2021 Chevy Trailblazer RS ​​expresses its sunny personality

CASEY WILLIAMS | Automatic reviewer
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I love the color of your car,” yells a guy in a minivan on his way home from work. “What color is it?” “Oasis Blue,” I reply. “That’s a cool car!” I might need sunglasses to look it in the face, but the bright light blue hue definitely expresses the sunny personality of the 2021 Chevy Trailblazer. And especially in RS trim, it’s also fun to drive.

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2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer RS
Five Passenger, AWD Crossover

Powertrain: 1.3 liter T3, 9-speed automatic
Exit: 155 hp/174 lb-ft. couple
Front/rear suspension: Ind/Compound crank
Front/rear wheels: Alloy 18 inch / 18 inch
Front/rear brakes: disk/disk
Must-Have Features: Styling, Engine
fuel economy: 26/30 mpg city/highway
Assembly: Bupyeong, Korea
Base Price/As Testede: $19,995/$30,580

All of this elevated the small crossover to one of GM’s best sellers.

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Although the Trailblazer is Chevy’s latest subcompact crossover, it shares styling cues with its midsize Blazer big brother. Squinty driving lights on LED headlights, a black grille and black chrome trim set the front apart. while a contrasting black roof and 18-inch wheels dominate the side view. It’s as much a Volvo XC40 as it is a baby Chevy.

Out back, there’s faux carbon fiber, dual tailpipes and chiseled taillights. Logos and letters are rendered in black. Lift the tailgate to fill a spacious cargo compartment with fold-down seats.

As expected in a compact crossover, there’s a fair amount of hard plastic on the dash and doors.

But there are also some surprising premium details, like a thick, flat-bottomed leather-wrapped steering wheel, padded dashboard inserts with red stitching, red accents around the air vents, and piano black trim surrounding the touch screen.

Cloth and neoprene seats are heated up front and should prove durable. Single-zone automatic climate control, Bose sound system and power front seats with lumbar adjustment add to the comfort. A sunroof would make it even better.

Just because the Trailblazer is small doesn’t mean it skimps on technology. An intuitive touch screen browses radio stations and evokes audio, telephone, navigation and air conditioning functions with simple icons. I would prefer an actual tuning knob, but it’s all pretty easy to use. Devices connect via wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 4G Wi-Fi. Charge wirelessly in the console.

To keep everyone safe, adaptive cruise, forward collision mitigation braking, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning and rear cross path detection. A rear seat alert reminds you to pick up the kids.
There’s also plenty of power to do everything on the road. Base Trailblazers have a 1.2-liter three-cylinder, but RS editions come with a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine that puts out 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft. of torque. Front-wheel drive with a continuously variable transmission is standard, but our all-wheel-drive model transfers power through a 9-speed automatic transmission that’s so much more satisfying with the actual cogs. I could do without the auto stop/start that pauses the engine when idle, but it does contribute to 26/30-MPG city/highway.

The chassis is nothing complicated, but it works well enough. An independent front suspension and compound crank rear suspension are typical of this class. There’s a bit of noise on rough pavement with the big wheels, but it’s nothing to worry about, and it’s willing to play around a bit in the corners.

Press the Sport button to fine-tune steering, throttle and shift responses. Don’t expect more power, because what you get is all you get. Thankfully, the small, torquey engine launches the Trailblazer down the road with relative enthusiasm.

If you’re going to get a Trailblazer RS, get one in a fun color like Oasis Blue. It matches its cheerful personality perfectly, whether it’s revving the turbo on the highways or weaving through the narrow streets of the city.

Chevrolet has created a cool little crossover and is being rewarded for its efforts. Base models start at $19,995, but go up to $30,580 in sporty RS trim with all the luxury and safety equipment.

Competitors include the Subaru Crosstrek, Toyota CH-R, Ford EcoSport, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona and similar Buick Encore GX.

Storm ahead!

Send your comments to Casey at [email protected]; follow him on YouTube @AutoCasey