As we write this, General Motors offers two completely different vehicles under the Chevy Trailblazer nameplate. The first is a unibody subcompact crossover positioned above the Trax. The second is a body-on-frame midsize SUV that’s a cousin to the international-market Chevy Colorado. And based on rumblings heard by GM Authority, the body-on-frame model will likely not get a next generation once the current one reaches the end of its lifecycle.
2012 Chevy Trailblazer in South Africa
Before we get into the details, let’s first take a few steps back to understand how we got here. The Chevy Trailblazer SUV launched in various international markets for the 2012 model year. It rides on the very first iteration of the GM 31XX platform shared with the international-market Chevy Colorado, which is also sold in some markets as the S10. The Trailblazer has been available in five- and seven-passenger configurations and has been offered with GM’s four-cylinder baby Duramax turbo-diesel engines (the XLD25 and XLD28) as well as the 3.6L V6 LY7 gasoline motor.
2017 Holden Trailblazer Special Edition
Though this version of the Trailblazer never made its way to North American markets, GM has done a solid job of keeping the vehicle updated throughout its lifecycle in those markets where it is available, via revised fascias and new features. In fact, the 2021 model year will bring yet another refresh. But as the model continued to get fresher, the amount of markets where it’s available has continued to shrink.
2021 Chevy Trailblazer SUV in Brazil
Within a few years of being launched, the Chevy Trailblazer was sold in South Africa, Southeast Asia, Russia and South America. It was also made available in Australia and New Zealand as the Holden Colorado 7, with the 7 representing its seven-passenger seating capacity, before being rechristened as the Holden Trailblazer. Incidentally, GM has withdrawn from all but one of these markets over the the past decade, first pulling out of Russia, followed by South Africa, Southeast Asia, and – most recently – Australia.
2015 Holden Colorado 7
GM remains a big player in South America, where it is one of the best-selling auto brands, including Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. To that end, South America is also the only remaining market where GM sells and produces the Chevy Trailblazer SUV. However, the vehicle might not have much of a future there, as sources tell GMA that The General’s product planners are considering not replacing the Trailblazer.
2019 Holden Trailblazer Special Edition
A cursory look at the Chevrolet lineup in South America illustrates the reasoning behind the thinking: the Trailblazer is roughly the same size as the new-for-2019 Blazer crossover, and both models are offered at nearly identical prices.
2019 Chevy Blazer crossover is roughly the same size as the Trailblazer SUV, and has almost the same price.
So when the current Trailblazer, now produced exclusively at the GM São José dos Campos plant in Brazil, reaches the end of its lifecycle, the vehicle could be dropped entirely, with the Chevy Blazer midsize crossover taking its place. The GM Rayong plant – the other facility where the Chevy Trailblazer was previously produced – was recently sold to China’s Great Wall Motors as GM withdrew from Thailand.
As far as we know, the current Trailblazer was set to be sunset around the 2023 calendar year, though it’s possible that this timeframe will be extended past that, and that the current model will remain on sale, without a next-gen successor.
In 2019, GM was benchmarking the Jeep Wrangler at its Milford Proving Grounds.
The circumstance might have been quite different had GM made the Trailblazer available in North America, where it would have a direct rival to the Toyota 4Runner and an indirect competitor to the Jeep Wrangler, all-new Ford Bronco, and now-discontinued Toyota FJ Cruiser. In fact, GM planned a Wrangler and Bronco rival to be based on an all-new architecture, but recently changed course by cancelling work on a new platform that would have underpinned such a model.
This new, unreleased architecture was known as GM 32XX before its cancellation, would have also underpinned the next-generation Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. Now, the two pickup trucks will be redesigned atop an upgraded version of the current 31XX platform that will be called 31XX-2; they are expected to launch for the 2023 model year.
2021 Chevy Trailblazer is a new subcompact crossover that will carry the nameplate into the future.
Meanwhile, the Chevy Trailblazer crossover – which just launched in North America, China, and Korea over the past 12 months – will carry the Trailblazer name going forward. The vehicle is seeing very solid levels of demand in all markets where it’s available, and is outperforming sales expectations in the United States.
Update: Chevrolet’s Rita Kass-Shamoun has provided the following statement:
“The SUV segment is the fastest growing in South America and the Trailblazer is a strategic product for the company’s future business in the region.”
We’ll have more on all things Trailblazer – both the SUV and the crossover – soon, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Trailblazer news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Things are a little too cloudy to really pin point this yet. What may appear as an end could be the start of something new that we have not discovered yet,.
