Chevy Trax vs. Trailblazer: Which One Should You Buy?

These two get cross-shopped more than any other pair on our lot. They’re close in size, close in price, and they look like they should be nearly the same vehicle.

They aren’t. Here’s the honest breakdown.

The Short Answer

Buy the Trax if you don’t need all-wheel drive and want the most vehicle for the money.

Buy the Trailblazer if you want all-wheel drive, more power, or a taller driving position.

That’s most of the decision. Here’s the detail behind it.

Quick Comparison

The All-Wheel Drive Question

This is the one that decides it for most people.

The Trax is front-wheel drive only. No AWD at any trim, at any price.

The Trailblazer offers all-wheel drive on equipped models.

Around Gadsden, front-wheel drive handles the overwhelming majority of what you’ll encounter. Alabama rain, the occasional icy morning, a gravel driveway — a front-drive vehicle on decent tires manages all of it.

Where AWD earns its cost: a steep unpaved drive, a lease road, regular travel north into the mountains in winter, or simply wanting the margin. If any of that describes you, the conversation is about a Trailblazer.

If none of it does, you’re paying for hardware you won’t use — and we’d rather put you in a Trax and let you keep the difference.

The Transmission Difference

Worth knowing, because it changes how they feel from the driver’s seat.

The Trax uses a conventional six-speed automatic. It shifts.

The Trailblazer uses a CVT in front-drive form, or a nine-speed automatic when equipped with all-wheel drive.

If you’ve driven a CVT and found the drone under acceleration annoying, that’s a real point for the Trax — or for a Trailblazer with AWD. Drive both back to back on the same on-ramp and you’ll know within a mile which you prefer.

Power

Both start with the same 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder: 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque.

The Trailblazer offers a larger 1.3-liter turbo as an upgrade, with more power. If you regularly carry four people and cargo, or spend a lot of time merging onto I-59, that extra output is noticeable.

The Trax has no engine upgrade. What you see is what you get — which keeps it simple and keeps the price down.

Size and Shape

They’re close on paper and different in person.

The Trax is longer and lower — closer to a tall wagon than a traditional SUV. That shape is why it delivers 54.1 cubic feet of cargo space and why it feels planted on the highway.

The Trailblazer is taller and more upright, with a higher seating position and easier step-in height. If you like sitting up high, or if getting in and out matters to you or a passenger, that’s a genuine advantage.

Neither is better. They’re different answers to the same question, and twenty minutes in both settles it faster than any spec sheet.

What They Share

• Chevy Safety Assist standard on both — Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, and a Following Distance Indicator
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard
• Teen Driver technology, with speed and volume limits and an in-vehicle report card
• Available adaptive cruise control
• Multiple trims including RS and ACTIV appearance and capability packages

How to Decide

If you need more room than either, the Equinox is the next step up, with more space, more power, and available all-wheel drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Chevy Trax come with all-wheel drive? No. The Trax is front-wheel drive only. The Trailblazer offers available all-wheel drive.

What’s the difference between the Trax and Trailblazer? They share a base engine but differ in drivetrain availability, transmission, shape, and available power. The Trax is longer and lower with a conventional six-speed automatic and no AWD option. The Trailblazer is taller, offers all-wheel drive and a larger available engine, and uses a CVT in front-drive form.

Which one is cheaper? The Trax generally starts lower. Current pricing and incentives change monthly, so check our offers or ask us for figures on specific vehicles.

Which has more cargo space? They’re close, with the Trax offering 54.1 cubic feet maximum. The Trax’s longer, lower shape gives it a slight edge in raw volume; the Trailblazer’s upright shape handles tall items better.

Do both have the same safety features? Both come standard with Chevy Safety Assist, and both offer available adaptive cruise control and additional driver-assistance features depending on trim.

Which is better for a teen driver? Both include Teen Driver technology, which lets you set speed and audio volume limits and review an in-vehicle report card. The choice comes down to whether all-wheel drive matters for where they’ll be driving.

Where can I compare them near Gadsden? Team One Chevrolet of Gadsden at 413 E. Meighan Blvd in Gadsden, AL, serving Gadsden, Anniston, Albertville, and Sand Mountain. Contact us at (256) 459-2614 and we’ll have both ready to drive.

Come Drive Both

Park them next to each other, sit in both, and take them on the same stretch of road. The seating position and the transmission are the two things you’ll feel immediately, and they’re what most people decide on.

Browse our Trax inventory and Trailblazer inventory, step up to the Equinox, or see our full new inventory.

Shopping a budget? Check our pre-owned inventory, certified pre-owned selection, or vehicles priced under $20,000.

Use Build and Price to spec either one, or start online with Shop Click Drive.

Check current offers and new vehicle specials, estimate a payment, value your trade, or apply for financing.

Our service center handles maintenance and warranty work on both, and you can schedule service online any time.