Chevrolet looks all set to bring its Trailblazer SUV to India sometime during the festive season. The launch of the large SUV will mark the return of international models to the Indian market which recently witnessed the launch of rebadged Chinese models such as the Sail sedan and Enjoy MPV. The Trailblazer will initially be launched with only one engine though a second smaller displacement unit is likely to follow soon after. The SUV will rival the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.
We take a look at how the Trailblazer matches up to the other two SUVs.
Dimensions
With a length of 4,878mm, width of 1,902mm and a height of 1,847mm, the Trailblazer is a sizeable SUV and is almost 100mm longer and 60mm wider than the Fortuner that measures 4,705mm long, 1,840mm wide and stands 1,850mm tall. The Pajero Sport measures 4,695mm long, 1,815mm wide and 1,840mm tall, making it the smallest here. In terms of the wheelbase, the Pajero Sport comes in second after the Trailblazer at 2,800mm with the latter’s wheelbase being 2,845mm. The Fortuner has the shortest wheelbase at 2,750mm.
In terms of ground clearance, the two-wheel-drive Trailblazer leads the trio at 241mm,followed by the Fortuner with a ground clearance of 220mm. The Pajero Sport offers the lowest ground clearance at 215mm.
| Dimensions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Chevrolet Trailblazer | Toyota Fortuner | Mitsubishi Pajero Sport |
| Length | 4878mm | 4705mm | 4695mm |
| Width | 1902mm | 1840mm | 1815mm |
| Height | 1847mm | 1850mm | 1840mm |
| Wheelbase | 2845mm | 2750mm | 2800mm |
| Ground clearance | 241mm | 220mm | 215mm |
Engine and gearbox
The Trailblazer is powered by a 2,776cc four-cylinder engine that develops 197bhp and 50.99kgm of torque and is mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox as standard.
The Pajero Sport is powered by a 2,477cc four-cylinder unit that develops 175.6bhp, though torque varies on the two-wheel drive automatic and the four-wheel-drive manual model. The torque output for the automatic is 35.7kgm, while the manual model develops 40.8kgm.
The Toyota Fortuner is the only SUV here that gets a choice of two engines. The first is a 2,494cc unit that develops 142bhp and 34.98kgm of torque while the second unit is a larger 2,982cc motor that develops 168.7bhp and 34.98kgm of torque on the manual variant and 36.71 kgm on the automatic.
The Chevrolet is the only SUV here to use a six-speed automatic gearbox.
| Engine and Gearbox | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Chevrolet Trailblazer | Toyota Fortuner | Mitsubishi Pajero Sport |
| Displacement | 2776cc | 2494cc/2982cc | 2477cc |
| No. of cylinders | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Power | 197bhp | 142bhp/168.7bhp | 175.6bhp |
| Torque | 50.99kgm | 34.98kgm/34.98kgm/36.71kgm | 35.7kgm/40.8kgm(AWD) |
| Gearbox | 6-speed automatic | 5-speed manual/automatic | 5-speed manual/automatic |
The Chevrolet Trailblazer will prove to be a definite challenge to the current competition in the market. Not just larger than the competition, this SUV is also substantially more powerful, at least when matched up to the engine options of the Toyota Fortuner. The Pajero’s 2,477cc unit is definitely powerful for its size but it does not offer any competition to the larger unit of the Trailblazer.
The new Ford Endeavour has not been included in the comparison as the manufacturer is yet to confirm its launch date.