Just test drove it today. It's a solid car. The 155hp engine has pep and A LOT of torque. The acceleration is faster than my 2018 Cruz. The suspension is not bumpy, that is a LIE. And it's quieter than my Cruz. The turbo is more responsive and linear than the Cruz, accelerating is smoother. 0-60 is slow-ish, but it's not a sports car. A little too much plastic, but there are options. . .Too much hate for this vehicle. One thing that bothered me is the seat's forward and rear adjustment "throw", it's too short. Seat needs to move back more. Breaking is good. Again, it's a solid vehicle. It's not a BMW M series and it's not a shit box. Also, I went to a Subaru dealership. GARBAGE customer service, opposite of Chevy. They treated me like I was middle class trying to by a Ferrari. NEVER got the chance to test drive the Crosstrack, YET. Next week I will give another dealership one more shot.
Weird when I was shopping for a car and went to a subaru dealer I had the same experience. We didnt end up test driving the subarus we just sat in them all in the dealer while everyone who worked there completely ignored us. I am curious about the suspension in the trail blazer because I saw another video where someone else said the same thing "People keep saying about how stiff the suspension is but this is fine to me". We ended up getting a hyundai palaside. My wife loves it but I hate it. It drives like an overweight car not an suv and the awd system is trash. Cuts power as soon as you lose grip. Whats the point of having all 4 wheels if you don't let them spin.
@@ThatOneVideo1 I have experienced other suspensions... but I am curious what you would compare this too. If you are comparing a badlands bronco sport or jeep compass trailhawk thats priced like 5-10k over this. In the Activ trim this car has an msrp of 28k. That is where the bronco sport is priced to start. If you want a badlands you are looking at 36k. The jeep compass starts at 26 for the base model and by the time you hit trailhawk you are talking 34. Price wise the Chevy is closer to the renegade and the escape or eco sport which makes since because it is supposed to replace the trax in the lineup. I will happily admit that this awd system is not as good as the other vehicles too but again thats why chevy priced it so low.
If GM tried as hard as FCA did with the Renegade Trailhawk's off-road capability, the Chevrolet Trailblazer Active might be more-compelling. The ground clearance is above-average at 8.0 inches, and having actual metal underbody protection is above the competition, but... ...they didn't make it as compelling as a Rengade Trailhawk. They half-assed it, and it's good at nothing.
@@AWDfreak I think you and everybody else is missing the point of this. If you want a full on off roader, get a 4x4 that rides like ass on the road and gets 15mpg. The reality is most people drive on the road all the time hence this thing getting 30+ combined mpg with a tiny engine so if you want to go camping once a month or live somewhere with occasional bad weather, this can do that as well, far better than sedans and many economy SUVs, and back on Monday for a normal commuting experience.
@@adamc6371 A crossover vehicle that comes with actual skid plates and a trim level named "Activ" should be better than this. Jeep crossover vehicles aren't real off-road vehicles, but they still do remarkably-well when tackling unpaved rough terrain. I will concede this will be a nice middle-ground vehicle for those looking for a crossover vehicle in the size-class that omits the fuel efficiency penalty that the Jeep Trailhawk-badged crossovers have, without being as useless off-road as Honda's smaller crossover offerings. However, I will still stand by my belief that a vehicle trim that touts unpaved capability as a significant selling point must deliver an acceptable level of capability that outdoorsy and adventurous consumers demand.
Is there any reason why someone would pay $30k for this when something like the Forester Sport (a roomier, capable, more efficient CUV) is hovering at the same price?
Could be because I got 9k$ worth of discounts and only paid just over $20k out the door. Oh BTW I am averaging 33mpg over the first 3k mostly hwy miles. (I have the LT AWD trim level). This is a great little SUV.
I actually like the growl of the 3 cylinder vs a typical 4 cylinder. Also feels more free reving with less rotating mass. Would be a great engine in a small car like the sonic, too bad that got canceled.
Ryan, I wish GM would bring back the Tracker subcompact, body-on-frame 4X4 built with a credible partner. To be fair, I have to give this Chevy Tailbuster® credit for that forward-folding front passenger seat. Every hatch, wagon, CUV, minivan and SUV should have that incredibly useful feature. The two-tone paint is also nice.
That credible partner would be Suzuki--who has now given us the well-reviewed Jimny, which could fit the bill as a new Tracker, since they made the original Escudo that GM sold as the re-badged Chevrolet Tracker.
I like how brutally honest you are about each vehicle. At least you’re not trying to suck up to car companies that actually watch your videos. That would be a decent trail beater for some thing like a easy to mild trail. Honestly Chevy could’ve done a lot better. At least this test run will be a good lesson to them.
