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Modernized Pontiac Aztek Looks Like an Interesting Chevy Trailblazer Upgrade

The Pontiac Aztek was once called the ugliest car of all time, and it was largely forgotten until becoming a TV series star. Now people are beginning to appreciate just how ahead of its time the little crossover was.
Modernized Pontiac Aztek Is a Way to Fix the Chevy Trailblazer 5 photos
Photo: wb.artist20/Instagram
Modernized Pontiac Aztek Is a Way to Fix the Chevy TrailblazerModernized Pontiac Aztek Is a Way to Fix the Chevy TrailblazerModernized Pontiac Aztek Is a Way to Fix the Chevy TrailblazerModernized Pontiac Aztek Is a Way to Fix the Chevy Trailblazer
Pontiac is dead, but not forgotten, and digital artists are always looking for ways to put modern twists on their cars. One designer who goes by Instagram handle wb.artist20 believes the lines of the Aztek can work on a modern Chevy, and proved it with this rendering.

The image is halfway between a modernized Pontiac Aztek and a Chevy Trailblazer with a more angular look. In case you didn't know, the Trailblazer was one of the fastest-selling new cars this summer. We can't tell if it's popular because of its looks, or in spite of them.

But wb.artist20 definitely has a point here. The Trailblazer's split headlights, a two-level grille, and contrasting body - that's the Aztek right there. However, they're obviously not the same size, with the Pontiac crossover of the 2000s being about 9 inches longer, and boasting more ground clearance.

The two are fundamentally different in the powertrain department. One of the reasons the Trailblazer sells so well is what's under the hood. A duo of turbocharged three-cylinder engines is offered with a 1.2-liter being standard and a 1.3-liter unit serving as a $2,000 upgrade. Both of them are really efficient.

The Aztek was offered with a 3.4-liter V6 making 185 horsepower. It was described as a slow car back in its day, but the 0 to 60 mph time is still about a second quicker than the Chevy. In terms of cabin quality, the Pontiac was pretty bad even by standards of that era, while its modern ancestor has some of the best features and materials in its class.


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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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