Power-packed TrailBlazer to compete with Fortrunner, Endeavour

The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is the most powerful SUV in its class and offers great road presence posing a threat to the Toyota Fortuner and new Ford Endeavour in the premium SUV space, says Faisal Khan of Motorbeam.com.

The Chevrolet TrailBlazer made its Indian debut at the 2014 Auto Expo and was quick to gauge attention from thousands that visited the GM pavillion.

Come to 2015 and the TrailBlazer has officially arrived in the Indian market as part of the American automaker's renewed strategy.

Banking on India's love for all things big, will the Chevrolet TrailBlazer be able to make the cut in the premium SUV segment, MotorBeam took a spin in the newest Chevy to find that out.

1) The TrailBlazer gets bulbous proportions with muscular elements that give the SUV an intimidating profile.

The Chevrolet dual port front grille, projector headlamps and a chin up bumper make for a pleasing front fascia while the rear gets LED tail lamps which look mature.

2) The ground clearance stands at 241 mm and the TrailBlazer rides on 18-inch alloys which allow you to take on any kind of terrain without scraping the underbelly.

3) The TrailBlazer's cabin gets finished in a black and beige combination and feels well put together.

The centre console comes with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with SmartLink function but does not offer navigation.

4) You also get auto climate control with dedicated air-vents for 2nd and 3rd rows; reverse parking camera, 6-way power adjustment for the driver's seat while the audio system offers good sound quality and dismisses engine clatter relatively well inside the cabin.

5) The seating position is commanding and the leather upholstered seats offer good body support.

The second row offers ample of legroom and kneeroom accommodating three in comfort, whereas the rear is surprisingly practical and can seat two average-sized adults.

The boot capacity is small but gets massive by folding the third row.

6) A 2.8-litre DURAMAX diesel engine powers the TrailBlazer and is tuned for 200 BHP at 3600 RPM and best-in-class 500 Nm of torque at 2000 RPM.

Turbo lag is negligible and the strong mid-range helps make the most out of this unit before redlining at 4400 RPM.

7) The SUV comes with a 6-speed automatic unit that offers slick shifts and when shifted to manual mode holds gears even after hitting the redline.

Disappointingly, there is no manual transmission or 4WD available on the SUV. Real world fuel efficiency figures can be expected to be around 10 km/l.

8) The TrailBlazer uses a body-on-frame setup with the suspension being on the stiffer side. Low-speed ride gets a little bumpy but eases out as you build speeds.

Surprisingly, body roll is very much in control despite the massive proportions of the SUV.

9) The wide section tyres provide immense grip while the steering wheel gets a tad heavy at high speeds.

The braking performance is decent with progressive pedal bite. Safety tech is in abundance with a host of electronic aids on offer but only dual front airbags feel less on this 7-seater.

10) Despite there being no 4WD or manual transmission on offer, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer wins you over with its sheer size, performance and generous cabin space.

The SUV feels on par with the competition and is certain to appeal to buyers looking for a fatigue-free SUV to drive.

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