The Bronco will force GM to reconsider their entry into the lifestyle segment as the Blazer is not an answer to this new area of fast growth.
Let just give this some time. The past Trailblazer also was not the answer as it would have needed a complete redo as the Colorado needed to come here.
So for now I don’t see this as an end just a new start for something we may see.
I don’t think GM has to rush to respond to anything Ford is doing right now. Ford seems pretty rudderless at this point. Ford’s CEO hanging around for a few years and abandoning ship isn’t really a great sign of prosperity in the company. Their stocks are the lowest they’ve been since the bailouts.
It would be great to see a mid-sized, rwd based, longitudinal bof suv from GM. However, I don’t think wasting money, which should be spent in a frugal manner right now, playing catch up on development in the small, niche “lifestyle” segment would be a wise use of R&D money.
@h4cksaw:
I agree. The Bronco isn’t on the market yet. Pre-Market “buzz” and “reservations” are NOT the same thing as sales. My own opinion is that after an initial splash, Bronco will settle into a niche position. Such cartoonish designs don’t usually have long shelf lives.
FCA is going to under cut Ford pricing hard, too. They are also talking about offering a V8 Wrangler now. I Just thing Ford picked a weird battle with this one. Meanwhile they only offer the lackluster EcoSport in one of the best selling, most competitive segments in the U.S.
Same thing with the MachE that price point is going to be tough to move against Teslas. I would have thought they would have wanted to design a BEV to compete more closely with the Bolt and sell a more affordable unit to get more of those CAFE credits.
Ford is just picking some weird battles in some pretty small segments right now… If I was their CEO I would probably “retire” too.
Greetings from Brasil.
I spoke to some people at GM do Brasil off record and they confirmed Mr. Lufts’ report – there will not be a next-generation Trailblazer.
GM will keep updating the current model and then discontinue it later on. That is the plan as of August.
Bronco=winner
Trailblazer=ugly
GM=no Jeep/Bronco response.
Megeebee=eat crow when Bronco released.
What’s clear as of right now is that a next-gen Trailblazer SUV is not happening. Everything else is up in the air.
If GM were smart, they would build the next Blazer on the VSS-R platform.
VSS-R seems to be dead.
Just because GM is using up alpha platforms on Cadillacs and the Camaro doesn’t mean that development of the VSS-R is dead. I think that the CT6 Omega platform probably utilized a lot of technology that will be found in future RWD ICE applications, if GM decides to invest in mid-size rwd layouts.
I think right now GM is being very wise holding their cards close to their chest during uncertain times. Projects like the new Trailblazer and Encore GX might not being super exciting, but are low risk investments in a huge segment.
I hope you’re right and that it’s not a no smoke no fire situation. Maybe Alex knows more…???
Remember, the CT6 is still in production in China, it’s a huge price gap between CT5 and Celestiq and it’s probably expensive to invest in Omega when VSS-R have better ROI so CT6 have a chance to return.
IMO the Traverse, Enclave and XT6 with probably be on VSS-R next generation, also IMO all light BOF trucks is supposed to be on VSS-T hence you’ll see no further development on single mass-produced truck platforms from GM anymore.
@GUESTT:
Good point about Cadillac, but I feel if the CT6 is to have a replacement it will be electric. Sales of ICE sedans of that size and type just aren’t good enough to warrant the costs of developing a new one.
We know about Celestiq, and you’re right that the price gap between it and CT5 is huge. So too is the car itself, we’re told. But that doesnt mean Cadillac won’t eventually have a CT6 size sedan of a lower (than Celestiq) price point sometime. They are developing SUVs first because that’s where the grapes are growing. But I really do think we’ll see passanger cars built on a BEV platform down the line.
We will see passenger BEVs but as a primary sedan that won’t happen until the 30s, with the new platform shared with volume from CUVs, Camaro, others vehicles also China it won’t take a dedicated pot of money to develop a ICE sedan like before.
Why can’t we have both EV and ICE?
It would be both, GM still make tons of money off ICE vehicles. Just because they have a EV supply chain don’t mean 100% EVs in a few years.
We bought the 2021 Trailblazer North American version end of May this year. Catastrophic electronic module failure first week of July, dealer has had the vehicle now longer than we’ve owned it, eight weeks and counting, can’t source the replacement part apparently.
When I say ‘catastrophic ‘ i mean it in the electronic failure perspective; weak to no brakes, every caution light illuminated, etc., not a horrific crash. Had we been doing 50-60 mph, vice 25, oh yeah, big crash. Cannibalizing apparently not an option, they tell us; each module programmed to a specific VIN. Great plan.
