Is the old Chevrolet Trailblazer a good buy or a bad buy?
A buyer looking for a low-cost used SUV recently asked us if a Trailblazer would be a good buy. To our astonishment, he wasn't referring to the little crossover launched by Chevrolet four years ago, but rather to the original, which took the form of a fairly rugged mid-size SUV and was retired at the end of the 2009 model year to make way for the Traverse.
This Trailblazer lived up to its name, being designed to tackle a good number of off-the-beaten-track obstacles, as well as offering very appreciable towing capacity (from 5,200 to 6,600 lb depending on version). At the time, it provided an interesting combination of comfort, convenience and safety features.
The spacious interior was accompanied by an impressive 1,161-liter trunk. By folding the rear bench seat into this two-row SUV, cargo volume reached 2,268 liters, enough to swallow a lot of gear. An extended-wheelbase Trailblazer EXT, capable of seating up to seven people or carrying even more cargo, was on the menu.
Models with the 4.2-liter in-line six-cylinder producing 273 hp had plenty to satisfy. The proven 5.3-liter V8, which General Motors continues to offer today, was also available, with 302 hp. For those who wanted more, at the top of the range was the high-performance, sporty Trailblazer SS, powered by a large 6-liter V8 producing 395 hp.
The latter is largely to be avoided, as it burned an insane amount of petrol (super, by the way), 17.8 L/100 km according to the official rating, but often more than that in reality. No miracle to be hoped for, especially with a poor four-speed automatic gearbox! Other Trailblazers could make do with regular gasoline but still averaged 14 L/100 km.
Generally speaking, mechanical reliability is not a major concern with this Chevrolet, at least not in its later years. Problems were more likely to occur with the electrical systems, lights, seats and steering. Air conditioning and fuel gauge malfunctions have often been reported.
We should also mention the very long list of safety recalls issued against the old Trailblazer, notably for short-circuit/fire hazards and faulty headlights/lights.
The majority of owner complaints concern 2002 to 2005 models, while fewer problems have been encountered with 2008 and 2009 models. The low prices of the rare examples currently available on the used car market may be tempting, but consider yourself warned.
