Chevy is working hard to plunk an SUV or crossover into every hair-splitting category it can create. The upcoming Trailblazer – which will be not at all like the Blazer, by the way – was announced earlier this year as a rig that will slot into the sliver of space between the Trax and Equinox. We’ve snuck a look at GM’s fleet order guide for 2021 to learn exactly what this pint-sized bowtie will offer customers when it hits showrooms next year.
There will be a quartet of trims in Canada, starting with LS and LT before moving on to Activ and RS models. Only the two entry-level trims will be available with front-wheel drive, with power going to all four wheels as an option. This differs from America where there will also be a fleet-special L trim and front-drive models available across the board.
Noise has been rightly made about Trailblazer’s selection of diminutive engines. Front-wheel-drive Trailblazer models will get a 1.2L turbo mill making a GM-estimated 132 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque according to the fleet guide. This is the first time we have any sort of concrete power number for the little 1.2L engine. All-wheel drive models are to be equipped with the 1.3L turbo making 155 ponies and 174 lb-ft of twist.
The 1.2L will be lashed to a continuously variable transmission while the 1.3L will dance with a nine-speed automatic. These three-bangers are the first tri-pots to be sold by GM since the 1.0L Metro all those years ago. Both the 1.2L and 1.3L are said to be based on common architecture; and, while new to our market, variants of them have been in use overseas for about the last five years.
On the safety front, plenty of nannies will show up as standard equipment on Canadian-market Trailblazers. Automatic emergency braking is on all models, as is front pedestrian braking, but adaptive cruise control is an option on LT/Activ/RS. The latter two trims will find adaptive cruise bundled in a Tech Package that also installs the likes of a Bose premium audio system and wireless charging and jazzy LED headlamps. Note to GM: if your intent is to attract younger buyers with this thing, those types of features need to be standard. It’s worth noting that even normal cruise control is an option on base LS rigs.
Chevy promises unique tires and shock tuning for the Activ and a revised front fascia to improve ground clearance. However, the fleet guide shows identical measures for every all-wheel-drive Trailblazer at 8.0 inches. It is possible that a fascia with a more jaunty angle could improve its approach angle, a measure not listed here.
GM is providing a funky palette of colours for the Trailblazer, including a fabulously named Zeus Bronze that is only available on Activ models. Scarlet Red and Oasis Blue promise to give the RS a bit of zing as well. Wheels will either be 17- or 18-inch, depending on model.
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