Square is trendy.
The Chevrolet Blazer was criticized for being a more soft-roading SUV than its muscular ancestor. The Trailblazer is a subcompact unibody vehicle that blazes no new trails and has standard-issue front wheel-drive. The new Ford Bronco is taking the world by storm. This has led to sharper criticism of Chevrolet’s apparent sullying the Blazer moniker. With our unique rendering of an off-road Blazer, we already tried our hand at what-if. Now TheSketchMonkey is in control, and his digital pen touches the smaller Trailblazer. This is the foil for the Bronco Sport. But before that can happen, TheSketchMonkey goes after all the Trailblazer styling cues and body lines that make the Chevy look like a Hyundai.
The rear door’s angled body line and the C-pillar that is up-kinked are therefore straightened. It really does make a difference. The floating roof has been removed and the rear pillar is now squared up to form a flattened top that is free from any downward arc. The front clip has been cleaned significantly. The smiling grille is removed and the trapezoid-esque midmount headlights are neatly squared off. Although the grille may seem a little bland, it is easily mistaken for a Hyundai. This is especially true when you add a large skid plate to the vehicle and large off-road tires.
The Trailblazer’s underpinnings are not up to the exterior redesign. A turbocharged 1.3-liter three cylinder engine with 155 horsepower and 173 pound-feet torque is the largest. The engine is connected to a continuously variable transmission, which turns the front wheels automatically. All-wheel drive is also available. This machine is primarily an on-road machine that provides drivers with some security in snow and rain. It does not explore muddy trails to the back. Do you think General Motors regrets its decision to redesign the Blazer/Trailblazer as road people movers? What’s your opinion on the tougher Trailblazer redesign? The video makes a strong case for the model’s overstyle. Maybe simpler is better in this instance.