The Chevy Trailblazer name returned to the market to take on the Subaru Crosstrek and other subcompact SUVs. Which of these models will you drive next year?
Although the bowtie brand is a legacy automotive brand, its hard to imagine a subcompact crossover entering the market and taking on the stalwart models of the Honda HR-V, Toyota C-HR, Nissan Kicks, and Subaru Crosstrek. Still, the Chevy Trailblazer is a well-known name and was a successful small SUV in its original version.
Let’s look at five reasons you’ll want the Chevy Trailblazer and five that make the Subaru Crosstrek the SUV you should drive.
Why should you buy the new 2024 Chevy Trailblazer?
1. An affordable MSRP
The starting price of the new Trailblazer should be $23,100. This makes this small Chevy an excellent option for families that want a cost-effective small vehicle to drive and enjoy. You’ll find a full package of great features to make driving the Trailblazer easy for you. Comparatively, the Crosstrek starts at $24,995, which makes the Chevy the clear winner in this discussion.
2. New styling with a facelift
The new 2024 Chevy Trailblazer includes an upgraded look with a facelift to give the front of this SUV a bold and imposing style. Of course, this being a small SUV, it’s not exactly imposing, but this new Chevy brings a much bolder style than most of its competitors. The new front fascia features improved headlights and a wider grille. You’ll also find some new colors offered for this stylish new SUV. Some of these new colors include Copper Harbor Metallic, Jet Black/Artemis Accent, and Cacti Green.
3. Chevy offers several trims for the Trailblazer
You’ll find four trims offered for this new Chevy SUV. These trims include LS, LT, Activ, and RS to bring four different personalities and driving packages The RS model is the sportiest of the four, and the Activ model actually offers some off-road performance, which is something you don’t always find in small SUVs. This means you can easily find the Trailblazer that fits your desires somewhere in the mix of these trims. Which trim will be right for your driving needs?
4. Bigger wheels for the higher trims
The Chevy Trailblazer has an advantage over the Subaru Crosstrek with the option of large 19-inch wheels. These big, machined wheels offer a two-tone design for the TS trim. This is the only trim with these large wheels, but that makes sense for the sportiest model in the lineup. If you choose the Activ trim, you’ll have a set of 17-inch wheels that make it ride perfectly for you. These two trims offer two-tone rooflines, and adding these impressive wheels gives you a great-looking SUV to drive.
5. Optional AWD
If you don’t want AWD shoved down your throat but nicely offered as an option for your SUV, you’ll want to choose the Chevy Trailblazer. This SUV includes a base 1.2-liter engine that only comes with FWD, but the 1.3-liter powertrain brings the option of AWD for those who want this feature in their small SUV. The Subaru Crosstrek comes standard with the Symmetrical AWD. While this system is impressive and useful, some drivers would rather enjoy better fuel mileage in an FWD SUV, which means the Trailblazer is the right choice.
Why should you buy the new 2024 Subaru Crosstrek?
1. Built in the United States
It might seem strange to some, but the Chevy Trailblazer is being built in the GM Bupyeong plant in South Korea, while the Subaru Crosstrek is built in the United States in Lafayette, Indiana. This might seem like they should be switched, but that’s the reality of the situation. If you’re looking for a small SUV that’s built in America, the Crosstrek is the right choice for you.
2. More standard safety features
The Subaru Crosstrek includes the EyeSight Driver Assist Technology package with automatic emergency steering as part of the standard packaging. This new model now also has automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection. The automatic Pre-Collision Braking feature brings full braking force to the mix to help when you’re in an emergency situation. The added standard features and safety items help make the Crosstrek a great choice when you’re looking for the subcompact crossover SUV that you want to drive.
3. Impressive infotainment screen and technology
The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek has a much more impressive infotainment screen than the Chevy Trailblazer. This screen measures 11.6 inches if you check the right box when ordering your small Subaru SUV. In addition to this large screen, the Crosstrek can be had with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker/432-watt Harman Kardon premium audio system, along with USB-A and USB-C input and charging ports to connect your devices. Overall, the Crosstrek packs a generous list of tech for your driving needs. All you’ve got to do is check the right boxes.
4. More than enough ground clearance
Very few subcompact SUVs offer AWD, and even fewer have enough ground clearance to make it easy to handle obstacles in your path. The Subaru Crosstrek has much better ground clearance when compared to the Chevy Trailblazer. The Subaru stands 8.7 inches off the ground, while the Chevy only stands 7.5 inches above the ground. Toss in the X-Mode with Hill Descent Control and the impressive Symmetrical AWD, and you’ve got an SUV that can handle trials and still give you the benefits of a small SUV.
5. Larger engine options
The Trailblazer has two tiny fuel-sipping engines that don’t come close to the size and power of the Subaru boxer engines. These boxer engines sit lower and flatter in the engine bay than traditional engines. The base engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder model that produces 152 horsepower and 145 lb-ft of torque. There’s also an optional 2.5-liter engine that generates 182 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque.
With five reasons to buy the 2024 Chevy Trailblazer and five to buy the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, which of these new subcompact SUVs will you drive?
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