We've loved it!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Masculine look; strong, smooth engine; smooth, compliant ride

Cons: Sub-par interior plastics

The Bottom Line: 
The TrailBlazer bridges the gap between the Equinox and Tahoe and has the power to leave the competition in the dust.

Author's Review
July 2003 saw my wife's '93 Honda Accord meet an untimely demise when a teenage drive smashed the front end of it because she thought she had the right-of-way. Fortunately, my wife and son (who were in the car at the time of the accident) were unharmed, but since her Accord had over 250,000 miles, it was sure to be totaled by the insurance company...and it was.

Our plan all along had been to buy a new car in October 2003. We had focused on the TrailBlazer because of several reasons. First of all, we liked the looks. The TrailBlazer and its sister, the GMC Envoy really stood out among the mid-size SUVs. The designs are far-more-pleasing to the eye than any other mid-size SUV on the market. Secondly, the new DOHC 4.2 liter six-cylinder is strong and smooth. With 275 horsepower and 275 ft-lb of torque, it is a capable performer.

We first searched GMBuyPower.com to look at the selection of TrailBlazers at surrounding Chevrolet dealerships. We were looking for an EXT (extended model with seating for 7) in the 'silver-green' color that my wife had fallen in love with. Well, we weren't finding what we were looking for. We decided that maybe we would just settle for a different green or a blue and maybe even the 5-passenger model. We also wanted a four-wheel-drive, if possible.

Well, the next morning we set off to see what was in stock. Our first stop was the nearest dealership to us...West Chevrolet in Alcoa, Tennessee. Our attention was grabbed by a sharp blue TrailBlazer 4x4 LT that was on display out front. It was a demonstrator model and was marked $7500 off. We took it for a drive and loved it...mostly. While it had a sunroof, Bose stereo and leather, it didn't drive as well as we'd hoped. We'd driven a TrailBlazer before, but it was the extended model. This shorter wheelbase version was more bouncy than the extended one...an inherent issue with a shorter wheelbases.

So we decided to look through the other vehicles on the lot. Suddenly, we noticed something...an extended model...in the silver-green color! We went over and looked at it. It was even a four-wheel-drive! It met every one of the criteria we'd set out. Well, long story short, we drove it home that day.

Life with TrailBlazer

The first thing we noticed upon arriving home with the vehicle was that, well, it was BIGGER than the Accord! It really fit more snugly into the garage...but it fit.

Maintenance is pretty simple. Changing the oil is rather easy to do...although you have to remove a cover plate under the motor to access the drain plug and filter. But this is quite simple to do with a flat-blade screwdriver. But the amount of oil was a bit of a shock to me...SEVEN QUARTS! I use only Mobil-1, so this makes an oil change about $35 for me to do myself. But, I can go 7500 miles (or more) between changes, so that's not too bad.

The fuel mileage took some adjustment for us. My wife's Accord was averaging about 26 miles per gallon, but the TrailBlazer averages about 18 for normal driving...and we get about 20 on long trips on the interstate. But we can move almost twice as many people, so really it is a pretty fair trade-off.

Problem Areas

We've only had some very minor issues with the vehicle. For some reason, the original stereo stopped playing in the passenger side speakers...well, more precisely, it stopped playing the CD through them...and occasionally it worked fine. We took it in and they replaced the unit...no problems since then. The "Service 4WD" light came on once. We took it in and it was discovered that it was a bad signal. The 4WD computer was reprogrammed and it hasn't been a problem since. That's it. No other issues with nearly 19,000 miles on the odometer. It rides as smooth and tight as the day we bought it.

Performance
The vehicle is quite lively for such a large vehicle. If you put your foot into it, it will take off in a hurry. Sure, we won't be challenging a Porsche owner at a stoplight, but he won't be carrying his wife and kids, either.

The brakes have always been quite strong. With four large discs, they can haul it down in a hurry.

As with any SUV, you really don't want to be driving fast on tight, curvy roads. Physics will eventually win and you will be on your side. That being said, the TrailBlazer never seems overly top-heavy to me when I drive it.

The 4WD system is actuated with a twist knob on the dash. You can select 2WD High, Automatic 4WD, 4WD High, and 4WD Low.

Interior

The inside of the TrailBlazer is very comfortable. We've made a trip to Louisiana from Tennessee in it and it rode very well for that trip. My only complaint would be that the plastics used for the dash and console are a bit below the level I would have preferred. But, they are adequate. There are full gauges, so you can monitor oil pressure and voltage along with the normal temperature and fuel level gauges.

The rear seat is surprisingly comfortable. We've had several adults sit back there for short trips and they commented on how it was more comfortable than they'd expected. I doubt they'd be as happy for trips over an hour or so, though. Children will love the seat for it's large windows on either side of it...great view.

In Closing...

Buying a vehicle for me is more than just looking at the statistics and ratings from "experts". It is an emotional thing. It isn't just a simple conveyance to move you from point "A" to point "B". It is an extension of who you are and where you live. The selection shouldn't be made in haste.

We studied the purchase for nearly a year before we made pulled the trigger. We always came back to the TrailBlazer for its looks, power and emotion.