[C_TB]

New to the GM family so I'm not sure if this is normal behavior for Chevy CVTs but my trailblazer averages about 3000 RPMs on the high way doing between 65-70 and 2500 RPMs doing below 60 mph. Im concerned is this normal? The car struggles to keep up in the left lane and has lower high way mpg then advertised. The Toyota Camry I had previously would stay at 2000 RPMs doing 70+.

 

[OneAngryOtter]

This is normal. Unsure if you had a Camry with a CVT or not, but this is typical, intended behavior. The transmission adjusts as much as possible to stay in the most power efficient RPM band possible given the load it is under.

Some manufacturers program their CVTs to mimic shifting (why,I don’t know, as it negates the benefits CVTs offer). GM doesn’t do this with theirs however. Next time you take off from a red light, look at your RPMs, they will shoot up to 2500-3000 (unless you’re really pounding the gas) and stay their almost unfailingly until you change your throttle input.

 

[ZR2LIFE]

That's normal for a CVT. My 2016 Corolla acted the same except it had the simulated shifts which I always thought was funny. The 1.2 and 1.3 engines in the Trailblazers are small 3 cyl engines engines therfore they need more rpm's than a 4 or 6 cyl to keep them in the their powerband. The drop in K&N air filter does help with freeway passing by allowing more airflow at higher rpm's.

 

[C_TB]

That's normal for a CVT. My 2016 Corolla acted the same except it had the simulated shifts which I always thought was funny. The 1.2 and 1.3 engines in the Trailblazers are small 3 cyl engines engines therfore they need more rpm's than a 4 or 6 cyl to keep them in the their powerband. The drop in K&N air filter does help with freeway passing by allowing more airflow at higher rpm's.

Thank you! this makes sense since my camry was a 203 HP standard automatic and therefore needed to work less. Not sure why the trailblazer has such a small engine given that I get better mpg in the camry. Glad its normal behavior and not anything serious. cheers.