2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Trailblazer looks like a mini version of the Chevrolet Blazer midsize crossover, and that’s not a bad thing. It’s got the right amount of SUV toughness without looking like a caricature, while details like the intricate headlight and taillight lighting elements and splashes of dark chrome trim give the Trailblazer a more upscale appearance than many vehicles in this price range.

Activ and RS models get unique styling elements as well. The Activ aims for a more rugged look with a model-specific front fascia incorporating a faux skid plate that Chevy claims enhances ground clearance, plus standard roof rails and chunky Hankook Sport Terrain 17-inch tires. The RS is more boy-racer, with blacked-out exterior trim, a mesh grille, and dual exhaust outlets with chrome tips, along with an optional panoramic sunroof.

The RS and Activ models also get standard contrasting roofs in red, black, or white, depending on the model and exterior colour chosen. The combination of a white roof and Nitro Yellow paint gave our Trailblazer Activ tester a look that was both distinctive and retro, but this feature isn’t unique to Chevy. Contrasting roofs are actually quite popular on subcompact crossovers, with the Hyundai Venue, Kia Seltos, and Nissan Kicks all offering them.

Our Activ test car featured a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat (but no power passenger front seat), along with a mix of copper-toned and sparkly black plastic trim with gray seat inserts, an odd mix of colours and textures that did at least give the otherwise black interior a bit of personality. While the Trailblazer cabin doesn’t scream “outdoor adventure” like some other SUV interiors, design touches like the grab handles around the centre console and the creased look of the dashboard and air vents definitely made it distinctive.

The Trailblazer shares a basic platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX from Chevy’s sibling General Motors brand. A 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine is standard, producing power specs of 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. An optional 1.3-litre turbo-three increases output to 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque.

The 1.2-litre engine is available only with front-wheel drive (FWD), while the 1.3-litre engine can be had with either FWD or all-wheel drive (AWD). An interesting quirk of the Trailblazer and related Encore GX is that you get a different transmission depending on whether you select FWD or AWD. Regardless of engine, FWD models have a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while AWD models have a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Our Trailblazer Activ test car had AWD, meaning it also had the nine-speed automatic and 1.3-litre engine. We experienced the same combination in an Encore GX, but found it more pleasant in the Trailblazer. The throttle didn’t seem to require as much patience as it did in the Buick, with the Chevy providing a decent amount of shove regardless of how it was handled, accompanied by a pleasing exhaust note. The nine-speed automatic’s lack of refinement was more apparent as well, though, with a few rough shifts.

Activ models have dampers tuned for better performance on gravel roads, but they worked fairly well on pavement. The Trailblazer exhibited the body roll typical of a high-riding vehicle not tuned for sporty driving, but it still felt admirably composed and nimble. Ride quality was generally good as well, although we did notice some uncomfortable bouncing over certain road imperfections—possibly the result of that Activ-specific damper tuning.

As with other General Motors crossovers, the Trailblazer has a selectable AWD system, meaning you have to press a button to switch from FWD to AWD. It’s worth noting that most competitor systems do this automatically, which is the better way. You can’t always anticipate when you will need the extra traction, and we’d also be concerned about forgetting to engage AWD even when we meant to.

The Trailblazer also gets Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes. We didn’t get a chance to test out Snow mode, and while Chevy claims Sport mode changes “steering effort and shifting,” we didn’t notice much of a difference. And even with the Activ model’s chunkier tires and off-road styling, we wouldn’t advise taking a Trailblazer on anything rougher than a dirt road.

The Trailblazer is one of the smallest SUVs on sale today, but it’s still a substantial vehicle. It’s 8.6 centimetres wider than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer four-door that marked the first appearance of the Trailblazer name, and stands about 2.5 cm taller. The S-10 Blazer was almost 25 cm longer than today’s Trailblazer, but the Trailblazer’s wheelbase—the area that benefits passenger space the most—is about 7.5 cm longer, demonstrating the packaging efficiencies of modern crossover SUVs.

Compared to its rivals, the 2023 Trailblazer offers decent utility. It matches the Kia Seltos on front and rear headroom, with figures that are among the most generous in the segment. Legroom is mid-pack, however, although the Trailblazer does handily beat the Hyundai Kona in that metric. The Chevy also offers more rear legroom than its Buick Encore GX platform mate, as well as slightly more headroom in both rows. The rear seats themselves felt comfortable enough for normal use, but the relatively flat cushions made long road trips in the back row an unattractive prospect.

