[TEST DRIVE] Chevy Trailblazer: On the money for fuel, at its best off the road

If you’re in the market for a compact SUV that won’t break the bank on fuel, you can’t go wrong with the Chevy Trailblazer.

The Trailblazer SUV on rocky off-roads. [GM KOREA]

YEOJU, Gyeonggi — If you’re in the market for a compact SUV that won’t break the bank on fuel, you can’t go wrong with the Chevy Trailblazer.

Compact SUVs are becoming increasingly popular in Korea, where the market is largely dominated by Kia Seltos and Niro SUVs.

General Motors, however, armed with the Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV, is looking to make a dent in the Kia monopoly with something that rivals cannot offer — off-road driving.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got behind the wheel of a facelifted Trailblazer on an 80–kilometer (50-mile) journey from Yangje, southern Seoul, to Yeoju, Gyeonggi, which included city roads, highways and two off-road courses.

Just by glancing at it, a difference in the exterior is barely noticeable. Looking closely, a new grille and thick chrome bar offer it a sharper and more majestic look compared to the previous version.

The partially revamped Trailblazer SUV [GM KOREA]

The dramatic change comes from the interior, where the 8-inch cluster and 11-inch touchscreen are slightly tilted for comfortable ergonomics.

Trunk capacity stands at 460 liters (121 gallons) and expands to 1,470 liters when the second seats are folded down.

Getting behind the wheel, driving was soft but powerful without much noticeable noise.

Equipped with 1.35-liter gasoline turbocharged engine, the SUV generates a maximum of 156 horsepower and up to 24.1 kilogram-meters of torque.

But you’d like the Trailblazer most when driving it on rocky off-roads.

With the four-wheel drive mode, the vehicle lightly went up a hill of up to 45 degrees without any difficulty.

Muddy puddles, steep hills and rocky streams were not enough to stop the Trailblazer, exactly why GM markets it as a perfect family and leisure car.

The partially revamped Trailblazer SUV [GM KOREA]

Above all, the one thing that surprised this reporter most was the fuel economy.

It recorded 12.2 kilometers of fuel economy during the three-hour test drive, well overshooting the official claim of 11.6 kilometers, though the course was full of crowded traffic jams and even off-road courses.

The sticker price starts at 27 million won ($20,710), around 2 million won more than the previous version.

But just because it is pricier than its rivals Seltos and Kona SUVs, don’t expect all the basic functions that many Korean drivers expect.

An auto-hold system, which automatically controls the brakes, assisting drivers who frequently face stop-and-go traffic, is absent. Navigation and head-up displays are missing too.

As the best-selling Chevrolet SUV in Korea, over 620,000 Trailblazer SUVs have been sold globally since its introduction in 2020.

It is also the No. 1 vehicle in terms of exports in Korea in the first half.

Most of the Trailblazers are manufactured at GM's plant in Bupyeong, Gyeonggi, and some in its China plant.

GM sells vehicles under four brands globally: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC, with Chevrolet and Cadillac models currently available in Korea.

The partially revamped Trailblazer SUV [GM KOREA]

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]