Is the Trailblazer SS Chevy’s Most Popular Used SUV?
Carlos Kirby
· 3 min read
People don't just buy
used cars
because they are less expensive than new cars. Some drivers buy used cars because they're stylish, powerful, and fun. One used SUV that is especially popular is the Chevy Trailblazer SS. According to
CarLifeNation
, the Chevy Trailblazer Super Sport earned a reputation as the first real performance SUV. This Trailblazer model first came out in 2006, and even though other performance SUVs came after it, it is still wildly popular.
Power and handling of the Trailblazer SS
For the most part, before the Chevy Trailblazer SS, customers had to choose between vehicles that can handle off-road driving and vehicles with power. The Trailblazer SS wasn't the first SUV to show the power that an SUV could have, but it did stand out.
This is in part due to the six-cylinder V-8 LS5 engine that powered the Trailblazer SS. The LS engine might stand out to Chevrolet enthusiasts, as it was also used in C6 Corvette models from the same period.
It was an engine that received rave reviews when it was used in the Corvette, and it got the same reception in the Trailblazer SS.
However, the Trailblazer SS was an SUV and not a coupe-like Corvette. Because of this, the Trailblazer SS came standard with all-wheel drive. This allowed the SUV to handle tough terrains, and it was able to do so at speeds unseen in other SUVs.
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On the surface, the Trailblazer SS had a fairly normal interior, but small touches showed that it was more than a typical SUV.
A Super Sport badge on the steering wheel and a white tachometer show off that this is a performance vehicle. Optional leather seating also adds to the style of the Trailblazer SS.
Beyond being a stylish SUV, the Trailblazer SS was built on a strong chassis. Other GM SUVs before the Trailblazer were built on modified pickup chassis, but the Trailblazer had a dedicated SUV chassis. This helped improve the performance of the SUV.
Other features also helped make the Trailblazer SS the premier performance SUV. It had improved shocks and brakes designed with the needs of the SUV in mind. Wider tires also helped make the SS into something that had not been seen in an SUV before.
How did the Trailblazer SS stack up against competitors?
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Compared to the other SUVs on the market at the time, the Trailblazer SS truly stuck out. The Ford Explorer may have been a reliable SUV, but it couldn't compete against the Trailblazer in terms of power.
Other manufacturers did attempt to make performance variants of their SUVs, though. One of these was the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, powered by a HEMI V-8. This engine allowed the SRT-8 to have a slight speed advantage over the SS.
However, the Trailblazer still had a few advantages over the HEMI-powered Jeep. The LS engine in the Trailblazer SS was considered more reliable, and it was cheaper. Competitors may have tried, but the Chevy Trailblazer reigned supreme in the world of early performance SUVs.
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