2022 - 2023 Chevy Trailblazer, The Pragmatic Affordable Alternative
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- Chevy's Trailblazer is no longer a rough-and-tumble body on frame SUV and that's just fine by me because the new one is Goldilocks-just-right. It's easy to park, inexpensive to buy, gets decent fuel economy and it's roomier than you think inside, but the value pricing is where Chevy hit the nail on the head.
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Alex I appreciate your last comment. It's true. Not everyone wants a $45k luxury car or a super fast sports car. Very few reviewers cover the affordable cars that most of us drive every day. Thank you for keeping that in mind and look forward to those types of reviews.
Very excited about the new Trax. In my opinion is better (spacious and digital cluster), and a better value. Some of the touches are better in the TB though
Brian is a truly great addition/parallel to the AoA formula! Amazing job.
Another great review. Keep up the excellent job Alex. Huge fan of how neutral and fare your reviews are.
Cheers!
M
Yes, to more affordable vehicles! No one breaks them down better than you!
We bought one in September, a 2023 activ fwd, it is quite peppy and plenty of room inside, I am 6’2 and 215 lbs, we also have the panoramic sunroof, plenty of head room
@Level 70 very comfortable
They did pretty good on the seats.
Is your CVT at all offensive in everyday use?
Absolutely YES to reviewing affordable vehicles. Or better yet, review what price range of vehicles people buy most.
I wish every car would allow the passenger front seat to fold completely flat, especially cars in the subcompact class. Subcompact crossovers and hatchbacks are usually pretty short, so even though you can fold the back seats flat and load quite a bit of stuff, you’re limited about how long and tall that stuff can be without being able to fold down the front seat.
Great comparison format at the end Alex. It's helpful to see the price ranges.
The Trailblazer/Encore GX are the only cars from GM that I would consider buying. Their other models just have too many problems.
The 4 way split screen was very slick, thank you guys.
This was the best review on the Chevrolet Trailblazer; We just bought a 2023 LS with the 1.2 FWD CVT ; The only option on it was cruise control . We did test drive the LT model 1st with the 1.3 AWD & the 9 speed auto. trans. there was no difference in the ride or engine performance when compared to the LS model. Probably do to the weight difference. The biggest difference was $5,000 between the 2 models as the LT does come with more standard features, & if your a diy person on basic maintenance the LS model is more accessible in the engine department . IMHO the LS model had more bang for the buck, & over all a better value. I like how you did mention all this in your review, Thanks for the video.
Brian is doing a good job. Big old boots or high heels glad he can fit into the back of the Trailblazer! That was a cute line!
How does GM manage to get so little horse powers and such poor fuel economy consistently throughout their lineup.
downsizing engines that were designed for absurd fuel economy cycles of other countries
The horsepower is comparable to the 2.0L H-RV and The Trailblazer gets better MPG.
How much horsepower are you expecting from a 1.3L engine?
The 1.3 has pretty good power and gets good mpg in the city .
3:09 Thanks for showing a really good side view of your seating position! I like vehicles where I sit higher up off the floor, a lot like would be the case in a truck or bigger SUV.
Have had my Trailblazer Activ 1 month now. did 100 mile round trip yesterday , got 36 mpg combined city highway in 2 wheel drive.
Thanks for sharing your experience! -Travis
I love the new pricing graphics for the segment at 16:43!
That tired trax is quicker than the trailblazer we went to the dealership and tested both in a little race and the trax smoked the trailblazer and it was the top 1.3 and both AWD.
Cool review.
Not mentioned in most reviews is the 1.3l cvt Trailblazer is faster than the 9 speed to 60, better mpg too.
Leave it to Chevrolet to get 26 MPG out of a three cylinder.
It’s a small displacement, 3 cylinder, turbo engine. It’s going to get floored to manage traffic, merging on the highway, etc. Real mpgs would be even less
I bought a 2022 Trailblazer, 2wd, 1.3. It gets 32 mpg commuting mostly highway summer, 29mpg winter. It's turbo is set up for low end power so it feels pretty peppy in stop and go traffic.
I’m pretty sure the tires on this model hurt fuel economy.
@@snownd675 What do "absurd distances" have to do with MPG? lol
My gfs 1.3t gets 35 on average and our best for 100 mile average was 42 mpg
To put the MPG into perspective. I average 29 mpg in a 250 hp Ford Maverick with a 2.0 turbo and AWD (EPA estimates 26 mpg combined. Results will vary). The Maverick accelerates to 60 in 5.9 seconds with the FX4 package. Why is the gas mileage so low with a turbo 3 with only 155 hp? Would it have improved if they added the option for the 2.0 turbo from the Equinox? Maybe a hybrid option?
