Drive Notes: 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer AWD RS

by Tim Healey

Published: February 7th, 2024

drive notes 2024 chevrolet trailblazer awd rs

Today we have another bit of basic transport from Chevy, though this one is a step up in terms of price and size from the Trax I recently reviewed.

I dug the Trax's combination of utility, sport, and affordable price. Would I feel the same about the 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer AWD RS?

Not quite.

That's not to say the Trailblazer is bad. I wouldn't kick it out of the garage. But it never charmed me the way the Trax did.

Pros

The handling is sporty-ish. Engaging relative to vehicle type, though not really all that fun. You can generate a few grins on an on-ramp, but not much beyond that.
Low-end grunt is fine.
The infotainment system is easy to learn.
The gauges are simple and easy to use, as are the HVAC controls.
I like the customization ability for the gauges, and except for one thing (see below), it's easy to do.
I like how Chevy sweeps the center screen into the dash.

Cons

The ride is a tad too stiff.
The 1.3-liter turbo engine is quiet at low RPMs but loud and thrashy when you summon the beans.
Low-end grunt may be fine, but there's not much verve beyond that.
While some interior materials are nice, there's too much hard plastic.
Rear headroom is a bit chopped for those over six-foot-one, though legroom is fine.
I somehow changed the main gauge graphic and couldn't change it back. That sort of thing shouldn't be puzzling.
The price is...well I don't think it's too expensive, given where the market is. But the as-tested price of $34K (or less) can get you a better vehicle -- including Chevy's own Trax, if you can live with something smaller. To be fair, this one was option laden, and the base price was a more reasonable $28,700.

That's it for this edition.

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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2 of 39 comments

Wjtinfwb on Feb 08, 2024

34k and Chevy build quality and resale value? Pass. I'll take a CR-V EX.

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Akear on Feb 20, 2024

I say just update the Malibu and be done with it.

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Recent Comments

Theflyersfan With sedans, especially, I wonder how many of those sales are to rental fleets. With the exception of the Civic and Accord, there are still rows of sedans mixed in with the RAV4s at every airport rental lot. I doubt the breakdown in sales is publicly published, so who knows... GM isn't out of the sedan business - Cadillac exists and I can't believe I'm typing this but they are actually decent - and I think they are making a huge mistake, especially if there's an extended oil price hike (cough...Iran...cough) and people want smaller and hybrids. But if one is only tied to the quarterly shareholder reports and not trends and the big picture, bad decisions like this get made.
Wjtinfwb Not proud of what Stellantis is rolling out?
Wjtinfwb Absolutely. But not incredibly high-tech, AWD, mega performance sedans with amazing styling and outrageous price tags. GM needs a new Impala and LeSabre. 6 passenger, comfortable, conservative, dead nuts reliable and inexpensive enough for a family guy making 70k a year or less to be able to afford. Ford should bring back the Fusion, modernized, maybe a bit bigger and give us that Hybrid option again. An updated Taurus, harkening back to the Gen 1 and updated version that easily hold 6, offer a huge trunk, elevated handling and ride and modest power that offers great fuel economy. Like the GM have a version that a working mom can afford. The last decade car makers have focused on building cars that American's want, but eliminated what they need. When a Ford Escape of Chevy Blazer can be optioned up to 50k, you've lost the plot.
Willie If both nations were actually free market economies I would be totally opposed. The US is closer to being one, but China does a lot to prop up the sectors they want to dominate allowing them to sell WAY below cost, functionally dumping their goods in our market to destroy competition. I have seen this in my area recently with shrimp farmed by Chinese comglomerates being sold super cheap to push local producers (who have to live at US prices and obey US laws) out of business.China also has VERY lax safety and environmental laws which reduce costs greatly. It isn't an equal playing field, they don't play fair.
Willie ~300,000 Camrys and ~200,000 Accords say there is still a market. My wife has a Camry and we have no desire for a payment on something that has worse fuel economy.