Just a sad world we're living in. Ordered a BMW 220i Coupe yesterday before it goes out of production. Last properly engineered car (Leipzig made) not filled with electric everything when specced right.
Seems like after watching reviews from TFL and Engine Sports, the AWD system seems to work better on this than in the Subaru, Hyundai, or Kia models it competes against.
Honestly, for what it is, the only real issues I had with the couple of Trailblazers I drove was the lack of a height adjustable passenger seat and the gear-selection buttons on the gear shift being right beside my leg. I'm a very tall (all torso) guy, and while I found the driver's seat pretty comfy, even my average height/build brother looked crammed and too high up in the passenger seat and I was afraid I'd constantly being hitting the gear selection with my thigh. I didn't love the one-zone AC, but it wasn't a deal breaker like the other two. If you and your passengers aren't on the larger side and need a decent looking SUV-styled hatchback, it's a decent option.
Same price for a Tucson Hybrid SEL trim but it's larger with more technology. Only took me a week and a test drive of a Rav4 prime, Trailblazer, Blazer, ID.4, to see the Tucson was a no brainer choice. I still kinda like the look of the Trailblazer just because it looks like a Range Rover
I have a feeling that over the next few years, they probably will. Just gathering money from these previous years and building up a fan base with the Trailblazer, to then one day introduce something that is in line with something like the Colorado Trailboss.
This car gets a lot of negative attention, but there are almost always significant incentives and discounts. It’s not that bad of a car by any means. I’ve driven far worse. If you can get a really good deal I feel like it’s more justifiable. Mine does everything I need it to. The engine actually has a nice sound to it despite being a little on the slow side. It might not actually excel in anything, but for the average consumer I feel like it’s good enough.
I actually prefer the trailblazer to my ram rebel, for trips through the mountains and to the beach, but any off roading I'm taking my truck. Also the trailblazer is more comfortable on sandy beaches, than most vehicles I've taken including jeep rubicons.
I really like the Trailblazer and Encore GX. I like the uniqueness off the 3 cylinder engines. I have owned two cars with 3 cylinder engines, a 2015 Mitsubishi Mirage ES CVT and a 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 SE CVT and I loved them and the superb 40’s - 50’s mpg’s they got. Now they had much less horsepower than the Trailblazer as my 15 Mirage had 74 horsepower and weighed 2,051 lbs and my 17 Mirage G4 had 78 horsepower and weighed 2,194 lbs. But still I loved the 3 cylinders. I think the Trailblazer is a lil pricey for its size and the Encore GX (platform mate) especially is in top trim loaded up with option pacgaes, which there are a ton. But I like this Trailblazer Activ trim and the Trailblazer RS trim is sharp to especially in the beautiful Oasis Blue. However the RS trim definitely rides rougher and has larger wheels and thinner sidewalls than the Activ trim. However I would consider this SUV as my next vehicle. I currently have a 2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SEL Touring with S-AWC and will trade/upgrade in less than a year. Well actually we have 2 identical ones and 1 is Red Diamond in color and the other one is Octane Blue. I will more than likely go with a 2022 Eclipse Cross SEL Touring again but would consider this! But its missing a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, 360 degree camera (which I love), and power folding mirrors all of which my Eclipse Cross has. Now the Encore GX you can get most all these features but I like the styling of the Trailblazer better and to get all this on the Encore GX it would be a few thousand more than a top trim Eclipse Cross that is a larger more substantial vehicle. Plus Mitsubishi is know for its large discounts as when we purchased ours new in 2019 we got around $7,000.00 off MSRP and my Dad bought a new 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SE with S-AWC several months back and he oddly enough got around $7,000.00 off his MSRP. Cant beat it and the 10 year warranty plus all our Mitsubishis have been trouble free and no issues with the CVT’s in any of ours. Nor have our several friends and family members who own them and we all take good care of our vehicles and do all required maintenance. The girl from work has a 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer with the 2.4L engine with a CVT and it has over 160,000 miles now I believe and still has its original CVT and no issues. She has done CVT fluid changes every 60,000 miles she says. We have got all our Mitsubishis from Renn Kirby Mitsubishi in Frederick Md. Now the 2022 Eclipse Cross adds even more features in top trim than my 2019 top trim has such as built in Navigation, power passenger seat and more. Plus I love that the pano roof in the Eclipse Cross is in 2 parts inside and the rear passenger has their own control to have the shade open or closed, our 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport GT had the large full glass roof and when the shade was open it was just over powering with the sun and heat and I preferred it closed, where in the Eclipse Cross I always have the front