2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer Expert Review
Reviewed by Billy Rehbock
The Chevrolet Trailblazer leads with its cute ute design and follows up with a spacious interior. The subcompact SUV made its debut for the 2021 model year and poached its name from Chevy’s midsize Trailblazer that was produced from 2001 to 2008. As the Trailblazer enters 2026, GM makes a few minor changes to the cheap and cheerful SUV, which is otherwise a complete carryover. Chevy most recently refreshed the Trailblazer for 2024, so expect a redesign in one or two years. Rivals of the Trailblazer include the Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30, and Hyundai Kona.
What’s New
- White Sands and Apex Red paint colors added
- Crimson Metallic and Nitro Yellow Metallic colors discontinued
- Tire inflator kit standard; spare tire and wheel now optional
- Crimson Red roof renamed Apex Red
What We Think
Those in the market for a sub-$30,000 vehicle don’t have to drive around in a bland-looking econobox. Instead, they can plunk down their cash for the design-forward 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer, a subcompact SUV with a lot of style. Underneath its expressive bodywork, the Trailblazer’s interior is a roomy place for people and cargo. On the options list, Chevrolet offers several premium features that add some appeal to higher-end versions of the Trailblazer.
Our praise mostly ends there. The Trailblazer’s cabin lets a lot of road noise into its confines and the racket of either three-cylinder engine option is cacophonous. Our enjoyment of the cabin is further hampered by the black void surrounding the small standard driver display.
Driving dynamics are let down by poor steering feel. Equipping the bigger engine improves the Trailblazer’s acceleration, especially with AWD deactivated, but the 1.3-liter mill is just as unrefined as the default 1.2-liter powerplant. Purchasing a car with a small engine usually signals good fuel economy, but the Trailblazer’s EPA ratings are worse than some rivals with higher-output engines. At least the Trailblazer is offered with AWD; some small SUVs (including Chevy’s own Trax) are offered exclusively with FWD.
Performance and MPGs
Chevy offers the 2026 Trailblazer with a duo of funky engines. Unfortunately, funky isn’t used as an endearing positive in this application. The entry-level 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder mill develops 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. Models of the Trailblazer that use the 1.2-liter engine can only be had with FWD and a CVT automatic. Expect the 0–60 mph run to take more than 9.0 seconds in this entry-level SUV. For 2025, the base-powertrain Trailblazer is rated at 30/31/30 mpg city/highway/combined. Fueling with E85 reduces the return to 22/23/22 mpg, and range drops accordingly—filling with regular gas allows for 396 miles of driving while E85 lowers that figure to 290 miles.
Things improve somewhat with the available 1.3-liter turbocharged engine that powers most versions of the 2026 Trailblazer. That engine can be had with FWD and a CVT or AWD and a nine-speed automatic. In our testing, a Trailblazer Activ accelerated from 0–60 mph in 8.8 seconds. Chevy equips the AWD Trailblazer with a switch that selects FWD or AWD depending on road conditions and driver preferences. Overall fuel economy improves in comparison to to the 1.2-liter Trailblazer with the 1.3-liter engine and FWD. The rating for this powertrain is 29/33/31 mpg. However, all-wheel-drive models have worse fuel economy, at 26/29/27 mpg.
Should I Use E85 in My Trailblazer?
Trailblazers can run on E85, a fuel made from a blend of gasoline and plant-based ethanol. When fueling internal combustion engines, E85 runs cooler and produces fewer carbon emissions. As a benefit to the engine, E85 improves longevity. However, be warned that fuel economy will decrease. As such, we’d recommend sticking with regular gasoline for better gas mileage and range when you’re at the pump with a Chevrolet Trailblazer. Read up on E85 in our guide here.
Safety Ratings and Features
The 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer receives good, but incomplete crash test ratings from IIHS, with only three categories evaluated. The Trailblazer receives a score of Good for the small overlap front, original moderate overlap front, and original side crash tests. IIHS has not put the 2026 Trailblazer through its updated crash test regimen. The small Chevy SUV’s LATCH child safety seat anchoring system is scored at a second-highest rating of Acceptable. Finally, IIHS grants a second-highest rating of Advanced to the Trailblazer’s pedestrian front crash prevention in its daytime testing. NHTSA scores are strong, with a five-star overall rating composed from five-star frontal crash, five-star side crash, and four-star rollover scores.
Chevy equips the Trailblazer with a decent, if not robust, suite of driver assistance and safety tech. Standard features include forward collision alert and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Lane keeping assist and automatic headlights join the list of default equipment. Available tech includes bind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
Compared to other subcompact SUVs, the 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer is very spacious for both passengers and cargo. It beats rivals from Honda and Mazda in the key metrics we consider in our Buyer’s Guide rankings.
Technology
Every 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer features an 8.0-inch driver display that has way too much negative space surrounding the screen for our tastes. All trims come equipped with the same 11.0-inch touchscreen. Sound system options include four-, six-, and eight-speaker setups. Other standard tech includes wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, two USB ports, and a compass readout. Chevy offers several desirable features including remote engine start, wireless charging, a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.
Which 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer Trim Level Is Best?
The 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer is offered in four trims for 2026: LS, LT, RS, and Activ. Chevrolet has yet to announce pricing for the 2026 Trailblazer, but if the difference in pricing between trims remains close to the current intervals, we'll continue to recommend the range-topping Activ model. This variant rides better than other Trailblazer grades because it uses 17-inch wheels with thicker tire sidewalls than the RS, which gets 19-inch wheels. Activ models come with the more powerful and efficient 1.3-liter engine, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and off-road suspension tuning.
