Chevy’s two most affordable SUVs get some mid-cycle updates to keep them fresh.
As much as we go on about new cars and SUVs getting more expensive to buy year-over-year, we occasionally have some stories of more affordable options getting some notable quality-of-life updates. That means when you go out to shop for something like a 2027 Chevy Trax or Trailblazer — the brand’s two lowest-priced SUVs — you don’t necessarily have to break into the $30K, $40K or $50K range to get something that works for you everyday. On Thursday, Chevrolet announced what is coming to the entry-level Trax and Trailblazer, though what that entails differs a bit depending on which model you want.
Let’s start with what both models get. For 2027, Chevrolet says it has upgraded the electrical system and software architecture. That enables more than 20 standard safety features, with new features on the list including reverse automatic braking, safety seat alert, side bicyclists alert, front park assist, a rear seatbelt indicator and Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking. Both Trax and Trailblazer also get an updated and larger 11-inch instrument cluster screen, paired with an 11.3-inch infotainment display. Google’s Gemini AI agent is now basked into the user interface, as is 12 months of OnStar One capability, which bakes in WiFi hotspot capability and video streaming.
On the styling front, you’ll have to strain to see the differences, though Chevy insists they are present. The grilles are a little different than past years, as are the headlights and taillights. The headlights are the biggest giveaways, as they are now horizontally situated below the thin daytime running lights, instead of being vertical.
Both 2027 Trax and Trailblazer get streamlined trim lineups too. Essentially, they’re dropping the choices for the RS, folding the basic structure down to the base model (Trax/Trailblazer), the RS or, in the Trax’s case, the top-line Activ.
The 2027 Chevy Trailblazer picks up the iconic Z71 trim, just like its larger Traverse sibling.
With the 2027 updates, the main divergence with the Trailblazer from the Trax is a new trim level. After all, the Trailblazer is actually available with all-wheel drive, so Chevrolet is adding a more adventurous, dirt-focused Z71 trim to the mix.
Naturally, the 2027 Chevy Trailblazer Z71 will feature AWD, while you also get off-road tuned suspension, an underbody skid plate and what the automaker refers to as “sport-terrain” tires. You also get Z71-debossed front row headrests and a Jet Black/Storm Sky Gray interior with some orange accents to set it apart from the rest of the lineup.
What you don’t seem to get, however, are a notable suspension lift over the standard AWD Trailblazer (which tops out at about 8 inches of ground clearance) or properly chunky all-terrain tires, like you do with a Traverse Z71.
If this is sounding like a rebranded Trailblazer Activ, I’m not going to argue with you on that one. The Trailblazer Z71 functionally seems to bring the same kit, though while the larger Traverse gets more advanced torque vectoring thanks to a twin-clutch rear differential that shifts rearward power from side-to-side, you don’t get that with its little smaller sibling. That’s a bit of a bummer, since that functionality would make a Trailblazer Z71 more competitive against the Ford Bronco Sport, for example.
When will the 2027 Chevy Trax and Trailblazer be available?
One item Chevrolet did not announce with today’s statement is pricing for the Trax or Trailblazer’s 2027 lineup. That said, I wouldn’t expect it to be much more expensive than the outgoing 2026 models. The company bills these two as eminently affordable, with the Trax (currently) starting at $23,495 and the Trailblazer starting $1,000 higher. At the upper end, the Trax comes in under $30K ($27,495), while the Trailblazer manages to sit just over $30K ($31,595). Chevy can’t move prices much without bumping up against the bigger Equinox, so pricing probably won’t shift too far northward.
Both the 2027 Chevrolet Trax and Trailblazer will arrive at dealerships next spring.