and rear shades open and even have the front part opened and back for fresh air and its perfect. Also its super quiet cruising on the highway and the turbo engine and cvt are smooth, peppy and work well together. My one complain would be the ride is a little stiff over hard bumps but in normal and highway driving its good. But with the 2022 they improved the suspension, shocked, damping, tuning and added some chassis support in the rear so it is super smooth now, refined and more tied down. Watching this it sounds like the Trailblazer is a little rough riding in this trim too and noisy at speed from what he says. Maybe the Encore GX is smoother and quieter as Buick runs with that and from reviews you see it seems to be quite and decent riding. I really like the Subaru CrossTrek Limited but again it’s missing alot of the features in top trim that I have now and want again but are unavailable. I also love the new Hyundai Kona and it looks amazing and is truly a great vehicle but the holdback with it is the very small interior. I will be interested to see how the new Toyota Corolla Cross does when it is released. In the end there are so many choices out there in the Subcompact and CompactCUV/SUV field and each one has its ups and downs and each one has its own intended audience. There is no bad vehicles today they are just each different and you really have to choose whats right for your needs. Do you prefer boxy or swoopy, do you need 2wd or awd, what features do you want or need, is power or a smooth ride more important, do you hate or like a CVT’s, is good gas milage a priority or not, and so on. Again its all in personal choice, when ai bought my Eclipse Cross after looked and driving the competition it fit all my wants and needs and I couldn’t be happier with it and how it performs. Overall I think the Trailblazer is a cool lil SUV and obviously so do a shitload of other people as its selling like hot cakes lol.
@@GhostlyVisage04 well, that's one point actually, the smaller the engine the higher the ponies more is the stress it suffers and higher the chances of it just splitting in half
3-cylinder engines are becoming the norm in these smaller cars. Not sure what to think about that, but I am worried they are designed and intended to be throw-away engines. Would like to see how these do long-term.
Lmao. Yup it happened. I grew older and the high flying off roader is now the guy in the trailblazer LT. Picked it up yesterday. It’s not the off-road truck an avid off-road person would buy. It’s my go to work truck. Great on fuel and it’s got what I need. No! Not my 99’ blazer at all. My old truck was a mo it’s in goat.
I will tell you what I would choose......I would choose exactly what I have, and am enjoying. That is the 2020 Subaru Outback XT. I had an opportunity to drive a 2021 Toyota 4 Runner that a friend had rented while his Honda was in the body shop getting repaired. I know the 4 Runner is a good quality and rugged vehicle and will do more than my Outback. However I am not into rock crawling and the off road places I trek are pretty tame. My Outback does very well, thank you. But boy !! When it comes to drive ability........my Outback literally kicks ass over the 4 Runner for overall ride, handling, power and for me....I am 68 years old now and getting in and out of my Outback, at least for me, is way easier than the 4 Runner. Being a 4 wheel drive PU owner for the last 38 years I do like the seated height of the 4 Runner but for me that's it. The 4 Runner is not nearly as driveable as my Outback. And with my turbo charged 2.4 liter engine I can run circles around the 4 Runner, and get approx. 60 % better fuel mileage. Well, that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it ! Signed, Doug.
I just like watching Ryan's reviews just because. My 23 year old sister has one of these and I've driven it and I know how cheap and dull it feels. My 04 2.5 Subaru Impreza 5speed with 163hp has way more balls and better mpg, I've gotten 32mpg easily. She recently got in a minor side swipe accident and got the car repaired but it was never the same after. The car pulled to one side and would get wicked death wobble at 35mph. She traded it in for a Crosstrek LIKE I TOLD HER and she's been way happier.
I just bought one of these. I own a Hummer H2 that sees just as much off-road use as on and I wanted a small everyday vehicle that can make it to friends or relatives homes that live off of dirt roads that are almost trails. This thing is great, 30+mpg, ride is good and I can make it to where I want to go. For the dunes, washes or other desert terrain though, im driving the Hummer.
It’s a good light off roader, dirt roads light rocky terrain etc. it’s not a Jeep and that’s the point it’s more comfortable sacrificing some off road capabilities for daily comfort and convenience.
He keeps saying it’s really small. It doesn’t look or feel small to me. I guess if your comparing it to a suburban or expedition, then yeah it’s small. But it’s a good size to me. Bigger than the Compass, Rav-4, and Ecosport.
The only thing I keep thinking, is while it's not bad, for 30k I'd rather spend that on a Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. More power, and AWD standard, among other features of course
followed one of those (same color) for a bit today - it's bigger than I was expecting, not a bad looking rig. Interesting that power is from a bitsy little turbo.
