After a few years of lying dormant in India, Chevrolet is finally showing some signs of life. Earlier this week, the American brand owned by General Motors launched its Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Trailblazer in the country, priced at INR 26.40 Lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The Trailblazer is Chevrolet's rival to the popular Toyota Fortuner and other premium SUVs like Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Ford Endeavour, Hyundai Santa Fe and Ssangyong Rexton.
Anything On Wheels was amongst the first few sites in India to post clear spy-shots of the Trailblazer that hinted at what's in store for us from the General!
SUVs are all about size and presence and on that aspect, the Trailblazer doesn't disappoint. Its massive, rides high and is bigger than the segment-leading Toyota Fortuner in most dimensions. Up front, the huge split grille with the big bow-tie logo in between gives the Trailblazer an unmistakably Chevy identity. The tall bonnet, massive bumpers and skid plates at the front and rear gives it a tough, muscular look while the projector lamps up front, LED taillights and subtle chrome garnishing adds to the appeal. We particularly like the way the C-pillar is shaped and the floating rear windscreen. Shod with 18-inch wheels, the Trailblazer has a whopping 241 mm ground clearance and a water-wading capability of 800 mm.
All that size translates into a spacious cabin that can comfortably accommodate seven passengers in three rows. The cabin has a dual-tone colour scheme with beige taking predominant real estate inside. Thankfully, the top half of the dashboard is finished in black with the colour scheme extending onto the doorpads on either sides as well. Chevrolet's My Link infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen is standard as are features like climate control, cruise control, BlueTooth connectivity, dual front airbags, Antilock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), cornering brake stability, panic brake assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control and Traction Control System.
Under the hood of the Trailblazer is a turbocharged 2.8-liter, 4-cylinder 'Duramax' diesel engine that generates 197 horsepower at 3600 rpm and 500 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm. Mated to the engine is a 6-speed automatic transmission that transmits the power to the rear wheels. No manual transmission or All Wheel Drive system are available at the moment.
Though the Trailblazer is unlikely to add significant volumes to General Motors India, it will help prevent the interest levels in Chevy brand from falling further. That's crucial as General Motors is said to be preparing for a fresh onslaught of new models in the Indian market in the upcoming years.
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