FORD Explorers look better in my rear view mirror...

Author's Rating:

Pros: Strong Engine, roomy interior, great body style, superb paint.

Cons: Bad placement of buttons on driver side arm rest. A/C-Heater controls

The Bottom Line: 
Chevrolet is a proven performer, they just reinforced their dedication to excellence with this baby...

Author's Review
Excellent body style with great paint schemes available. The flexibility of different body configurations LS, LT, LTZ with a mix of internal options is superb. I opted for the LTZ with just about everything.

Experiencing a very cold winter with my new LTZ made me happy I ordered the cold weather package with headed leather seats and variable driver and passenger climate control zones (this was a plus for me since my wife’s body temperature always seemed to be 10 degrees colder and we no longer had to duel for the temperature control knob), one problem I noted was the seat heater activation button was located low on the driver side door armrest, several times I accidental turned on my seat header inadvertently by placing my left arm on the door rest.

The Bose 6 CD system/AM/FM stereo, with dash and steering wheel volume/station controls is great, the system also has a rear passenger different station tuning with (optional) headphones. A plus for long road trips for the family with different music tastes. Sound is dynamic and easily fills the vehicle with outstanding sound. You can utilize 6 Dolby preset settings or activate the Equalizer manually and control the sound based on your own taste.

Now that springs in the air, the power sunroof has been another welcome addition. The electronic sunroof can either tilt forward or slide fully open to the rear with one button. Only downside is increased wind noise at higher speeds, however the stereo can help equalize some of the unwanted noise intrusion. The body shape also left me with one other slight dilemma, since the roof and side body structure are slightly rounded outward, rain easily entered the vehicle, I quickly solved this problem by installing a set of driver/passenger side wind deflector shields which cost about $30 dollars and actually dressed up the exterior of the vehicle.

The onboard computer functions are superb, ensure you read your owners manual to properly set up. Once complete, you can utilize your steering wheel controls to easily view, Engine oil state (starts at 100% and will slowly decrease with engine use to que you for your next oil change), trip computer, gas mileage, and based on amount of gas in your tank, how far more you are capable of traveling. Foreign buyers can also change the language of the dash readouts between Spanish, French, Japanese and English.

Another great feature is the memory computer, here's how it works, I received 2 sets of keys with my vehicle with remote open/lock and alarm activation, the activator also has a computer code for driver 1 and 2. I set all my electronic seat adjustments for my foot peddle reach, seat height, side mirrors and saved the info to memory 1, I then repeated all the steps for my wife utilizing here set of keys for memory 2. Now, when I return from work and park the vehicle, my wife can then leave for the store, activate the vehicle with her set of keys and all the seats and mirrors will automatically adjust for her driving needs. Sorry but most men hate getting behind the wheel of a vehicle that their wife or girlfriend just used and have to squeeze their 6 foot frame into a 5 foot position.

Safety will always be a major consideration for me, the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap rated the Trailblazer 3 stars in frontal impacts, 5 stars in side impacts and 3 stars in rollover, that’s pretty impressive since past SUV's use to only receive between 1 and 4 stars in these categories.

Another great feature is the OnStar computer, serves 2 functions, in an emergency or crash which deploys your airbags, the Onstar will automatically (or you can push one button for manual) dial an emergency operator who will get you immediate help, an Onstar signal will also provide the emergency service a GPS location of your vehicle which is a must for an off road mishap or if your incapacitated. The second use is a hands free telephone, I opted not to use the phone function since dialing was slow utilizing voice commands, and the microphone was so sensitive that the computer operator kept getting my numbers confused during heavy rain due to the loud tapping sound rain can make against your windshield. Also Onstar is a service, you can choose Emergency service (recommended) or Phone service (don't recommend) or both. One other downside is front passenger airbag, does not have a kill/disable switch so all children under 10 should ride in the back seat for their own safety.

Under the hood, the engine is strong yet quiet, I love the in-line 6 with 275HP; let’s you merge easily into traffic yet limits body vibration during idle. I also like the fact the engine compartment is not so cluttered and crowded with components, so us weekend mechanics can easily perform general and upkeep maintenance on the vehicle with somewhat easy access. Since I have less than 5000 miles on the vehicle, so far so good, will keep you posted on long term engine reliability. Gas mileage is one of the best then other SUV's in this class. 22 Highway/16 City. Chevy scored a home run with this new hit.