What only 30mpg hwy from a tiny 3 cylinder? My much bigger 2018 subaru outback with the 2.5 4 cylinder is rated at 32mpg hwy and that's with subarus permanent awd....so what's going on here?
My Crosstrek would get like 25mpg. The outback is worse. Crosstrek is underpowered and heavy with bad fuel eco and the outback with the good motor takes premium
Them saying they are going all electric is the biggest nightmare to me. I very well may be going to dodge since they seem to have it figured out with throwing the hellcat engine in everything. I always liked chevy, but I do not want an electric vehicle. Definitely not an electric truck anyway.
I think the activ will do poorly compared to lower trims I’ve driven them and it handles on the road but I would never do anything serious with off-roading in this vehicle. I think it more competes with a eco sport than a bronco sport and definitely not a regular bronco which many seem to be comparing it to. This fills a spot which the fiesta and spark used to fill.
I'm a 2 decade Chevy Silverado owner, now loaded LTZ hd Silverado owner and owned a Malibu in 2012. This is a disaster on wheels!!! Cheaply made, just to put a higher lifted hatchback box to add with all the others. Your better then this GM
Just an FYI, but Teen Driver is not Chevy exclusive. Cadillac offers Teen Driver on the XT4. I imagine there are other brands/models in GM's lineup that also have it.
I think 3 cylinders will take some getting used to but for me, I'd prefer a quieter ride on longer drives. I'm definitely not interested in off-roading. Is there a quiet vehicle in this class?
Really hate Chevy seems to have missed an opportunity to resurrect the Blazer/Trailblazer nameplates in the same manner as Ford with their upcoming Bronco variants - that Trailblazer looks ok but seems like an Encore without the “luxurious appointments.” - Great review as always though.
I really like the looks of this, especially in the dark gold and black paint. But, after watching several videos, I think it's a lot of money for what you get. I would like to keep my 2020 4runner, I bought new in Dec 2019, but the $707 / month for 2 yrs is killing me and I have 5 more years to go on a retirement salary. It only has 9,100 miles on it. I've been looking at everything for 3 months on youtube and the internet.
I do like that it has a button for the awd, I just like having a button or levee rather than just automated. Outside of that this thing is not worthy of the blazer nameplate
Hello Driving Sports TV team . Looking forward for great content in all future videos. Please review some of these new cars with your "Litmus Test" 1. JEEP WAGONEER 2. GRAND JEEP WAGONEER. 3. VW TAOS. Would guys consider the cadillac in our tests?
I would believe this but... i own a 2021 TB and I live in Alaska & have taken it out on glacial silt mixed with a bunch of loose rock & haven't had the issue your having... and mine is an LS
fast forward to 2024 model chevy tb activ this vehic.le is intended for light off road duty/commuter.the 0-60 times are on par with your subaru crosstek with the updated 182 hp engine.i detect some bias and subjectivity in the review.otw mostly informative yet not impartial.
Crosstrek with the 2.0L is 9.2 seconds 0-60...so this thing is right next to its main competitor. Obviously you can get the Crosstrek with the 2.5, but that is a bit more expensive than this Chevy.
why would a CVT crosstrek be better than Trailblazer ,this 9 speed is similar to GM 10 speed, im pretty sure the 3 cylinder is better with 236 NM vs 197 NM.
make it into full size real 4x4 and rear lock and guess what u got a winner notice that with lot of car makers the small ones looks really good would look even better full size .
Nice review as always Ryan. The 3 cyclinders engine is a deal breaker for this vehicle and I really think it was a missed opportunity for GMC to not do something similar to the Bronco/Bronco sport combo with the Blazer/Trailblazer.
I own one. This little motor makes pretty good torque at low RPMs. if you didn't know it was a 3cyl and were riding in it, you would think it was a 4cyl turbo. Its pretty zippy and the trans is very good at picking the right gear.
They did not intend for this vehicle to do this lol.. maybe a dirt two track to get you to a camp site. Nice to know that it's capable as you showed, but definitely not the mission of this car
Chev. Get your crap together. I k ow this is the Trailblazer. But they screwed the pooch with the Blazer. Ford gave us the well, is trying to). Dodge brought back the Power Wagon (HELL YEAH). Chev....gave us a cross-over that is a slid g door away from a minivan! BUT I can get a gimmicky tailgate that nobody asked for.
I wouldn't even bother with this vehicle off roading these trails? But seems a very simple and capable small SUV for everyday use? In it's class 😉? As good as anything else in its class 😉🐱 ?
