Are Chevy Trailblazers Any Good? Here's What Owners Of The SUV Have To Say

The name "Trailblazer" has meant different things at different times. It began life in the late '90s as a luxury trim level for the Chevrolet Blazer, but soon became a standalone model in 2001 after GM decided to offer it as a midsize SUV. Based on a pickup truck platform, the SUV was immediately very popular, moving over 115,000 units in its first year. Sales reached over 283,000 units in 2004 and remained strong until the Trailblazer was taken off sale after the 2009 model year.

Fast-forward to 2020 and the Trailblazer nameplate returned to U.S. showrooms with plenty to offer but represented something of a departure. Unlike the original model, which had a truck-style chassis, the new Chevrolet Trailblazer was built on a smaller car-based frame, effectively making it a crossover SUV. Predictably, hardcore fans who had long held the rugged first-gen model in affection were upset by this, as they felt the new SUV abandoned its body-on-frame roots. One Reddit user explained: "they took the name from a cool legacy vehicle and made it into a generic crossover like everything else on the road." In certain aspects, the criticisms are valid. But even with its unibody construction, smaller engines, and smaller print versus its forebear, the crossover Trailblazer offers some redeeming qualities.

Today, the crossover Trailblazer is one of the Chevrolet SUVs you can buy new, with pricing starting at $24,890 (including a $1,395 destination charge). But is it a good SUV for the money, or a good SUV on its own? We wanted you to hear directly from owners who have used the second-gen Trailblazer on a daily basis, like you probably plan to. So we've scoured the internet to unearth their opinion on the subcompact crossover.

In contrast to the constant hate it gets from non-owners in online comment sections, most owners actually consider the second-gen Chevy Trailblazer a good SUV and are seemingly happy with their purchase. Posting on the Chevy subreddit, u/That_Car_Enthusiast said: "I absolutely love my 2024 Trailblazer Activ. I looked at literally every competing car, and the Trailblazer was the best value for the features I wanted, drove really well, reliable, and gets great gas mileage... If I were to buy a new car right now, I'd go right back to the Trailblazer."

Over at the Trailblazer Forum, owner, Shogunmark wrote: "I have had my '21 RS AWD for about 20 months, just over 18k miles and I have had zero issues with mine. The only time it's been to the dealer was for maintenance, and the recall for the plastic jack. But that's it. It's been a solid car." And, while others have taken issue with its underpowered engine and slow acceleration, a good number feel the SUV's power output is adequate, particularly when equipped with the available 1.3-liter three-cylinder.

That engine generates 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque — up from 137 hp and 162 lb-ft for the base turbo 1.2-liter three-cylinder — and propels the small SUV from 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds, according to Car and Driver's testing of a 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS AWD. "I think the power is adequate for everyday use and if anything it's very zippy around town," says Forum member, ZR2LIFE. However, owners have also complained about experiencing common Chevy Trailblazer problems such as reduced engine power, electrical problems, and brake issues.

The Chevy Trailblazer brings a decent list of modern SUV features, even in its base trim. The entry-level LS grade offers an 11-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an 8-inch digital gauge cluster display, wireless Apple CarPlay Android Audio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The SUV also comes with driver-assistance features such as lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and pedestrian detection.

As you'd expect, higher trims have varying levels of nicer equipment. These range from a power driver's seat to heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and synthetic leather upholstery. Buyers wanting more can further equip the subcompact SUV with optional extras like adaptive cruise control, a wireless smartphone charger, panoramic power sunroof, and a power liftgate.

As for the transmission and drivetrain, Chevy Trailblazers come standard with a continuously variable automatic (CVT), but can be had with an available nine-speed automatic. Similarly, the small SUV can be equipped with either front- or all-wheel drive. Per the EPA, Trailblazer models with the 1.3-liter turbo engine and CVT deliver the most fuel economy at 31 mpg combined; that dips slightly to 27 mpg when you opt for the nine-speed automatic. The 1.2-liter engine, meanwhile, averages 30 mpg when fed regular gasoline and 22 mpg in E85 versions.