Chalk this model up to “things Americans are denied for some reason, but would really love.” The 2017 Holden Trailblazer ushers in a modest refresh with more premium features and a fresh name. Even though Holden revealed the 2017 Trailblazer along with its slew of marketing and product announcements, the brand has officially taken the time to detail what’s new with the SUV.
The 2017 Holden Trailblazer will be the cornerstone of the brand’s inbound SUV and crossover blitz and will feature premium features over its outgoing Colorado 7 counterpart.
However, none of its newfound premium features sacrifice its off-road credentials. The 4×4 capability remained front and center when Holden went into development for the Trailblazer. Improvements include a quicker steering rack ratio with fewer turns lock-to-lock, and a final drive ratio is exclusive to the Holden Trailblazer when equipped with a manual gearbox to improve drive quality, especially when towing.
Revised engine, transmission and body mounts also make for a more refined and composed ride when the 2017 Trailblazer plays grocery getter instead of mud splasher.
“Trailblazer is such a versatile car, used for anything from weekday grocery runs to weekend 4×4 driving adventures so we had to ensure it performed in a variety of situations and terrains,” Holden’s Lead Dynamics Engineer, Rob Trubiani, said.
When it comes to more premium appointments, the 2017 Trailblazer has received a redesigned interior cabin with comfort in mind. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard with an eight-inch touchscreen display, rear park assist is standard across trims and new heated leather seats with contrast stitching provide a departure from the more mundane Colorado 7.
Pricing has yet to be announced, but Holden says the 2017 Trailblazer will make its way to dealers across Australia this coming October.
Comments
Bring it to the USA! Give me a V8 and towing package-and the steering wheel on the left side……………
My guess is the only reason it’s been renamed is simply because badged as Colorado 7 it didn’t sell and the MU-X outsold it by a huge margin. This one won’t be any different. They need to ditch the VM Motori 2.8 and get the three litre from Isuzu back in order to really compete. Buyers of ute-based SUVs look more towards reliability, which the Isuzus have in spades and the Holdens don’t (I’ve seen about three times as many MU-Xs on the road compared to Colorado 7s). At least Holden are offering a manual gearbox though, MU-X is auto only these days.
Junk! The US line up should be done in RHD to service Australia and other markets. Could even help build Vauxhall sales.
Call me a sell out but Dodge Durango is a far sexier package. GM should try at hiring Gills for Chevrolet designs. Meanwhile, GM should avoid building a super-sized Renegade!
Aaron, I took a MY17 Colorado Ute for a 40 km test drive on Saturday over the roughest road I travel on daily, which is basically a State Highway that closely resembles a goat track. Holden and GM Brazil’s engineers have done amazing things to the vehicle and should be commended. The upgrades make it feel Ranger good, and the ride and handling were better than my PX XL Ranger (admittedly it has 220,000 kms on the clock). A PX 2 was on the shopping list, but not anymore especially when the equivalent model to replace it is now $6,000 more to replace over an equivalent specced Holden that has better connectivity and more features. The torque delivery and throttle response were superior to my Ranger too. Don’t know what you’ve got against the VM Motori engine but those old Isuzu 3.0 litres remind me of an old Rodeo 2.8. A good tractor engine, but too noisy, underpowered and far too unrefined for a vehicle I will spend 10 hours a day in. The old dash in the Isuzu / RG 1 Colorado is shit too, not a patch on the MY17 Collie. Top stuff GM, as I could feel where the money has been spent on the Colorado/Trailblazer upgrade so much so my next work vehicle purchase will see me back with the General. (Work wise at least, still have my SS-V Ute, WM Statesman and ’63 Impala to show where my allegiances truly lie).