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| 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer |
First up is the Chevrolet Trailblazer, which starts at 19,000 Dollars, the cheapest of the Chevrolet SUV range. For some eagle-eyed GM insiders, the Trailblazer name sounds familiar because that was originally used for the seven-seater big brother of the Blazer in 1999 and then re-used in 2012 as the SUV version of the Colorado, which is sold in developing countries as well as Australia as a Holden. Due to progressiveness, the Trailblazer name has been demoted as the little brother of the Blazer, revived last year as a crossover that uses the same bits and bobs as the current GMC Acadia.
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| 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer |
Falling victim to the progressive culture, the Trailblazer compact crossover is about as small as the Spark, which makes it a bit "city car class" for a tiny crossover, and in terms of design, the Trailblazer looks a bit like a Hyundai Venue, despite the fact that it's made in Korea, just like its Venue rival. Although not macho for SUV standards, the Trailblazer is not afraid to get its face dirty because getting dirty is almost what this thing does, almost.
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| 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer interior |
On the inside, it's anything but typical for the Trailblazer because despite being small in size, it can fit up to five people and up to 54.4 cubic feet of cargo volume when the passenger and 2nd-row seats are folded down, making it the ideal crossover for work and for weekend trips with friends. Although regular, it's about as comfortable as any car can get. Not bad, Chevrolet.
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| 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer |
Behind the wheel, the Trailblazer is about as nimble as a city car and as capable as you know what. Under the hood, the Trailblazer is offered with a choice of ECOTEC 1.2L turbo mated to a CVT and the ECOTEC 1.3L turbo engine mated to a 9-speed AT with 155hp of power and 174lb-ft of torque. Feels nippy, of course, and with the 4WD system opted, it's all business as usual for the Trailblazer, but when you went for the ACTIV variant with off-road suspension tuning, the Trailblazer really works its magic, almost. Not bad working on the dirt with the 4WD system running but it should deserve more because it's worth a hundred unanswered questions about this crossover.
In terms of safety, the Trailblazer features Chevy Safety Assist with available Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Rear Park Assist, among many other safety features offered on this crossover.
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| 2020 Buick Encore GX |
Shifting gears to the Buick Encore GX, this $24,100 replacement to the old, Euro-sourced Encore, is the cheapest Buick crossover at this moment in time and it's less expensive than the now-defunct Regal TourX, although more expensive than the Chevy Trailblazer mentioned above.
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| 2020 Buick Encore GX |
So, what to expect in the newest addition to the Buick SUV range? For starters, the exterior looks pretty much the same as the Encore but because this is the GX, it's slightly bigger than the Encore, so they're no telling why it's bigger. Also, when opted for the ST package, the Encore GX strips off its cladding in exchange for a unique front face and sporty looks, that make it look as clean and fresh as an Irish Spring.
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| 2020 Buick Encore GX interior |
The interior may be fancier than the Trailblazer's but the Encore GX still fits up to five people and has foldable seats on the passenger side for space issues in mind, which is still the ideal crossover fit for work or for weekend trips despite being more costly than the Trailblazer's. Sadly, it's less spacious than the Trailblazer because of its 50.2 cu. ft. max cargo capacity.
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| 2020 Buick Encore GX |
Like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Encore GX is offered with a choice of ECOTEC 1.2L turbo mated to a CVT and the ECOTEC 1.3L turbo engine mated to a 9-speed AT with 155hp of power and 174lb-ft of torque. Yes, there's 4WD offered but no off-road tuned suspension in sight, meaning the Encore GX is best to be driven on the road rather than off the road because there are no special bits that make it well-behaved on dirt. Sorry, Hannibal. This guy doesn't want to play elephant with you.
The Encore GX comes with Buick Driver Confidence as well as available safety & driver-assistance technologies but I'll leave it here because it's too much information.
Which one will you pick? Would you go for the Trailblazer that is less costly to own and spacious? Or would you go for the Encore GX because of its clean, sporty looks at the cost of boot space? It's hard to decide which one will you pick because frankly, they're pretty much the same so they all end in a stalemate. The end.
Photo: General Motors