2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2024 Chevrolet Trax

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer was reminiscent of a mini version of the Chevrolet Blazer midsize crossover, exuding a balanced SUV toughness without veering into caricature territory. Its intricate headlight and taillight elements, along with dark chrome trim, lent it an upscale appearance uncommon in its price range. The Activ and RS models boasted unique styling cues, with the Activ featuring a rugged front fascia and roof rails, while the RS sported blacked-out trim and dual exhaust outlets. The contrasting roof options in red, black, or white added a distinctive touch, especially when paired with vibrant exterior colours like Nitro Yellow. Inside, the Trailblazer's cabin was a mix of leatherette upholstery and copper-toned accents, offering a unique personality despite its predominantly black interior.

In contrast, the 2024 Chevrolet Trax underwent a significant transformation, shedding its predecessor's dowdy image. The design mantra of "longer, lower, wider" was evident, with the Trax being 28 cm longer, 10 cm lower, and 5 cm wider than before. It borrowed styling elements from the midsize Chevy Blazer, such as a gaping grille and pronounced rear body steps, giving it a commanding presence. The Trax's LS models featured 17-inch steel wheels, while higher trims offered 18-inch and 19-inch aluminum options. The Activ and RS trims aimed for rugged and sporty aesthetics, respectively, with subtle faux skid plate trim and blacked-out accents. Inside, the Trax's interior was designed with a slim dashboard, freestanding touchscreen, and large air vents, maintaining functionality while offering a modern look.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer shared its platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX, featuring a standard 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. An optional 1.3-litre turbo-three increased output to 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. The 1.2-litre engine was available only with front-wheel drive (FWD), while the 1.3-litre engine offered both FWD and all-wheel drive (AWD) options. FWD models came with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), whereas AWD models had a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Trailblazer Activ test car, equipped with AWD and the 1.3-litre engine, provided a decent amount of power and a pleasing exhaust note, although the nine-speed automatic exhibited some rough shifts. The Activ model's dampers were tuned for gravel roads but performed well on pavement, offering a composed and nimble ride despite some body roll.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax, on the other hand, featured a single engine choice—a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Despite the smaller engine, Chevy estimated the new Trax was quicker to 100 km/h by about a second compared to its predecessor. The engine's flat torque curve provided strong response, and turbo lag was minimal. The Trax retained the previous generation's six-speed automatic transmission and was available only with FWD, differentiating it from the AWD-capable Trailblazer. The Trax's handling was tuned to be more car-like, with a wider track for a planted feel. It exhibited predictable and nimble handling, reminiscent of small hatchbacks, while active noise cancellation enhanced refinement.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, though one of the smallest SUVs available, offered substantial interior space. It was 8.6 cm wider and 2.5 cm taller than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer, with a wheelbase 7.5 cm longer, enhancing passenger space. The Trailblazer matched the Kia Seltos in headroom and offered more rear legroom than the Hyundai Kona and Buick Encore GX. However, its cargo space of 716 litres with the rear seats up and 1,540 litres with them folded was slightly behind the Kia Seltos. The Trailblazer's interior featured clever storage solutions, including a covered storage bin and a deep tray, although its cargo capacity was limited for larger loads.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax, while larger overall, didn't uniformly translate to increased interior space. It offered 7.6 cm more rear-seat legroom and a slight increase in front-seat legroom, but headroom decreased by 1.7 cm in the second row. The Trax's passenger space was comparable to rivals like the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue, with the most rear legroom among them. The Trax's cargo space increased by about 12% to 725 litres with the rear seats up and 1,532 litres with them folded, slightly surpassing the Kicks but significantly more than the Venue.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. An 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a Bose audio system, and wireless phone charging were optional. While the Trailblazer's tech features were adequate for most buyers, the optional touchscreen was relatively small by current standards. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with large graphics and logical menus, and the combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges conveyed information effectively.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax saw significant infotainment upgrades, with an 8-inch touchscreen standard on LS and 1RS trims, and an 11-inch touchscreen and 8-inch digital instrument cluster on LT, 2RS, and Activ models. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless phone charging, were available for the first time. The Trax's infotainment system was easy to use, with crisp graphics and a logical menu layout. However, the screen's tilt towards the driver wasn't ideal for passenger use. The optional digital instrument cluster offered a modern design, and information from the main touchscreen could be transferred to it. The Trax also featured multiple USB ports and optional wireless phone charging.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came equipped with standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Trailblazer received a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax's crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable at the time of publication. However, it offered a decent array of driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, automatic high beams, and a following distance indicator. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The Trax also featured the Teen Driver system, providing additional safety measures for young drivers.