THE SUBURBAN'S BABY BROTHER
This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!
Published on Thu, Mar 17, 2005
By: The LACar Editorial Staff
THE
SUBURBAN'S BABY BROTHER
With the bewildering number of entries in all the various sport-utility vehicle
segments, it's quite surprising to find a manufacturer that has managed to
carve out any sort of positive niche for itself in the highly competitive field
of SUVs. What is that positive niche? In this case, combining the cargo-capacity
of a full-size SUV with seven-passenger seating capacity on a mid-size SUV platform.
A recent weekend in San Francisco found us behind the wheel of the 2005
Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT LS 4WD (whew...it seems fitting that a vehicle with a
wheelbase as long as this behemoth has a name to match.) The EXT version
of the Trailblazer is Chevrolet's answer to the seven-passenger craze hitting the
mid-size SUV segment. It seems like everyone is getting in on the act of
offering this more rugged, and many say, stylish, alternative to the
"soccer-mom" minivans.
It wasn't a piece of cake to develop, however. Chevrolet's problem was that
the solid axle underpinning the rear of its mid-sized SUVs (Chevrolet
Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, and Buick Rainier) did not leave enough room to package
the third-row seat. GM's solution? A 16-inch stretch to the wheelbase leaving
enough room for not only the third row seat, but also a cavernous 107.4
cubic-feet of cargo room (with all seats folded.) To put this impressive bit of
nip/tuck in context, the EXT's wheelbase stretches 13 inches longer than the
Chevrolet Tahoe and only one-inch shy of a Suburban! Furthermore, you'll be
able to carry almost three cubic-feet more cargo than the aforementioned Tahoe.
There is a downside to all this packaging magic, however. The modifications that
turn a pedestrian Trailblazer into an EXT add about 360 pounds to the curb
weight, bringing the total to almost 5,000 pounds. Now, 360 pounds might not
seem like much, but it really seemed to tax the pulling power of the standard
4.2 litre inline-six engine. Producing 275 horsepower and 275 lb. ft. of torque, the Vortec
inline-six produces healthy power for its size. Much of this is thanks to its
modern, DOHC, 24-valve design. And, in major props to GM, it's wonderfully
smooth, eager to spin to the redline, and quiet, at that. The General did a
bang-up job developing this engine, and all their hard work shows. Even when
charging to the redline, the engine showcases its hearty inline-6 snarl, but
never assaults the ears like some previous GM truck engines have (the Vortec 4.3
V6 comes to mind.) Car and Driver magazine timed a long-term test EXT from 0-60
in a languid 9.3 seconds. (That vehicle was a '03 model with a slightly less
powerful, 270 horsepower version of the 4.2.) When you compare that figure to
the 0-60 run of 7.9 seconds they made with a previous, short-wheelbase
Trailblazer, it's obvious a lot of the inherent spunk of this engine is muted
by the extra mass.
Additionally, it's really hard to escape the bus-like feel one gets when
piloting the EXT. The steering, while not overly light, offers minimal feel. In
addition, the long wheelbase hampers in-town maneuvers. Finally, the soft
suspension settings that help give this Trailblazer its Suburban like waft down
the freeway, also allow it to bob and wallow over dips and bumps in the road. A
Ford Explorer with the optional third-row seat is much more tied down at speed
and definitely more responsive to the helm and throttle.
One area where GM trucks continually receive criticism is the interior quality
and finish. As far as fit goes, this Trailblazer was one of the most
screwed-together GM products we've gotten into lately. Fits were tight, and
knobs and switches moved with reassuring heft and precision. The quality of the
materials, however, was another matter. It seems like the EXT didn't fully
escape GM's committee-think way of design. What do I mean by
"committee-think?" Well, if you examine the graining and quality of the
plastics and trim throughout the interior, it seems as if one committee designed
the door panels, another committee designed the dashboard, and yet another
committee designed the center console and not a single one of them talked to
each other during the development process. For example, the center console
doesn't even attempt to line up with the bottom of the center stack and the
miss-match is atrocious. That being said, the dash-top was a soft-touch
"elephant-grain" vinyl that's of a higher quality than you'll find in
GM's bigger SUVs and trucks. However, once again, it didn't even come close
to matching the vinyl trim on the door panels or console. While GM is working on
the EXT's replacement, I hope they put in an order for a third-row seat that
stows away in a much cleaner fashion than the current seat. The current
third-row requires too many steps to fold, and even then, doesn't provide a
totally uniform and flat load space. Modern minivans from Dodge, Toyota, and
Honda have already paved the way, now GM just has to adapt a classier, more
efficient system.
There's no denial from here that this truck does offer up a ton of cargo space
and multiple seating arrangements. For those qualities alone, the EXT deserves a
look. Additionally, the optional 5.3-liter V8, offering up 25 more horsepower (a
nice, round 300) and, more importantly, a substantial 55 more lb/ft of torque (a
grunty 330 lb/ft) really helps to alleviate the sluggish forward motion present
in the 6-cylinder version. Finally, our test truck, a very lightly optioned LS
4WD version, stickered for around $32,000. This represents a serious value in
the mid-sized SUV segment. Realize, however, that once you add features like the
V8, leather, moonroof, and a Bose sound system, the MSRP will ascend
accordingly. As accomplished as the Trailblazer EXT is at hauling people and
cargo, the enthusiast driver shopping in this general price-range will do well
to look past the EXT's sheer utility and probably enjoy one of the more
efficiently sized mid-size seven-seater SUVs such as the new Dodge Durango and
Nissan Pathfinder, or the Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer twins.
Good News: Extremely generous cargo room, silky-smooth and quiet inline
6-cylinder engine, Suburban-like ride.
Bad News: Long wheelbase limits maneuverability, inline 6-cylinder, although
smooth and quiet, is overburdened by the EXT's weight, Suburban-like handling.
Verdict: Lots of SUV for the money and a good value. However, most other
mid-size entries sacrifice a bit of cargo room and third-seat comfort for a more
enjoyable driving experience.
For more Chevrolet information, please go to www.chevrolet.com.
SPECIFICATIONS
Price:
Base $28,770, as-tested $32,095
Engine Type:
Vortec, 4.2-liter, inline 6-cylinder with variable-valve timing, double-overhead
cams, 24-valves, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection.
Horsepower:
275 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque:
275 lb./ft. @ 3,600 rpm. 90% available from 1,600 to 5,600 rpm.
Drive Configuration:
Front engine/Rear-wheel drive with four/all-wheel drive transfer case.
Transmission Type:
Electronically-controlled Hydra-Matic 4-speed automatic w/overdrive.
Suspension:
Front: Independent
Rear: Five-link with coil springs
Wheels and tires:
Front: 17-inch Sport aluminum with P245/65R-17 on-/off road blackwall
Rear: 17-inch Sport aluminum with P245/65R-17 on-/off road blackwall
Brakes:
4-Wheel Anti-Lock braking system
Front: 12-inch disc
Rear: 12.8-inch disc
Dimensions:
Overall length: 207.8 inches
Overall width: 74.7 inches
Overall height: 75.5 inches
Curb weight: 4,954 lbs
EPA mileage estimates City/Highway:
14/18