2024 Chevy Trailblazer RS Review

This week we are taking a look at the 2024 Chevy Trailblazer. Size wise, it slots between the Chevy Trax and the Equinox.  It is the next to the least expensive SUV in the Chevy lineup.   

Exterior

My test vehicle is the sporty RS version, which is the top-of-the-line.  It has sharp looking body lines, beautiful 19” wheels, dual exhaust, a rear spoiler, and I love the two-tone paint on the top.

 

 

 

 

Powertrain

Under the hood, it has a 1.3-liter 3-cylinder Turbocharged engine putting out 155-horses and 174-pound feet of torque.  It has a 9-speed automatic.  There is a smaller 3-cylinder available, but it comes with the Continuously Variable Transmission.  This one is also all-wheel drive.

I am sure some people will be concerned about a 3-cylinder engine, but this larger of the two engines, combined with a regular transmission provides plenty of power for entering freeways and such.

Interior

Inside the Trailblazer RS has nice cloth heated seats, limited red stitching around, red accents, and a surprising amount of headroom.

There are easy to read gauges with a configurable driver info center in the middle. The only complaint I have on the gauges is you have to go into the infotainment screen to get to some of the gauges that normally appear right in front of you. I love the flat bottom steering wheel with controls.

 

 

The center console has USB-A and USB-C ports and power ports, a wireless phone charger, a button to turn off the start/stop system, and you can turn on Sport mode.

Above that is the 11” touchscreen that operates the Bose stereo, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a host of apps.

Moving to the back seat, there is decent leg room and good headroom, and it has USBs and a 110-volt power outlet for charging your devices. 

Cargo area is good, the two back seats fold down easily from the cargo area, and if you have something long to carry, the front passenger seat will fold flat also.  With the back seats down, there is an impressive 54.4 cubic feet of cargo room.

 

There is storage in the rear compartment, which also includes a compact temporary spare tire.   

Standard Equipment   

Standard equipment includes keyless entry, power seat, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, front collision alert, the Teen Driver system, and rear seat reminder.

Options

My review vehicle has $4,675 in options, most notable are the Bose stereo, panoramic dual pane moon roof, power lift gate, adaptive cruise control, HD rear camera with cross traffic alert, rear park assist, lane change alert, LED headlamps, and blind spot monitoring.

Ride and Drive

The Trailblazer surprised me with good acceleration, a good ride, and responsive steering.  There is a little more road noise than I like, but this is common in subcompact SUVs.

Fuel Economy and MSRP

Fuel economy is terrific at 26 in town and 29 on the highway.  MSRP on this top-of-the-line, super loaded SUV is $34,670.

Verdict 

It is easy to see why this Korean-built SUV is one of the fastest-selling vehicles in America.