2021 Chevy Trailblazer Offers "Undeniable Style, Competitive Price, Loads-of-Fun Driving Personality"

It seems like just a few years ago it was hard to come by a vehicle that had a preferred sense of style, day-to-day functionality, amazing technological features and a satisfyingly low price. As soon as the crossover SUV category roared to life, there were some not-so-good renditions and some that nailed the bullseye right off the bat. One of our vehicles here at Jim Butler Chevy of St. Louis that just keeps getting better is the Trailblazer, and the 2021 model has been met with massive praise while living up to its previous potential.

The Trailblazer sees its spot right in between the Trax and the larger, family-oriented Equinox. Leaving the showroom as the original model in 2009, the Trailblazer was then a mid-size, body-on-frame, very traditional rear-wheel-drive SUV. The all-new 2021 Chevy Trailblazer is a much smaller, front-wheel-drive number that does battle with competitors such as the Kia Seltos, Mazda CX-30, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Toyota CH-R and Nissan Rogue Sport.

In the looks department everything is satisfyingly above par, with a floating roof panel, slim headlights, and cladding on the wheels taking cues from other great SUVs in the running. The RS trim is the best choice for those looking for a sporty and aggressive vibe, boasting blacked-out trim and dual exhaust outlets with rectangular chrome tips. The Activ trim is geared towards those who are getting ready to conquer the wilderness off-road and was the one that the testing staff from Cars.com eagerly got their hands on first to "write home" about. It features uniquely fine-tuned shocks made for rougher roads, heightened ground clearance, shielded underbody and sport-terrain 17-inch all-season tires.

Lurching off-road to explore, camp and climb has become more popular than ever, and customers have been excited to see that the Trailblazer is prepared to go the distance. The testing team then ranked the Activ trim as excellent for its quick steering response, well-dampened ride, and peppy engine. The choices for said engine power are a 1.2-liter, making 127 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque if you want front-wheel-drive, or a 1.3-liter cranking out 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque if you opt for all-wheel drive. The body control and chassis dynamics both were ranked as stellar, and rapid transitions on twisty roads proved to be executed simply. 

During extensive testing, the braking was determined to be a high-quality trait: they proved to be firm and very strong, without being aggressive or overly grippy. There is ample legroom for those in both the front and back seat, with plenty of knee room to spare. The new Mazda CX-30 does not rank nearly as well in this category, and the Trailblazer also has all of the latest electronic goodies such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on some trim levels, as well as a 7-inch touchscreen with an available one-inch upgrade. Now offered as standard equipment are forward automatic emergency braking with front pedestrian detection, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, forward collision alert, follow distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlamps.