After launching the new Trax, Chevy has given a nip and tuck to the similarly sized TrailBlazer, offering revised styling, new shades and wheel designs, and bigger displays inside. These changes should make it more attractive and relevant for buyers in the subcompact SUV segment while keeping the same mechanicals. Here’s a closer look at what’s new.
Powered by Two Engine Choices
Accessible in four trim levels – LS, LT, Activ, and RS – the 2024 Trailblazer offers two engine choices. The standard 1.2L inline-three is turbocharged, which generates 137 horsepower (102 kilowatts) and 162 pound-feet (220 Newton-meters) of torque. The power goes to the front wheels via a Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT).
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If you are looking for extra oomph, you can have the new Trailblazer with a 1.3L turbocharged three-cylinder, yielding 155 hp (116 kW) and 174 lb-ft (236 Nm). This engine pairs with either CVT in the front-wheel-drive layout or a nine-speed automatic with an all-wheel-drive configuration. It sets the TrailBlazer apart from its sibling, the Trax, which is more affordable but accessible only with a 1.2L engine, six-speed automatic gearbox, and FWD layout.
Fuel ratings:
- 1.2L Turbo Engine (FWD): 29 mpg city / 31 mpg highway / 30 mpg combined.
- 1.3L Turbo Engine (FWD): 29 mpg city / 33 mpg highway / 31 mpg combined.
- 1.3L Turbo Engine (AWD): 26 mpg city / 29 mpg highway / 27 mpg combined.
Improved Interior Tech and Revised Styling
Chevy has refreshed its exterior looks with new grilles, bumpers, headlights, and taillights, and it offers two new exterior paints – Copper Harbor Metallic and Cacti Green. The RS model stands out in the lineup with its blacked-out exterior accents, distinct mesh grille, a couple of exhaust pipes with chrome tops, 19-inch wheels, etc. The Activ has distinctive tires, shocks, and dampers to boost off-road performance.
Exterior dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 103.9 inches
- Length: 173.5 inches
- Width: 71.2 inches
- Height: 65.2 inches (LS, LT, ACTIV FWD); 65.3 inches (RS FWD); 65.7 inches (LS, LT, ACTIV, RS AWD)
Bigger Screens, Smarter Tech, and More Practicality
The automaker has also upgraded the infotainment display from a not-big-enough 7 inches to a commanding 11 inches, allowing wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The driver’s display has also grown from 4.2 inches to 8 inches. All of this is a fairly big step up up even from the 2021 Trailblazer interior.
The bare essentials, such as push-button start and cruise control, come standard. And if you need to charge your phone on the go, the option for a wireless charger is available on the LT, Activ, and RS models. Folding the front passenger seat allows you to accommodate items up to 8.5 feet in length (with the rear seats collapsed). The 60/40 split of rear seats give you a total cargo capacity of 54.4 cubic feet.
Interior dimensions:
- Headroom: 40 inches (front without sunroof); 38.3 inches (front with sunroof); 38.4 inches (rear without sunroof); 36.8 inches (rear with sunroof)
- Legroom: 40.9 inches front, 39.4 inches rear
- Shoulder space: 55.4 inches front, 53.8 inches rear
- Hip space: 52.3 inches front, 50.39 inches rear
The latest Chevy Safety Assist is the standard affair across the lineup, featuring automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane keep assist with lane departure alert, following distance indicator, intellibeam auto high beam control, and more. The adaptive cruise control is an optional feature.
Courtesy of all the changes mentioned above, Chevy has increased the base price of the 2024 Trailblazer by $1000. It starts at $24,395 and goes as high as $28,395 for the high-end trims. The new model should hit dealerships sometime in fall 2023.