The Trailblazer’s 716 litres of cargo space with the second-row seats in place and 1,540 litres with the 60/40-split folding second row folded are respectable figures for the segment, albeit behind the Kia Seltos. The Honda HR-V, which was redesigned for the 2023 model year, offers slightly less cargo space with the rear seats up, but slightly more with the rear seats folded.

Regardless, buyers used to more traditional SUVs might need to adjust expectations. A weekend’s worth of luggage for three people pushed the limits of the Trailblazer’s cargo capacity. Subcompact SUVs like the Trailblazer also don’t offer the towing capacity of their more traditional brethren—the Trailblazer is only rated to tow 454 kilograms (1,000 pounds).

When it comes to stowing smaller items up front, designers made the most of relatively limited space by including both a covered storage bin and a deep tray, plus the expected cupholders and phone storage tray, which should be able to accommodate even the biggest phones. The Trailblazer also has a small carve-out above the dashboard, but we’re unsure of its function. Any items left on it will likely go flying straight into the front passenger’s face if the driver brakes hard.

The standard infotainment system includes a 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. An 8-inch touchscreen, 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen, navigation, a Bose audio system, rear-seat USB ports, and wireless phone charging are optional.

Even with those optional features, the Trailblazer likely won’t satisfy the most tech-savvy buyers. The optional touchscreen is still relatively small by current standards, and a fully digital instrument cluster isn’t available. For everyone else, though, the Trailblazer should be more than adequate.

We didn’t find ourselves asking for a larger touchscreen. The 8-inch unit is perfectly sized for the Trailblazer’s dashboard, without any usability penalties. The available screen space left plenty of room for large, easy-to-read graphics and logical menus. No major functions require more than one or two touchscreen taps.

Similarly, the combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges was a good way to convey information that wouldn’t necessarily be improved by an all-digital setup. GM designers also include some smart touches, including a person-shaped icon for the standard pedestrian-detection system and an indicator for the engine start/stop system in the tachometer, that aid comprehension.

Standard safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking (with pedestrian detection), lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system aimed at giving parents more control over young drivers. Optional driver assist features include blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control.

The Trailblazer was named a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)—the organization’s highest safety rating. The Chevy received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests and high marks for front-crash prevention tech. The optional LED headlights received a “Good” score, but the standard halogen headlights were only rated “Average.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2023 Trailblazer a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in the frontal and side crash-test categories, and four stars in rollover crash testing.

Natural Resources Canada fuel economy ratings for the 2023 Trailblazer are 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving, 7.6 on the highway, and 7.8 combined for 1.2-litre FWD models, 8.1 L/100 km city, 7.2 hwy, and 7.7 combined for 1.3-litre FWD models, and 8.9/7.8/8.4 for 1.3-litre AWD models.

We averaged 9.4 L/100 km over a week of driving in our 1.3-litre AWD test car—a bit higher than the NRCan ratings. It’s not a great showing considering the many different features aimed at maximizing fuel economy, including the tiny engine, nine-speed transmission, and the use of an engine start/stop system.

Chevy provides a three-year, 60,000-kilometre, bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and five-year, 100,000-kilometre, powertrain limited warranty.

Pricing starts at $24,548 for a base Trailblazer LS, which is only available with the smaller 1.2-litre engine and FWD (a mandatory $1,995 destination charge is extra). The mid-tier Trailblazer LT trim starts at $26,248 and adds the options of AWD and the 1.3-litre engine for an extra charge. The Trailblazer Activ and RS trims both start at $30,848.

Our test car also had a few options, including the Technology Package (which adds the 8-inch screen, Bose audio system, wireless phone charging, and adaptive cruise control, among other features), Convenience Package (single-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear USB ports), Driver Confidence Package (blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, rear cross traffic alert), and Nitro Yellow Metallic paint, which brings the Canadian as-tested MSRP to $34,333 before destination and other fees. That’s a pretty good value in today’s market.

The Trailblazer competes in a crowded segment, but distinctive styling, a decently practical interior, and relatively affordable pricing help it stand out.

Note: Images show a US model.