As of 2022, SUVs and trucks now make up a whopping 80% of all new cars sold. And with the 2023 Chevy Trailblazer on the horizon, that figure promises to hold steady. And with the new model’s slate of improvements, there’s never been a better time to get behind the wheel of one of these venerated SUVs.
Though the current Chevrolet Trailblazer line was only launched in 2020, it comes from a lineage that spans decades. So before you decide if this modern spin on a classic is the right Chevy for you, let’s look at some key Trailblazer history.
The Origin of the Chevrolet Trailblazer
Chevy cars enjoy some of the best reputations in the industry, brought to us by a company with over a hundred years of history. Of course, a lot has changed in that time. And the Chevy Trailblazer is a good example.
The modern Trailblazer can trace its lineage back to 1982 when Chevy introduced its S-10 Blazer. At this point, the first modern SUVs were starting to arrive on the market.
There had been examples of off-road vehicles for the civilian market before. However, most previous models had either been too impractical or too expensive to gain much traction with the general public. It was only in the 80s when new manufacturing techniques brought down the cost, size, and weight of these vehicles to reasonable levels.
And as it happens, this is also when the phrase “sports utility vehicle” started appearing in the automotive press. So it’s not inaccurate to say that the Trailblazer’s ancestor has been around since the early days of the SUV.
Though the S-10 was a successful vehicle in its own right, it wouldn’t take long for consumers to demand an updated version. And that’s where the modern incarnation enters the picture.
Enter the Trailblazer
The Chevy TrailBlazer — originally spelled with the uppercase “B” — was introduced in 1999 as the high-end version of the S-10. This early edition was more or less the existing S-10 platform with a few added features. But it proved popular enough that Chevy decided to spin it off into its own model.
The first generation of true TrailBlazers would make their debut in 2002. Boasting marked improvement over the S-10 it evolved from; the TrailBlazer would claim the 2002 North American Truck of the Year award.
The TrailBlazer would be phased out in favor of the newer Chevy traverse, with the last one rolling off the assembly line in 2008. But even though the Traverse was an admirable replacement, the older TrailBlazers retained their fans.
That’s why the decision was made to revive the line as the all-new Trailblazer in 2020. This current incarnation is built around being the ideal daily driver. Blending power, efficiency, and comfort, it’s built to take drivers uptown, out of town, and everywhere in between.
The only minor hiccup that the Trailblazer has faced is the ongoing supply chain issues that plague the auto industry at large. In particular, the lack of key semiconductor components caused some inventory shortages earlier this year.
But with the passage of the CHIPS Act in July, it’s predicted that the upcoming model year will meet the rising demand.
Looking Forward to the 2023 Chevy Trailblazer
Though reintroduced to the public quite recently, the Chevrolet Trailblazer enjoys a proud, decades-long history. The newest model year promises to live up to that lineage.
And as supply chain issues are finally ironed out, there will be plenty of them heading to lots near you. To schedule a test drive for the 2023 Trailblazer, learn more about how Local Car Shopper can connect you to dealers near you today.
Sponsored by: Firelands Chevrolet
