GM Authority shared this interesting article in June looking at whether the new Trailblazer is a "let’s see what happens” like when when they first released the Buick Encore in the US. I didn't think about it like that at first but as I read the article it definitely made sense.
Is it fair to say GM is hoping for another “encore” type of moment with the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer? Analysts seem to think so.
Speaking to The Detroit Free Press in a report this past Saturday, IHS Markit senior analyst Stephanie Brinley said there’s absolutely another element of “let’s see what happens” with the introduction of the sub-compact-plus 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The model will sit above the current Trax, but below the Equinox. If Chevy prices the Trailblazer right (and doesn’t step on the Equinox’s toes), the brand could have another sleeper hit waiting to happen.
The model will also give buyers another somewhat affordable option as Chevy ditches passenger cars, save for the Malibu. Nevertheless, GM will likely price the Trailblazer at thousands of dollars more than the Chevrolet Cruze, which will net the automaker higher profits in the process.
As for that “encore” moment, Brinley also said it was a bit of a no-brainer to bring the Trailblazer to the U.S., and the closely related Buick Encore GX itself that GM also revealed.
“GM builds them anyway, so why not see if people here like them?” she asked.
Both models will be built in South Korea and exported to the U.S. market. They’ll arrive in early 2020 and we’ll soon see how many crossover SUVs are too many.