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From the album: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco
Misaligned panels on the interior of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu -
Chevrolet Trailblazer AWD Review: One Week Test Drive - Reader Reviews
trinacriabob posted an article in Reviews
I was in a situation where I had rented a car – a category with a trunk – and there weren’t any available. Their running out of certain categories happens frequently nowadays. As such, I was assigned a 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer. This didn’t look like any of the Trailblazers I remember. For one, it was a lot smaller. It was also badged as AWD. I assumed there would be a Chevy 1.5L T I-4 under the hood. Previous Trailblazers of the New Millennium ran with a 4.2 L I-6, possibly the modernized, aluminized version of the same 250 c.i. I-6 of the last century. A friend bought one of these in the early 2000’s. I was once given one by a rental agency and its 4.2L I-6 was incredibly smooth, but given how quickly the fuel gauge headed west, I took it back for an exchange within a day. Before even settling into the car, I looked under the hood to find a 1.3L T 3-cylinder engine. Three-cylinder engines have become a lot more prevalent in Europe, even in small SUV-CUV types but typically in econoboxes. As for initial impressions, it looked like the car would be sensible to drive and operate its functions. This turned out to be true. The seats are supportive and comfortable enough, together with some attractive stitching, The materials are not high grade, with the same tougher fabric which might be in the Malibu. In fact, except for some minor differences, transitioning from a Malibu to a Trailblazer is easy. The width of the cabin, the gauges and switches, and the urethane steering wheel and its controls are similar. In fact, in the Trailblazer, some things are better. The touch screen is engaged in the dash, with the center vents above it, providing for excellent dispersion of what the air conditioner was dishing out - which was very cool. Further down, the cubby for electronic devices is flatter and larger and the outlets and switches are all linearly arranged next to each other for easy use. Also, with the inherently higher seating position, the view is better and the shifter and console height are in a more user-friendly position. The exterior sheet metal shows good taste, and the character lines are nicely done. The front fascia with its lighting set-up is its strong point. Even the rear taillamps look good as they wrap the rear corners. Returning to mechanical specifications, the transmission was a geared one. The interwebs and its owner manual revealed this. If a new Trailblazer is AWD, the transmission is a 9-speed automatic. If it’s a 2WD, the transmission is a CVT. This is a very utilitarian and practical package, and it couldn’t be described as refined. However, the engine is not grainy but its rhythmic but not hushed hum is always present. When pushed, it just hums more audibly. The engine does what it’s supposed to do. With around 140 horsepower, this is not a powerplant with which to riskily pass, sprint up long grades, and think it’s a jackrabbit, despite its having a turbocharger. The transmission is a “humorous” one. I can’t think of another word. There’s the expression “children should be seen and not heard.” In this Trailblazer, it’s more like “children are heard but not seen.” As the gearbox marches through its 9 gears, the spool-ups are quick and you hear them, but the unit slushes into the next gear as if it was a CVT and you don’t even feel the shifts. However, if throttled, you will definitely feel the shifts and, in stop and go driving at lower speeds, it can hunt within the first 3 gears and do it in a jerky way. However, in composed linear driving, the shifts are seamless but the short intervals for each gear, complete with the “sound effects,” was humorous … at least to me. The Trailblazer is a nimble enough vehicle. It rides fairly smoothly, but can quickly become unsettled. Its ride quality is not as budget-like as that of the now gone Chevy Spark and Sonic, but not as pleasant as that in the Malibu or even what they were able to accomplish in the final-gen Cruze. Wind noise is reasonably controlled, but tire and suspension related noises aren’t as effectively soaked up. The road surface is always being communicated to the cabin, telling you this is not a premium vehicle. In the CUV-SUV category, I’ve only driven the much larger Chevy Traverse with a 3.6 VVT V6 … and we’re talking two different worlds. With the higher seating position, front and side visibility are good. The thick rear sail panel makes angled rear visibility challenging. This seems to be the norm in this typology of vehicles. This unit did not have parking or side traffic sensors, which are much needed, and a few lane changes were more challenging since I like to mix up looking over my shoulder and using the mirrors. With the rear seat up, storage space is good … thanks to the Trailblazer’s the boxy shape, and it’s very good with the split rear seat folded forward into the cabin. It would come in handy to move boxes or a bundle of items. There was a slot for a rear cover over the storage area, but it was missing. This is one of the reasons I try to avoid this typology at the rental counter. The windows are more tinted toward the rear, but I was still not comfortable with that. The rental agency said ‘but we sell insurance for your personal effects.’ I doubt someone has the time to replace apparel and items that have been purchased over a span of agent while traveling. Rental agencies don’t do a good job of monitoring this item. I’m sure that a private owner would keep the retractable cover in its place as needed. Inside, while the controls are logically placed, there is no remote hatch or fuel filler release. However, if the vehicle is locked, the fuel door cannot be opened. Fuel consumption can vary a lot and the instant fuel mileage readout will clue in the driver to that. I set the drivetrain to 2WD and “eco” mode, but it still has to lug around AWD hardware. The readout goes from unimpressive city driving fuel efficiency to very plausible mileage at steady highway cruise. The 9-speed automatic allows the Trailblazer with AWD to cruise at 65 mph at about 1,900 rpms. That’s why it can attain the higher fuel mileage, but it took going to 3 cylinders to attain that. It was very easy to transition to the Trailblazer from several other Chevrolet models, and especially the Malibu. Thinking of the similarities and differences, the Trailblazer could almost be viewed as a higher sitting and less refined riding 3-cylinder Malibu turned CUV-SUV. For a consumer at the intersection of needing the packaging this vehicle provides and its price point, the Trailblazer could make sense. -
