The Chevrolet Trailblazer is on its way.
General Motors (GM) India has been preparing its 7-seater Trailblazer for India for a while. A source now confirms that the big GM SUV will be brought in for sale during the second half of this year. We have exclusive pictures of some test mules plying on our roads, but wearing heavy stealth to mask the car from prying eyes, of course. The Chevrolet Trailblazer might be a hit for those who seek a contemporary American design with the traditional SUV elements – the latter is courtesy to the Trailblazer’s body-on-frame construction. This means that this Chevy shouldn’t panic at the first sight of an off-road path.
Motoroids exclusive spy shots of the India-bound Trailblazer.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer employs two powertrains in the global market – there is a 2.5-litre 4-pot diesel motor which cranks out an OK 163 bhp at 3600 rpm and 380 Nm of twist at 2000 rpm. There is also a Duramax 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine, this one produces 200 bhp at the same 3600 rpm and torque at 2000 rpm is rated at 500 Nm. We reckon our market to get the the 2.5-litre unit, but that’s not confirmed yet.
The Trailblazer is longer and wider than the Fortuner.
The 2.5-litre car only gets a 6-speed manual shifter, whereas the more powerful ‘blazer comes with an optional 6-speed automatic and a 4-wheel drive system as standard. The Chevrolet Trailblazer will be competing against the Toyota Fortuner, which has made some fortunes for Toyota (pun intended). This Chevy also got to deal with the upcoming Ford Endeavour, so this segment will be fun to watch over the coming months. The Trailblazer is a big boy, measuring in at 4.87 metres in length, 1.9-metres in width and boasts a wheelbase of 2.85 metres. These numbers suggest good interior space, even for a 7-seater like this.
The instrument binnacle looks alright and the cockpit layout look uncluttered.
The true interior acreage will show its forte (or not), when GM India actually launches the 4×4. What is pretty obvious is the Trailblazer’s wading depth – it’s 800mm. Underneath, this traditional body-on-frame SUV has not-so-traditional independent suspension on all four corners. There’s some electronic safety nannies, too and these include ABS with EBD, ESC, Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control. GM India could possibly bring the Trailblazer via the CKD route, thus keeping its price competitive. That said, we reckon the price to be somewhere north of INR 20 lakh and that could work. Only time will tell, so keep your eyes on this goliath from GM and let us know if you will buy one. Or, if you’d stick to your guns with the Fortuner. The Toyota is also to see a newer version, soon.