When Chevrolet first announced they were bringing back the Trailblazer, I thought this would be an SUV similar in size to the one from the early 2000s I used to see fairly often. To my amazement, what we have here is yet another front-wheel-drive-based subcompact crossover, but its name wasn’t the only blast from the past for me. Firing up this 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS AWD echoed three-cylinder shockwaves of the Geo Metros and Suzuki Swifts of yesteryear, albeit with modern accoutrements and features more befitting of a car being sold in 2024.
Unlike its brawny, body-on-frame predecessor, this Trailblazer is based on GM’s modular VSS unibody architecture that underpins vehicles such as the Buick Encore GX and Chevrolet Trax. Slotting between the Trax and Equinox, Chevrolet has more than its work cut out for them; offerings in this segment are very compelling not just from other manufacturers, but within its own showrooms, too.
Powering this Really Spicy Trailblazer RS is a 1.3-litre turbocharged inline-three, squeezing out 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. Transmitting all those horses to all four wheels is a nine-speed automatic transmission. It’s a night-and-day difference compared to lesser-equipped Trailblazers, which make do with a 1.2L three-cylinder, a CVT, and are front-drive-only. Having sampled this base powertrain in the Trax and Envista ST, we can assuredly say this tester’s powertrain should be the sole option. Despite it being an upgrade, expect a 9.5-second zero-to-100 km/h reality check for when getting onto the highway is your last resort.
Real-world fuel consumption is far from ideal, too, as this turbo-three returned similar combined fuel economy as the larger, V6-powered Blazer we reviewed a couple of years ago. Rated to run on 87-octane fuel at 9.0 L/100 kilometres city, 8.1 highway, and 8.6 combined, I averaged a guzzling 10.5 /100 km during my time with the Trailblazer, even with my attempts to not lay into the throttle. However, the constant stop-and-go traffic I found myself in did not help fuel economy, and the 50-litre fuel tank meant I was able to squeeze out 450 kilometres before the low-fuel light came on. Although the Trailblazer hustles itself around town thanks to all 174 pound-feet available at 1,600 rpm, it works overtime while attempting to pass left-lane hoggers on the highway.
The Trailblazer RS’ light steering is somewhat communicative, but overly sensitive to small inputs. We suggest keeping your Tim Horton’s coffee secure and refrain from having any handheld items while the vehicle is in motion, unless you need to throw banana peels out the window to prevent frantic drivers in your rear view from overtaking you. With your edibles secure, the Trailblazer does an adequate job at being a city dweller with a good turning radius in tight streets and tricky parking lots, even with the 19-inch wheels on our tester. However, the rear suspension easily bottoms out over big bumps and overall ride quality is sacrificed with this tire setup. We suggest going with a lower-spec trim with smaller wheels, if you are really dead-set on a Trailblazer.
The redeeming qualities of this Korean-built Chevy is the interior space. Although this doesn’t get top honours in its class for interior volume, front and rear occupants will never feel that they should have taken the bus or any other mode of transportation. Even for the taller and long legged folk, ingress and egress is fairly manageable, along with surprisingly good shoulder and legroom. Compared to the Trax, the Trailblazer offers more rear headroom thanks to its more boxy design, versus the Trax’s low-slung and athletic look. The cargo area with the rear seats up can hold a generous 716 litres, increasing to 1,540 L with the seats down. Interior sound insulation is surprisingly good at muffling the outside haters at 56.6 dB, shockingly better than the Subaru Crosstrek (59.7 dB) and slightly edging out the Mazda CX-30 (57.1dB).
Since this is a subcompact crossover, hard-touch plastics scattered everywhere are to be expected in this segment. The matte red accents, along with a patterned fabric material spanning the entire dashboard, are nice touches that emit zero glare, which is more than I could say for the sea of piano black trim in the Volkswagen Taos Black Edition. That’s not to say the Trailblazer doesn’t have any, though it’s very sparse and thankfully kept to a minimum. The optional panoramic sunroof lets in a surprising amount of light, making for an even more airy cabin experience. Topping off the interior is black headlining and pillar treatment that gives the Trailblazer a more premium feel.
New for 2024 is an eight-inch digital instrument cluster, and next to it is an 11-inch touchscreen that is more in-line with Chevrolet’s newer infotainment setup, though the processing power and touch inputs were laggy by comparison. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on the RS, though we experienced issues with the music cutting in and out. The optional seven-speaker Bose Audio is equipped in our tester, though I didn’t find any meaningful differences between that and the standard audio system of other Trailblazers.
Budget-conscious consumers may want to look elsewhere, as the Trailblazer has a starting price of $29,733 for the base front-wheel-drive LS model with the not-so-desirable 1.2L turbo-three and CVT. A comparable, base Hyundai Venue can be had for as little as $23,584. Our RS tester with the upgraded 1.3L engine and all-wheel-drive comes in at a whopping $40,074 as-tested. For context, a top-of-the-line Toyota Corolla Cross XSE Hybrid goes for $37,890, and you would save even more money with its 5.5 L/100 km combined fuel economy rating. For context, you can get yourself a top-of-the-line Toyota Corolla Cross XSE Hybrid for $37,890 and save even more money with its 5.5L/100 km real-world combined fuel economy.
Abysmal fuel economy and poor value proposition aside, the 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS AWD is a good vehicle in its own right and not as bad as others make it out to be. Though the Trax offers similar interior cargo and arguably better looks, the Trailblazer counters with optional all-wheel-drive for four-season traction, better rear-seat comfort, and slightly better sound insulation. For those faithful to the Chevrolet brand that refuse to look elsewhere—or maybe want something reminiscent of a Geo Metro but with more spice—this may be the car for you.
