Chevrolet Trailblazer

The Chevrolet Trailblazer is one of those things. Built as a shrunken alternative to the compact Chevy Blazer, the Trailblazer, despite its moniker, is far better suited for concrete jungles than conquering the Rubicon Trail. Neatly wrapped under its bonnet is either a 137-hp turbocharged three-cylinder or a 155-hp turbo-three unit. These powertrains don’t make it impossible to get a speeding ticket in a Trailblazer, but it is going to require a lot of effort and space. Front-wheel-drive models get a continuously variable automatic transmission, while all-wheel-drive Trailblazers use a smoother, traditional nine-speed automatic. A new front fascia and revised headlights give the Trailblazer the same schnoz as the larger Blazer SUV; Chevy has also added new wheel designs and two new colors called Cacti Green and Copper Harbor. Inside, there’s a new 11.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that’s anchored to a high-tech 8.0-inch digital gauge cluster as standard equipment. It replaces the puny unit from last year. Trailblazer offers two different turbocharged three-cylinder engines, a 1.2-liter and a 1.3-liter. The former produces 137 horsepower and the latter generates 155 horses. The 1.2-liter engine comes only with front-wheel drive and is equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while the 1.3-liter offers optional all-wheel drive. Opting for the all-wheel drive system also replaces the standard CVT with a well-coordinated nine-speed automatic