[Taboleo] 'Reason Behind Export No.1' Chevrolet Trailblazer, Attractive for Its Solidity

Replaced with Full 'Dual-Port Grill'... U-Shaped Rear Lights
Enhanced Interior Display Convenience for Drivers
Up to 156 HP... Confident on All-Wheel Drive and Muddy Hills
Less Convenient Features than Trax & Noticeable Hesitation During Acceleration

What is the best-exported car from South Korea? Most people would probably think of Hyundai or Kia vehicles. However, the answer is surprising. It is Chevrolet's compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Trailblazer. In the first half of this year, 123,160 Trailblazers crossed the seas. This makes it the top exported car from South Korea. Since its launch in 2020, 620,000 units have been sold worldwide. Of course, Korean GM benefits from Hyundai and Kia producing many vehicles directly at overseas factories. Nevertheless, there must be reasons why the Trailblazer exports well overseas, especially to the brand’s home market, the United States. I test drove this vehicle for about 77 km from Yangjae in Seoul to Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province. The firmness on highways and curves was attractive, and it confidently climbed slopes during off-road driving. However, it had fewer convenience features than the Trax from the same company, and the acceleration had a somewhat jerky feeling.

Chevrolet Trailblazer Facelift Model
[Photo by Korea GM]

What has changed from the previous model?

First, the exterior has changed slightly. Looking at the front of the vehicle, the grille has been replaced with Chevrolet’s signature dual-port grille design. The chrome grille bar is also designed to be thicker. The LED daytime running lights have become thinner compared to before, and LED projection headlamps are now standard. The rear lights have also changed from a “bone” shape to a U-shape. The test vehicle was the RS trim, which includes design elements reflecting Chevrolet’s racing heritage. The most notable feature is the Chevrolet emblem on the front and rear, made with a black bowtie.

Looking at the front of the vehicle, the grille has been replaced with Chevrolet's signature dual-port grille design. The grille bar, made of chrome, is also designed to be thick. The LED daytime running lights have become slimmer compared to before, and LED projection headlamps are now standard.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

The interior display has grown larger. An 8-inch color cluster and an 11-inch central color touchscreen are installed. The entire screen is angled toward the driver. The central air vents and hazard button have also been relocated below the central touchscreen. The space is ample. Based on the RS trim, the overall length is 4425 mm, maximum height 1670 mm, and overall width 1810 mm, comparable to the compact segment. The wheelbase, a measure of interior space, is also quite wide at 2640 mm. The legroom in the second row is slightly more than the length of one fist. For an adult male, it might be a bit less than one fist but should not feel cramped. The trunk capacity is 460 liters, but folding the second-row seats allows for up to 1470 liters of cargo space.

The interior features larger displays. An 8-inch color cluster and a central 11-inch color touchscreen are installed. The screens are all oriented toward the driver.
Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@

The trunk capacity is 460 liters, but folding down the second-row seats allows for a maximum cargo space of up to 1470 liters.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

How does it feel to drive?

It is attractive how firmly it holds the driver and passenger during high-speed driving. I used the highway to travel from Seoul to Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province. Switching to sport mode (activated by pressing the button with a racing flag) and pressing the accelerator, the vehicle surged forward smoothly after turbo lag (the delay before the right amount of air is drawn into the cylinder). SUVs have a higher body, so compared to sedans, there is a greater chance of body sway at high speeds or on curves. Nevertheless, it held the occupants firmly, unlike typical SUVs.

Despite the engine's maximum output being 156 horsepower, it easily handled steep uphill and downhill slopes. Even on slightly muddy ground due to rain, utilizing all four wheels allowed it to pass through without any issues.
[Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@]

The off-road driving performance was sufficient. At the off-road program set up in Yeoju, I pressed the all-wheel drive (AWD) button located at the lower right of the driver’s seat to experience off-road driving. Despite the engine’s maximum output of 156 horsepower, it easily handled steep uphill and downhill slopes. Even with some rain making the ground muddy, using all four wheels allowed it to pass without problems.

Are there any drawbacks?

First, there is no built-in navigation system. This is not a big issue since Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connect wirelessly. The problem was connectivity. During the test drive, Android Auto failed to connect. It only connected after deleting all phones from the Bluetooth list. There was also some jerking at low speeds in city driving, caused by the aforementioned turbo lag. When pressing the accelerator, the engine makes a “woong” sound about one second later and then surges forward, causing the characteristic jerkiness.

Instead of two air vents, a USB port and storage space are provided.
Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@

The absence of a head-up display (HUD), rear air vents, and auto hold is also disappointing. These convenience features are available even in the lower-tier Trax from the same company. Although consumers requested these features from the initial launch, they were not added in this partial update. The price is also a downside. The test vehicle was the RS trim all-wheel-drive model, priced at 33.39 million KRW, which is more expensive than the similarly sized Kia Seltos. For comparison, the Seltos 1.6 gasoline turbo AWD in the highest trim, Gravity, costs 29.03 million KRW under similar conditions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.