2021 Chevy Trailblazer Review

Slotting in between the tiny Chevy Trax and larger Equinox, the new 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is one of the latest entrants in the burgeoning subcompact crossover class. The Trailblazer name has been absent since 2009 in the U.S. In many ways, this reboot follows the same playbook of the larger Blazer SUV that Chevy reintroduced last year.

For starters, the Trailblazer is similar to the Blazer in that it has hardly anything to do with its forebear other than the name. The old TrailBlazer (with a capital "B") was a truck-based midsize SUV. This new Trailblazer (lowercase "b"!) is a smaller crossover SUV with car-based architecture. Also like the Blazer, the 2021 Trailblazer adopts some Camaro-like exterior styling cues for a uniquely aggressive appearance.

On the inside, it's far more conventional and likely user-friendly thanks to Chevy's latest infotainment that allows for two concurrently connected Bluetooth devices. Notable options are Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a power liftgate.

Standard safety features include forward collision mitigation, lane keeping assist, a rear-seat passenger reminder and automatic high beams. Optionally, you can add adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert.

The Trailblazer strays slightly from other subcompact crossovers by offering the Activ trim level that Chevy says is tuned for off-road use. However, don't expect to get the kind of all-terrain supremacy of a Jeep. The Activ trim only adds specialized all-season tires, revised shock absorbers and a bit more ground clearance from a reshaped front fascia. It also equips the vehicle with roof rails on a two-tone roof.

Shoppers can choose between two engines: a base turbocharged 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine or a slightly larger 1.3-liter four-cylinder. For now, Chevrolet has only given a power spec for the bigger engine: 155 horsepower. A continuously variable automatic transmission is standard, though Trailblazers with the 1.3-liter engine and all-wheel drive get a nine-speed automatic.