Options are deal with waiting, take a huge financial loss, or find a consumer protection lawyer. Not taking a loss, sick of waiting, so…
What sucks is we really liked the vehicle up to that point.
Im so sorry you had to go through this experience so early in your ownership of a brand new Trailblazer. I hope GM sort out this electronic failure ASAP, and go through the trouble of satisfying customers who have to go through the downtime.
They have 30 days to fix it. Go back to the dealer, grab the manager, walk out to the lot, point to a replacement, say “I’ll take that one, or start litigation”. You have a lot of patience.
They can’t source a suitable sub in CONUS at the moment. GM corporate called yesterday, they are involved in righting the situation. I give 7 days then game on again.
I had a little trouble deciphering what was said in this comment. Was the vehicle also in an accident? Obviously I’m glad everyone is ok, but I feel like we could be missing some of the story here…
No accident, due to low speed at the time of failure.
No accident due to low speed at the time of failure.
I am a complete satisfied owner of a Trailblazer in Brazil. The best engine in its category, beating Toyota and others Japanese brands by far. It would be a disaster if it wont get a new generation. Too sad hearing that !
My wife loves her 2007 Chrvy trailblazer and stated she will drive it till it dies because they dont have a real midsize SUV. She not alone when I speak to people they want a midsize body on frame 4×4 rear wheel drive not a unibody front wheel drive or all wheel drive over grown car called a SUV. It’s a shame Gm doesn’t build real trucks anymore everything is geared towards the yuppy man or soccer mom. Trucks need to be trucks for the people who buy them for what they are. Give us a real midsize SUV body on frame rear wheel drive good old american 4×4, to those who will comment buy a Tahoe I will say she doesn’t want that bigger truck.
GM is going to make a mistake if they don’t build the Trailblazer on the Colorado frame. A mid sized RWD SUV is needed because not everyone wants or can afford an over-sized Tahoe. The S-10 RWD Blazer sold millions, it had a good towing capacity at that , I towed many boats and trailers with mine and not everyone wants or needs a three row SUV or CUV.
I will never understand why GM does not bring the bof Trailblazer to this side of the border. I don’t really need a pickup truck and I am still driving my 2002 Trailblazer LTZ. Still going strong with about 155,000 miles on the clock. I looked at the new Blazer and Trailblazer but the towing capacity is dismal and it’s not bof. Plus, unless I modify it or buy a dolly, I can’t tow it behind my motorhome. Because where I live all wheel or 4 wheel drive is a necessity, I couldn’t tow either of them at all. I really have no desire to buy a trailer. The 2002 hooks up easily and tows 4 down effortlessly behind the RV. Guess I’m keeping it for a while longer.
It is true, the next-gen Trailblazer is cancelled and they’re prolonging the current model’s lifecycle by a few years. Another refresh will be done. After that, the Blazer will take over. Nice work getting this story Alex.
Leave it to GM. It’s losing market share so instead of giving it to the US market with a little better looking skin they contemplate axing it.
They can’t source one equal, so they say. We’ve emailed and called GM corporate. Silence as expected.
I was in the same situation as you a number of years ago. I really liked my old Trailblazer but GM didn’t have a real replacement for it. I ended up leasing a Jeep Grand Cherokee and loved it. It drove a ton better than the old Trailblazer. I know it isn’t BOF, but with the right engine/feature combo, it can tow more than the new TB and Blazer. It has the drive train and ground clearance to go off road much better than the new TB and Blazer too. I know some people say they have reliability issues, but I had none in the 3 years I leased it. The only negative is it doesn’t have as much room behind the rear seat compared to the Trailblazer (especially the XL version), but the back seats do fold forward. And I understand the brand new 2022 Grand Cherokee coming out will be bigger and have more room behind the seat. I also wish GM would build a SUV based on the Colorado frame here in the good old USA.
Bronco winner
I saw the new Trailblazer at an Ohio Dealer! it looked great ! For $30 K, I want more than an Itty-Biddy 3-cyl engine of 1.2L or even1.3L won’t drag it out of the bathroom!
Try the 3.0 L or 3.6 L V-6’s and they will sell! The Trailblazer moniker means more than Big wheels Rear/Small wheels Front designed to roll downhill!
WAKE UP SALES DEPARTMENT!
I life the BLAZER with V6 engine, but the RS is to expensive, how about put the V6 on the BLAZER 2LT, I will bay next year
when my XT5 rent end. tanks GR,
Chevy continues making vehicles they want you to buy rather than the vehicles the public wants