That's a peppy truck you have.
My 2022 Trailblazer 1.3l, cvt, gets 32mpg summer, 29 mpg winter. It gets to 60 in 7.8 seconds. Not as fast as your Maverick but faster than the 9+ seconds a 9 speed awd Trailblazer does to 60.
Trailblazer loaded out almost 35k. Rav 4 XLE AWD with Sunroof, Heated Seats, Steering Wheel and Tailgate under 35k. This makes me laugh the Trailblazer is 6k overpriced and even if discounted I wouldn't buy it
I bought a fwd, 1.3 trailblazer lt for $25k. The ride quality is better than the rav4 over rough pavement. Price was lower by far compared to any rav4 I could find. The trailblazer has blind spot warning, back up assist (warns of vehicle's when backing up in parking lot's) and heated seats.
The Trailblazer is a good buy at the lower trims. A loaded AWD puts you in a price range where there are other options. In base FWD trims the Trailblazer and Trax are the best buys on the market. The hard part is finding one. They tend to sell before they get to the dealership so it's hard to find one you can actually test drive.
A 1.3L Turbo charged engine... long term reliability is a thing of the past. Such a small engine for a big/heavy vehicle doesn’t help with fuel economy. It looks cute though and a nice lease vehicle.
I can guarantee you i'd probably have the thing redlined the whole time if I had to drive it.
If doing all highway, I can get mid 30s with the FWD 1.3L/CVT combo. No trouble getting on the highway, and passing isn't a problem. As far as reliability, a lot of it is keeping up with regular maintenance. Despite having an oil life monitor, I'd probably get the oil changed no later than 6k miles.
@@Reefdevil it's alot quicker than you would think. Has all of its power at 1600 rpm
I still don't get the logic of taking the Blazer and Trailblazer names and swapping them so the Trailblazer is the smaller one and Blazer is the bigger one.
The Trailblazer was originally based on the S-10 Blazer, it then went to the larger body style.
Another difference: the old one was TrailBlazer with big B, and now one is Trailblazer, little b.
Remember when you could tow with a trailblazer/S10 blazer? Ah the good old days.
This has NOTHING in common with that except the name.
Agreed. The Trailblazer is more of a tall hatchback than a truck for towing.
@@whatarethose2202 It’s a CUV guys… this conversation ran its course like 20 years ago.
Imo its sibling Buick Encore GX is better value OTD, usually higher discounts, better noise insulation.
The Buick Encore GX seemed to have less road noise but rode worse over poor pavement with standard 18 inch rims. I bought the Trailblazer as it had smaller rims, more sidewall to the tires and a smoother ride over broken pavement. The Buick version also looks better IMO.
I want to know Who told GM to remove the automatic AWD activation on all crossovers?
AND WHY?????
I would love to see more affordable vehicles, or even base (and one-above-base) trims of vehicles that might be a little nicer. Let's see what the bare minimum is that you get in a premium offering!
What other new cars have fold-flat front seats? That's one of the things keeping me from giving up my '06 Pontiac Vibe. It would be great if you could add a "Does an 8 foot 2x4 (or 2x8) fit?" test to all of your car reviews.
My 2020 HR-V has a fold flat front seat and you can get a 2-4-8 in it with no problem.
For the price, a base model Ford Maverick hybrid truck is a much better deal. It might be as reliable as a C-Max, time will tell. I would avoid the all wheel drive Maverick with the turbo-boost engine, and just add 2 winter tires on the front of the 2 wheel drive, and carry tire chains (maybe a plastic type of chains). When searching do at least 3 test drives for each over several weeks, so the differences stand out more and you avoid the test drive high masking problems.
i'd buy an EV / PHEV version of this...the bolt is just a little too odd looking
We have a 2023trailblazer rs for a yr now and really like it.
That Center Console around the shifter and cup holders looks like it’s already worn out.
Got the exact same orange/white Activ Trailblazer. Transmission replaced at 1,500 miles. 30 days in the dealer's shop. However, the wife likes it so I'm happy.......................just sayin'.
Most of these sub-compact crossovers seem to get worse fuel economy than their compact brethren. It seems they get engines that are simply too weak for the weight they have to chug along and thus they end up using those turbos or higher RPMs to get moving.
It is a curiosity 🤔🤔🤔. Alex once explained it to me as… manufacturers invest a ton more in the compact segment (vs. subcompact) resulting in more engineering and refinement therefore higher fuel economy.
