Updated 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer Breaks Cover, Still Misses That Special Something

From one car nut to another, what does Trailblazer mean to you? If you ask me, I would answer mid-size SUV from GM’s dullest era. I am referring to the years leading up to the 2007 – 2008 financial crisis, which saw General Motors file for Chapter 11 reorganization in June 2009.

The Trailblazer was a sorry excuse of a successor for the Chevrolet S-10 Blazer, and the Blazer in Trailblazer can trace its roots back to the K5 Blazer. A legendary 4x4 that forced the Ford Motor Company to update the long-running Bronco on the F-Series’ frame, the Chevrolet C/K-based model would’ve been my choice for a truly inspired revival. Especially now that Ford can’t make the new Bronco fast enough.

Rather than delivering a desirable product, what did the suits at GM do? They’ve resurrected the Blazer as a mid-size crossover and Trailblazer as a subcompact crossover. Despite their angry front ends and nice-looking profiles, neither managed to dominate their respective segments.

For context, the Trailblazer sold 60,888 units last year in the United States of America. Its mid-size predecessor from the 2000s topped 283,484 units in 2005, which goes to show that better products from competing manufacturers have eaten into Chevrolet’s market share.

Can you believe that Honda sold 115,416 examples of the HR-V last year? Even Jeep, whose aging Compass is anything but a proper off-road machine, ended the year with 86,175 copies under its belt. Given these circumstances, General Motors didn’t have a choice but to facelift the Trailblazer for 2024. That’s only three model years after the subcompact crossover was introduced with much pomp and circumstance to the American market.

Although it’s hard to tell from a single photograph, the Trailblazer’s exterior has received a few redesigned elements. The front bumper, grille, and lighting are new, and Chevrolet has also worked its magic on the wheels.

Is that enough to convince somebody to buy the Trailblazer over the more sensible and reliable HR-V or the more off-road-capable Compass? Not really. That’s why Chevrolet has also added Cacti Green and Copper Harbor Metallic to the exterior color palette. Hopping inside reveals much fewer improvements over the pre-facelift Trailblazer, the highlights being an 11-inch infotainment system and the digital instrument cluster.

Four trim levels are offered (LS, LT, Activ, and RS), with General Motors releasing pictures of the uppermost two grades that feature more standard kits than their lesser siblings. On the upside, cruise control is now standard across the board. All trim levels also receive push-button start and an HD Rear Vision Camera, which explains why the starting price has grown from $22,100 to $23,100.

The Activ is marketed as off-road capable thanks to better tires, shock absorbers, and dampers. The RS is the sportiest flavor available, for it features black exterior styling cues, a specific mesh grille, dual exhaust outlets with chrome tips, and 19-inch wheels. A two-tone option for the roof is available on both well-equipped grades.

For all its wrongs, the facelifted Trailblazer does something right. That something is the fold-flat front passenger seat, which allows you to slide in objects up to 8.5 feet (nearly 2.6 meters) long. By folding the rear seats, the Trailblazer offers up to 54.4 cubic feet (1,540 liters) of cargo volume. For reference, the Honda HR-V and Jeep Compass are rated at 55.1 and 59.8 cubic feet (1,560 and 1,693 liters).

Another thing the facelifted Trailblazer can be proud of is cordless phone connectivity via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. There’s even wireless phone charging, but only as an option in the LT, Activ, and RS. In terms of safety and driver assistance features, Chevy Safety Assist is standard, while adaptive cruise control is optional for all trims.

Nevermind its name, looks, and plasticky interior. The single biggest turnoff is the choice of engines, consisting of two three-cylinder turbo units with 137 and 155 horsepower on tap. Front-wheel-drive Trailblazers come with a continuously variable transmission. Only the 1.3-liter turbo can be upgraded to AWD, which also upgrades the tranny to a nine-speed auto. That nine-speeder that Ford had to significantly modify to use in their cars.