We took the Chevrolet Trailblazer for a test drive on the paved road

Heavy traffic, uneven roads, and torrential rains make driving in the Philippines a challenge. That's why we wanted to see if the Chevrolet Trailblazer can take on such scenarios while being a family friendly SUV.

Looking at the Trailblazer LTX 4x2, it’s hard not to notice its dominating presence thanks to its prominent front fascia and huge wheel arches. Its tough looks is given a boost with side steps and 18-inch alloy wheels at its flanks. The rear features a lift gate topped with chrome accents while its rear bumper houses the rear sensors and backup lights.

Even for its size, squeezing into tight parking spaces was a piece of cake with the Trailblazer. This is all thanks to its huge side view mirrors and reverse camera that displays the live feed on the rear view mirror. Its ride height of 230mm gave a sense of security and felt like we can tackle any obstacle ahead.

Inside, it has soft leather seats, generous legroom in the front and 2nd row seats, strong air conditioning, and an Android Infotainment System housed in a large LCD touchscreen. However, we did wish it would have an easy way to connect via Bluetooth or at least USB or Aux sockets. The 6-speaker sound system was impressive as it gave crisp sounds almost similar to having surround sound on board. It would have been nice though to have steering wheel mounted audio controls and LCD screens for the passengers on the 2nd or even in the 3rd row.

If you plan to go out on a family trip, it’s nice to know that the Trailblazer can ferry up to 7 people but with a little sacrifice on legroom for the 3rd row seats.

Stowage is plenty in this SUV, in the interior side panels, dashboard, and center console. Its 205 L trunk space was enough to carry a few bags of groceries. But if more storage is required, simply fold down the 3rd or even the 2nd row seats to get additional cargo space.

Another noteworthy aspect of the Trailblazer was its lower Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) levels which cancel out the noise from its powerful 2.8L Duramax diesel engine. 

Although the throttle was a little bit unresponsive, we certainly felt its best-in-class 200 hp and 500 Nm of torque when we floored it. On the other hand, the brakes kept us confident in the Trailblazer. It was a bit surprising that the Trailblazer's body didn't roll as much as we expected. Meanwhile, its suspension did a good job absorbing the bumps along the road giving the passengers a comfortable ride.

So can the Chevrolet Trailblazer LTX 4x2 face such scenarios and be a family friendly SUV?

The Chevrolet Trailblazer LTX comes a bit short on its ability to tackle extreme conditions due its 4x2 drive train. But for a price tag of P1,588,888, you get an SUV that you can use to bring your kids to school, use for your daily commute to the office, and is high enough to pass through city flood. These reasons make this SUV a practical investment especially for those who're in need of a dependable ride.

For more information on the Chevrolet Trailblazer, visit the AutoDeal Car Guide.