Chevy Trailblazer

Recently, some of my mom blogger friends and I were invited to test drive a few of Chevy vehicles. The idea is that we would all test the cars in our daily lives, or take them on road trips to give an honest opinion of what we thought and how the cars drive.

We were given the choice of two cars and because we have a bigger family, I thought it would be best for us to test drive the Chevy Trailblazer. It would fit us comfortably while Nino drives, and we would still have space for a yaya to come along. This is important for me, because Gelli is at that stage where she likes to explore more and having an extra set of hands around is a huge help. 

I also wanted to offer something a little different to everyone by writing this post with the help of Nino. Much like how we wrote a post together for our 17th anniversary, I thought writing it in the “He Said, She Said” format would be easy for everyone to relate to. Guys and girls both look for different features when we are making a big purchase and that’s where much of the compromise and the trade offs come into play.

 

Took the Chevy Trailblazer for the busy weekend. In between moving, entertaining, and a photo shoot with the entire family, Nino and I used this best selling SUV to run some errands and pick family up in Santa Rosa. Look for the “He said. She said.” Post up on the blog, soon… #bechevystrong #makeyourownroads #chevyph

A photo posted by Michelle Aventajado (@mommanmanila) on Aug 16, 2015 at 5:22pm PDT

In fact, I think I should have it as a monthly post…maybe Nino and I can take the time to review something from each of our perspectives and share it with all of you. I don’t imagine it being something big like a car purchase, but I feel like it can evolve into something bigger…

He Said:

I come from a family who enjoys automobiles. My lolo on my mom’s side enjoyed his huge 60’s American cars from Lincoln’s to Cadillac’s. He was very finicky with keeping his cars running well and always looking perfect. My dad was a racecar driver. He had a very illustrious and hugely successful rallying carrer back in the mid 80’s. So like I said, I am a car guy. 

I’ve always preferred driving SUVs. One of my first cars was an iconic British SUV when I was still living in NY. Having the flexibility, dependability and rugedness of an SUV was always a combination that I thought was incomparable. 

Getting a chance to write about Chevy’s contender in this very highly contested segment of the auto market was something i looked forward to. Living in NY for 18 years made me familiar with the Trailblazer. I knew it was a versatile 7-seater SUV with plenty of space and useable power. 

Seeing the gleaming black Trailblazer for the first time put a smile on my face, coz i knew that I was going to have fun. And I did. 

Here are my impressions of the all-new Chevy Trailblazer:

1. The Trail Blazer has excellent power delivery.

Power comes from a turbocharged diesel 4 cylinder. It has so much torque from so early on the powerband that if you’re not careful, you will be replacing your rear tires a lot. That’s a “wink,wink” for the guys out there.

2. Fuel consumption metering aids in economical driving.

Some modern tech in effect here. Easily readable guide in helping the driver feather the throttle to get maximum kilometers per liter.

3. It has good ground clearance.

In case you wanna go off roading or trying to go up and down parking levels in poorly designed condo and mall ramps, you’re not going to scrape the bottom of this rig.

4. Seven seat capacity is important for our family of six.

Gelli comes with a lot of stuff, including her yaya. Ample rear storage is necessary when traveling with a toddler. Strollers and bags and the kitchen sink is usually in tow.

5. Easy to read air temp and pressure gauges for the tires.

More modern tech in effect. Knowing your tires’ individual pressures takes the guesswork out. 

6. Easy to use back up monitor with a screen.

And more modern tech.

7. Hands free smart phone compatibly with a touch screen media center is updated and convenient.

This thing is full of modern tech guys.

8. The Trailblazer has tight predictable handling that encourages driving confidence.

Did I forget to mention that I like to drive? Nothing beats confidence in your rig if you’re driving your loved ones.

9. Excellent braking enables more control and better driving capability.

Confidence, confidence, and some more confidence.

10. Well laid out driver controls and switches.

Everything at your fingertips. Ergonomics is a key feature of this rig.

 She Said:

1. It has room for seven. 

This is a great option for us when we aren’t using a driver. Nino enjoys driving, so seating for seven is perfect for this family of six plus a yaya.

2. It’s an SUV. 

I have always felt a little safer in what I call a “truck.” What I really mean is that it feels like a truck because I’m higher up, I can see things very easily, and it’s a substantial car on the road, so you won’t get pushed around. Confession: Sometimes these trucks and buses can bully you on the road if you are smaller car.

3. It’s super easy to drive. 

I learned how to drive stick. Driving a car that had a manual transmission was a non negotiable for my dad when he taught all of his daughters how to drive. He said “If you can drive a stick shift, you can get yourself out of any situation anywhere.” 

And even though it’s considered an SUV, it was still quite easy to to maneuver. The steering was tight, and in fact, it felt a little sporty. The suspension wasn’t bouncy like a truck…rather it was sporty and comfortable.

4. It was a diesel 4X2.

I never quite understood why my husband opted for a diesel engine when I thought gas was always better, but living her in Manila has me thinking that Diesel is now the best choice for us. Especially now, with the decline in diesel prices!

5. It’s easy to park.

Y’all have seen these options where they have a camera in the back of the car somewhere so it’s easier for you to park? Well, this SUV has a viewing screeen in the rear view mirror for that camera. EASY PEASY. I’m sure it would take a little while to get used to, but knowing it’s there is important.

6. There is cargo space.

We weren’t able to take the car for an overnight road trip. (Oh, how I wish we could have done that.) But we did drive it around to run some errands and that is just as important. If I’m the one driving the car, it means that I’m going to the grocery store, the bake supply shop, and school So going to S&R, and picking up some groceries with the Trailblazer gets a thumbs up from me because I can easily load and unload when doing the grocery shopping.

P.S. I won’t tell you how I forgot some of my groceries in the back of the truck when I returned it after the long weekend, because that would mean that I am completely absent minded and have far too much on my plate!

7. It’s easy to get in and out of

The side boards on the truck make it easy to get in and out of…especially for the kids.

Remember, when we purchase cars now, (as opposed to when we were much younger and only two people in our family) we have lots of other features that we need for it to be a safe and fun ride for our whole family. 

Entry level price for the Chevy Trailblazer is around P1.3M. The Covenant Car Company is the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet cars and parts here in the Philippines and they are running a special offer right now for you to drive your own rig off the lot at super low prices. 

To find a dealership near your place check out:

www.chevrolet.com.ph

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chevrolet-philippines

https://instagram.com/chevyphilippines/

https://twitter.com/chevroletph

Thank you Chevy Philippines for allowing Nino and I to drive the Trailblazer for the weekend with our family and for sponsoring this post.