@@alliejr Except that’s not true. You’ll find the same family of engines, transmissions, etc. in both classes. The engines are just de-tuned or taken down in displacement to make them cheaper.
Look at the Honda HR-V for example… it uses a 2.0 from the base Civic in North America. The engine is basic and inexpensive, but not frugal. Overseas it comes with the 1.5T that the higher end Civics use and gets better fuel economy.
Then there’s the Subaru Crosstrek. Used a dog of a 2.0 engine for all those years. Suddenly dropped in a 2.5 and alas, the exact same combined MPGs despite the solid power boost.
@@afcgeo882 Slapping the same engine in smaller and larger vehicles is not the same as engineering efficiency into the entire package. Clearly the manufacturers invest more in the compact segment… and the results are clear… the same or better fuel economy.
@@alliejr I just don’t see that greater investment. Do you have examples of it? We have to keep in mind that R&D will always be proportional to the margins and margins on smaller cars will always be narrower than larger, but Honda, Toyota and even GM are using the same tech they have in compacts in their sub-compacts. Yet it doesn’t result in power or fuel efficiency. Look, the answer in this has to sit in the physics and engineering, not finances.
The more expensive versions of this make no sense, if you want AWD and decent equipment you can get a Mazda CX-5 at a similar price.
you were very thorough. thank you
0:20 The old chevy Trax is actually NOT being discontinued.. GM recently unveiled the next generation pre production vesion for the 2024 model year.
MORE AFFORDABLE CARS 👏 yes please I’d love to see more cloth seat car reviews
Alex you are a great reviewer have to include Joe Raities too!
I assume the driver's seat is 2-way lumbar as Brian said, not 4-way as depicted on the left side of the screen? I can't imagine it having 4-way but it would be cool if it did.
What is the longevity of these I3, 3 cylinders engines? The Nissan Rouge also has a I3 Turbo.
I've seen an estimate of 120k miles.
Excellent review
100% a lease (and not a buy). I don't trust a 3 cylinder engine to be reliable or dependable. Not for a car designed to carry 4 people.
I think I would get the RAV4 Hybrid to Corolla Cross Hybrid and get double or triple the life out of it and never have transmission problems. Only 9 speeds to wear out. LOL
The rav4 hybrid has the cablegate issue. I’d avoid the RAV4. The corolla cross I’m not sure if it’s affected
@@naveenthemachine toyota will pay 2 replace the cables so not a big deal. I would trust that wayyyy more than any chevy.
@@occckid123 didn't realize toyota paid fixed their vehicles for the longevity of owner's
@@occckid123 Every time anyone says the word “Toyota” that troll rolls out with a stupid comment. He literally lives for it.
@@occckid123 I’ve heard the opposite saying that’s not covered under the warranty
Thanks for asking the manufacturers for under $45k vehicles to road test. Prices for new vehicles in the US now averages $48k, which is ridiculous given that wages aren't keeping up with inflation. More hybrid vehicles perhaps? Thanks 👍 😊
What’s the likelihood this 3 cylinder turbo from GM will make it to 100k miles?
Probably no worse than their 5.3/6.2 V8s that grenade at 10k miles.
@@user-tb7rn1il3q at least at 10k miles you’re within warranty :)
@@user-tb7rn1il3q my 5.3 has 265,000 miles and runs like a top.
There's a site that did an overview and came up with a 120k mile life.
@@mudpuddle2658 how'd they come up with that life time Fren? I bought one.
They aren’t getting rid of the trax, they just remodeled it. It actually looks pretty nice but no awd.
I don't get the point of these tiny "CUVs." I bought an AWD Mazda3 hatchback that has more space, better seats, more power, better fuel economy, and a super-reliable normally aspirated inline 4 for $10k less than a Trailblazer. The only "benefit" one gets here is a higher seating position, but with the disadvantages in ride and handling that comes with that.
This will be my first SUV! Terrific job Alex.
The CX-30 is hands down better except for the fact that I'm 6'4" )-;
On paper the trailblazer is the roomiest but when I drove the bronco sport it seems bigger irl than paper. GM fuel economy and reliability will never impress me.
I just bought the '23 activ blazer in February , the RS was $ 1,000 less than the activ , not sure why it is the top of the line if it's cheaper
The active has skid plates for off road where the RS has more of the amenities. Apparently the skid plates, etc are more expensive.
Really waiting for the 24 redesign. GM should deliver something similar to the Bronco Sport.
The Bronco Sport is a size up.
Seems like it would be easier and cheaper just to put the same engine and tranny in the Trax and Trailblazer.
