above the graphic display box between the 2 round gauges.

This is the typical graphic box in various Chevrolets and, once it has been learned, toggling between trip, vehicle, and eco. becomes easy.  Trip has the most options while eco. rarely needs to be used.  To the left of the odometer is the graphic which shows AWD or 2WD.

Cubby hole for phone, outlets for plugs, and push button controls (partial, at the right) sensibly arranged as well as honeycomb hatch to look like it could have been fabric

Rear seat legroom appears to be respectable.  The two-tone effect on the fabric is fairly nice and there are map pockets behind both front seats.

This shows the rearward view from the driver's seat which would make lane change and parking assists helpful

The rear seats follow a "60-40" (long running car jargon) split back, a courtesy lamp, and a groove for the rear cover (which was not present in the vehicle)

This gives an idea of the cargo space with the rear seats in their upright position as well as 2 usable storage wells at each side of the rear cargo area

[trinacriabob]

MECHANICAL PHOTOS

The engine bay is neatly arranged as it typically is in GM products, with dipsticks, reservoirs, and an easy to reach battery ... someone would have had to help me find the turbocharger

One can see 3 exhaust manifold passages below the engine shroud

The engine placard says 1.3 liters and long running OBD II diagnostics

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END OF PHOTOS

[ccap41]

These are attractive little vehicles *for their class*. I'm slowly seeing more and more of them. 

Then again, I have no clue if I'm seeing the new Trax or Trailblazers...hahaha. 

[trinacriabob]

On 5/2/2024 at 6:34 AM, ccap41 said:

These are attractive little vehicles *for their class*. I'm slowly seeing more and more of them. 

Then again, I have no clue if I'm seeing the new Trax or Trailblazers...hahaha. 

Just last week, I saw a few newer Traxes.  They are more sloped in the rear than the Trailblazer and there is no protuding "ridge" over the rear window.  I'd say they are more attractive than the new Trailblazer.  I know next to nothing about them.