2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - rear visibility.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - rear quarter view.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - front storage console.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - instrument cluster.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - front quarter view.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - engine bay 2.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - digital information screen.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - emissions sticker.jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - dash side view.jpg
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - dashboard full width.jpg
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - cargo area (2).jpg
trinacriabob posted a gallery image in Members Gallery
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - steering wheel and dash.jpg
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From the album: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer - Reader Review
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Name: 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond Category: Vehicles Date Added: 2020-09-14 Submitter: Drew Dowdell 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond -
Chevrolet News:Chevy Updates the Corvette Interior for 2026
Drew Dowdell posted a topic in Chevrolet
What matters is on the inside, right? Luckily, the Corvette already sports a sexy exterior, but for 2026, Chevrolet updated the interior to address some of the common complaints in the latest iteration of their legendary sports car. The biggest news is that the wall of buttons between the driver and passenger has been moved to a more conventional location under the screen, though not all buttons make the jump. Some functions such as heated/cooled seats are now controlled from the central touch screen. And screens they are aplenty! The updated infotainment screen increases in size to 12.7-inches diagonal, a larger 14-inch diagonal driver information cluster, and a new 6.6-inch diagonal auxiliary display to the left of the steering wheel. The drive mode selector has been relocated in line with the gear selector which opens up spaces for a new wireless phone charging pad, complete with a cover to keep the phone in place. The new left-side auxiliary screen display gives dedicated access to trip information or performance management. All three screens features sharper and more vivid graphics. The animations have been made smoother and cleaner. Drivers can select their preferred layout or allow the system to adjust automatically based on drive mode. The Performance Data Recorder's user interface has been completely redesigned to take advantage of the new, larger screens. For 2026, four new colors are available on all models: Sky Cool and Medium Ash Gray with Habanero accents: Monochrome cool grays with unexpected pops of bright Habanero Santorini Blue: Vivid shade of blue that is both vibrant and electric Very Dark Atmosphere: Rich chocolate brown paired with Jet Black and Natural Tan accents Ultimate Suede: Jet Black suede interior customizable through Adrenaline Red, Santorini Blue, and Competition Yellow accent stitch colors and matching seatbelts Customers can even spec a mixed seating option in Asymmetrical Adrenaline Red, with a racing-inspired Adrenaline Red Competition driver’s seat and a Jet Black GT2 passenger seat. The Ultimate Suede interior brings sueded microfiber to nearly all interior surfaces. Other new changes include: A new, available electrochromic roof, which allows customers to change the tint level of their targa roof glass at the press of a button – selecting between full, medium, and low tint options. The button to activate Charge+, which enables E-Ray drivers to replenish battery life more quickly or sustain battery charge for a track session, has been relocated to the steering wheel. Located just below the Z Mode button, Charge+ now has a more prominent location for ease of use. Two new exterior color options are available for all models: Roswell Green Metallic and Blade Silver Metallic. View full article -
2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss - midgate and tailgate open
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From the album: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
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2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss - with motorcycles in bed
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From the album: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
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2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss - Badge and C-Pillar
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From the album: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
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From the album: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
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From the album: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss
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