I'm still trying to figure out where the heck "trucklet" comes from on the video thumbnail. There's no bed! Maverick ... trucklet. Santa Cruz ... trucklet. Trailblazer ... mini SUV. No bed. At all.
And the dang thing only gets 26mpg??? Yikes.
Great job on the video 👏👏👏 YOU GOTTA GET ALEX TO DO A FUNNY VIDEO LIKE U DID ON REELS THE OTHER DAY LMAO 🤣 🙏🙏🙏
Good work, y'all.
Brian: were not you suppose to stop behind the stop sign?
I would choose the Niro! great inclusion.
The Niro sounds neat. I couldn't fit our 84 pound collie behind the rear seats of the Niro, he fits in the Trailblazer. Maybe not great for hundreds of miles but good enough to take to a park or a day trip.
My mind was in the gutter with the Corolla C** on the chart lol
Pretty bad fuel mileage for a micro engine with a 9 speed. Barely better than my naturally aspirated 3.0L six cylinder manual BMW from '06 that has 1.7x the HP.
Mediocre standard MPG and needs a hybrid option.
IMO, a four cylinder engine would have been a much better choice here. Every other brand has that in this segment. They already have the 1.4 turbo in the Buick Encore, why didn't they use it here?
@@damilolaakanni Ford uses a 3 cylinder engine in this segment (EcoSport) and the one up (Escape).
The Buick Encore uses a 1.0 and a 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder engines. The first gen Encore had a 1.4 turbo, but that was an Opel variant and when Opel was sold to Stellantis, so was that engine.
@@damilolaakanni right!? Even in the higher trims they should've considered it like Ford did with their Bronco Sport
I surprised this channel said the Trax was discontinued when Chevy just revealed the next generation Trax a month or so ago
Curios about this vs the new trax
AMERICANS ARE THE BEST DESIGNERS😊
HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY EVERYONE ✌️
have you seen the 24 Seltos?
The shifter had a "P" position. What was the ((P)) button at the bottom/behind the shifter lever, by itself?
Looks like an electronic parking brake.
Electronic parking brake engage/disengage switch.
Is this Alex’s son?
No.
3:16. I don’t think there’s 4 way lumbar in the trailblazer
14:45. You misspelled cargo with carco
He literally said, “with 2-way lumbar support.” 3:25
@@afcgeo882 I was referring to the left side of the screen
Thankfully brian corrected it
Cmon Chevy where dat torque at?
174 lb/ft @ 1600 RPM and stays through the mid-range.
This car will not last too long, a 3 cylinder engine made by chevy is very sketch
I own a 2022 RS and love it.
155 horsepower? Is that a joke. Who the heck in their right mind would buy such an underpowered suv?
Trash looks similar to my Buick Envision not much difference aside from engine specs. At least my buick has a 2.0 with about 220ish HP and 250ish TQ.
26 mpg is terrible. In this day and age.
I rather drive in a dungeon than an atrium.
My wallet NEVER leaves one of my pockets. I NEVER leave/put my wallet in my vehicle. And when said wallet is in said pocket, it gets tapped MANY times to make sure it is in its proper place. Comprende?
Good for you?
Hes adorable
Plastic oil pan...stay FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE.
Please. Literally a non-issue, they've been used for a long time and do not have widespread failures. There are reasons to not buy this, but the plastic oil pan is literally the last thing you should be worried about.
@@rudolphna54 unless you take it off road, but that’s on you!!
Looks cheaply made.
Looks? It’s basically a Daewoo
0-60 in 9.3 seconds? Seems borderline dangerous for a vehicle to be that slow considering everyone drives like it's the Indianapolis 500. Good luck merging.
9.3 seconds to 60 used to be considered quick. It’s perfectly adequate and definitely not dangerous.
My 2022 Trailblazer, 2wd, cvt, 1.3l is about 7.8 seconds to 60. The 9 speed auto, combined with the extra weight of the awd, makes the reviewed version significantly slower.
very bad color !
Yet, at least it has a practical white roof.
Support American jobs. Buy American made, not Korean made with a Chevy badge
So buy a Toyota?
FUG a trucklet
Alex, I CANNOT watch a video with this guy in it. PLEASE!!!
Then go away
What a lost opportunity from Chevrolet. Blazer, the cute ute. Bronco, and Wrangler are real,, and Blazer is a toy. Laughable vehicle. Ford and Jeep get it and as usual GM misses the mark again. They could have made a small sport model and a more competitive hard core like the Bronco and Wrangler. One thing for sure though, they'll sell a bunch, but they totally screwed up here.