[Quaid]

My partner and I just picked up her new 2021 Trailblazer Activ 1.3L AWD in zeus bronze two-tone with white roof. We're in Ontario, Canada.

The dog likes the new ride, and I tend to agree. It's a nice vehicle.

 

[brownactive]

Welcome to the club!

 

[blazin]

Welcome @Quaid. What other vehicles were you considering before deciding on the Trailblazer? Curious to know because we have so many options these days!

 

[brownactive]

We were looking at that new Jeep truck looking thing. Wife LOVED them till she drove it then saw the TB and drove it and never looked back.

 

[Quaid]

Welcome @Quaid. What other vehicles were you considering before deciding on the Trailblazer? Curious to know because we have so many options these days!

We've driven a lot of vehicles while shopping over the past year:

Jeep Renegade
Hyundai Kona
Kia Niro
Nissan Qashqai
Subaru Crosstrek
Mazda CX5
Buick Encore
Ford EcoSport

Probably some others that I've forgotten...

Nothing from Honda (looked but didn't test).
Nothing from Toyota (tried to get a test for RAV4, but couldn't get anyone to call us back?!).


My wife was committed to buying a hybrid. I supported that desire, as I believe fuel efficiency is important. This was the driving force behind our desire to test a RAV4. All-electric or PHEV aren't practical for us due to our parking lot not supporting charging. What we found was that very few companies actually had any availability for hybrids, despite marketing wank saying otherwise (looking at you, Subaru).

Upon seeing a TB Activ on a dealer lot, my wife instantly loved it and was already resigned to a hybrid maybe not being available. TBH neither of us are thrilled with the fuel efficiency specifications on the TB. They seem to be equivalent to technology on my more powerful, larger, and older Ford EcoBoost engine. Hopefully the real world efficiency is a surprise.

The Niro had great fuel efficiency, but lacked ground clearance, AWD, and off-road style cues.

The Kona had a cheap plastic feel.

We wanted to test the Mazda CX3, but the salesperson pushed hard for the CX5...and my wife thought it was too big (predictable, and stupid on the part of the salesperson).

It was a long shopping journey, but the decision happened very quickly.

 

[blazin]

Fortunately ICE cars these days are getting better gas mileage, almost to the point that buying a hybrid isn't necessary for some. The CX-30 (still on my shopping list) gets 33MPG highway which is perfect because I do a lot of highway miles for work. Its one of a few in this segment I would go for aside from the TB.

Are you planning to do any first things? Like window tinting, paint protection, accessories (vent visors, window shade, car cover, etc.) Also, any tips on keeping a car clean with a dog? (I might be getting one!)

P.S. you might want to add your Zeus Bronze to this thread:

Official ZEUS BRONZE METALLIC Chevy Trailblazer Owners...

Post pictures of your ZEUS BRONZE METALLIC Chevy Trailblazer. All Chevy Trailblazer Colors Zeus Bronze Metallic Summit White Midnight Blue Metallic Dark Copper Metallic Mosaic Black Metallic Satin Steel Metallic Iridescent Pearl Tricoat

www.trailblazertalk.com

 

[Quaid]

Regarding fuel efficiency, I'm not going to hold my breath...but the Asian Petrolhead review stated highway efficiency of 17.3 km/L || 5.78 L/100km || 40.6 mpg. That will be a satisfying surprise if it can be realized in real life hwy driving. However, it's possible that they simply reset the efficiency calculation while coasting at high speed in 2wd, so I remain a bit skeptical. We certainly haven't seen any surprises with the city driving we've done so far.



No major modifications are planned except the addition of a hitch. Some sort of cargo liner will be added, although right now there are cheap blue tarps filling that role. Before winter, some weathertech floor liners will be added to the front. The high sided floor mats have worked well for protecting from salt in other vehicles, and from what I've seen of the OEM options they just don't have that high sided coverage.


Regarding dogs....

Depending on the breed, size, and personality of your dog, previously held standards of cleanliness may become...adjusted. Our dog is 110lbs and loves dirt, mud, water, etc. He rides in the back seat, with a kurgo barrier between the two front seats and two layers of hammock-style seat covers (they are rarely as water resistant as they advertise, and two layers gives the seats more of a fighting chance). He gets buckled into a seat belt with a harness and large climbing-rated carabiner.

IME, seeing a joyful dog's tongue flop in the breeze while driving down the highway with their head out the window is a small gift to anyone who sees it. We can all use a little of that joy in 2020, I think.

 

[blazin]

Regarding fuel efficiency, I'm not going to hold my breath...but the Asian Petrolhead review stated highway efficiency of 17.3 km/L || 5.78 L/100km || 40.6 mpg. That will be a satisfying surprise if it can be realized in real life hwy driving. However, it's possible that they simply reset the efficiency calculation while coasting at high speed in 2wd, so I remain a bit skeptical. We certainly haven't seen any surprises with the city driving we've done so far.

View attachment 190

No major modifications are planned except the addition of a hitch. Some sort of cargo liner will be added, although right now there are cheap blue tarps filling that role. Before winter, some weathertech floor liners will be added to the front. The high sided floor mats have worked well for protecting from salt in other vehicles, and from what I've seen of the OEM options they just don't have that high sided coverage.


Regarding dogs....

Depending on the breed, size, and personality of your dog, previously held standards of cleanliness may become...adjusted. Our dog is 110lbs and loves dirt, mud, water, etc. He rides in the back seat, with a kurgo barrier between the two front seats and two layers of hammock-style seat covers (they are rarely as water resistant as they advertise, and two layers gives the seats more of a fighting chance). He gets buckled into a seat belt with a harness and large climbing-rated carabiner.

IME, seeing a joyful dog's tongue flop in the breeze while driving down the highway with their head out the window is a small gift to anyone who sees it. We can all use a little of that joy in 2020, I think.

I've seen initial reports like that and take them with a grain of salt, that is till real world numbers roll in. On that note, the more we can share our real-world Trailblazer MPG numbers here, the better for everyone.

What hitch options have you seen so far?

Barriers are a must for the cargo area. Fortunately the TB seems spacious enough out back.
Do you have any tips on cleaning? Like specific products, methods, techniques, etc. that get rid of dog hair, smell, and so on?

 

[Quaid]

What hitch options have you seen so far?

Barriers are a must for the cargo area. Fortunately the TB seems spacious enough out back.
Do you have any tips on cleaning? Like specific products, methods, techniques, etc. that get rid of dog hair, smell, and so on?

I haven't seen any aftermarket hitch options yet. The dealer will be installing a hitch next week or the week after. I'm expecting a 1.25" class 1 receiver based on the 1000 lb rated towing capacity. I hope they also do the proper hitch trim cover as per gmauthority.


For dog smell, the most important thing I've found with our other vehicles is trying to keep things dry (can be as simple as driving with the windows open). On one occassion we picked up a smell that stuck around after a particularly wet and dirty trip to a marsh. I put the seat covers through a gentle washing machine cycle and I used an oxiclean carpet oder spray on the car seats, which seemed to do the trick.

For hair & sand, the hammock seat covers are easily removable and they do a decent job of isolating the hair and sand from the rest of the car. Shaking them out and vacuuming them keeps things clean-ish. For all of the hair & sand captured by the hammock seat covers, some still finds its way below, around, and through. I have used a black&decker portable lithium car vacuum, then a portable dyson...but nothing compares to just bringing out a full size wet/dry shop vac once in a while. I've not found a good way to get dog hair out of the ceiling upholstry (...yeah...it gets up there if your dog is tall enough). Thank goodness for the panoramic sunroof!