Vehicle Review: 1999 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
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imed at buyers who crave the ultimate in style and comfort in a sport utility, the all
new '99 TrailBlazer is just that. The TrailBlazer is the brother of the LT 4-
door Blazer that got the inheritance from daddy. It offers much more in the way of comfort
and styling. Such benefits of the additional $1400* or more include two-tone custom
leather interior, Z85 touring suspension, premium sound, Driver Control System,
4-wheel antilock disc brake system, the new Autotrac 4x4 and much more. Essentially,
the TrailBlazer is the crème de le crème of the Blazer series with it's many amenities.
*Price increase for TrailBlazer vs. Blazer is estimated and includes destination charges.
Handling & Suspension
Independent short/long arm (sla) front suspension with a stabilizer bar equips the front
of every Blazer model. SLA Suspension helps the front wheels "step" over bumps independently
and are controlled and dampened by torsion bars and Bilstein shocks. The rear suspension includes
a live axle and leaf spring, which offer decent compression but minimal droop when venturing
off-road. The suspension package, called the Z85 Touring Ride Suspension, doesn't do the
Blazer much justice off the beaten path. It does however offer a comfortable and grippy
ride on the road at all speeds. Throwing the TrailBlazer into a tight turn gives the driver
the feel of serious body roll and a feeling in the seat of the pants is that of understeer,
but it isn't. The body does roll out some but holds to the road well. Make no mistake,
the TrailBlazer is sure footed on the highway, but gives the feeling of a loose ride.
Off the highway and into some gullies, steep climbs, wash-outs and hard-packed dirt roads
rounded out our off-road tests. The TrailBlazer has unfortunately, terrible approach and
departure angles making it difficult to tackle some steep inclines or declines. Chevrolet
however, did do a good job tucking the drive train up and into the box frame keeping the
driver from snagging tranny and transfer case on obstructions off-road, but the frame rails
tended to slide across most obstacles due to the low ground clearance. Additionally and
surprisingly, the leaf sprung rear end was well controlled and offered minimal wheel-hop
during hard acceleration and deceleration in wash-board roads.
It's lack of positive locking or traction aiding differentials in our tested model made
it difficult to drive through loose dirt and rocks and got stuck more than once. A posi-traction
unit is available and is highly recommended.
Chevrolet has a feature available for most of its SUV's and 4-wheel drives called the
Insta-Trac System. This system integrates two features allowing the driver to venture
off-road without much thought. The first of these two features, which is available
on just about any four-wheel drive, is the "Shift-on-the-fly" feature allowing
the driver to put the vehicle into four-wheel drive while in motion.
The second feature of Insta-Trac is called the Auto-Trac. The Auto-Trac is
standard on LT 4x4 models, including the TrailBlazer, and optional on LS 4x4
models, the system is capable of automatically engaging four-wheel drive for
maximum traction. This system is not all-wheel drive, but more accurately termed
a standby four-wheel-drive system. Autotrac provides 100 percent rear-wheel
drive until road conditions warrant a change. When extra traction is needed,
an electronic control module activates an electronic motor to transfer the
torque between the front and rear wheels -- all within a time frame that can
be measured in fractions of a second. Once the speeds of the front and rear
prop shafts are equalized (traction is regained), the transfer case returns
to its standby mode until another speed differential occurs. If multiple,
large slip events are detected for a sustained time, the system locks into
the 4HI (four-wheel-drive high) mode to protect the system's electric
actuator motor. After a time, the system returns to the automatic 4WD
standby mode. Autotrac also features a transfer case neutral position
for easy towing behind a recreational vehicle.
Interior
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The interior of the TrailBlazer is nothing shy of perfect. Two-tone, tan and brown
custom leather wraps and finishes the seating surfaces and the door panels while other
items in the cab are wrapped in single tone, tan leather. 8-way power driver and
front-passenger seat adjusters and a driver's two-position memory seat-adjuster
make it very convenient and comfortable. The front-passenger seat does have an intruding
hump near and to the right of the tranny tunnel that makes it a bit uncomfortable even
for vertically-challenged passengers, but the two grab handles where nice to have.
The rear seat has a decent amount of leg room for average sized passengers and is
equally comfortable.
The dash and instruments are well laid out and lend themselves well to gloved or
large hands. The gauges are easy to read in any light and all controls, aside from the
parking brake are within reach and easy to use. Some of the creature comforts of the TrailBlazer
include remote keyless entry, electronically controlled AM/FM stereo with cassette and
compact disc player, 
six premium speakers and automatic tone control, 3-channel programmable HomeLink transmitter,
and an electrochromic inside self-dimming rearview mirror.
Goodies inside the TrailBlazer include a Delco / Bose stereo system with 6
speakers that put out some serious volume. The speakers do well with high
and mid range sounds but seriously lack in the bass department. An automatic
climate control system, located below the stereo, put out copious amounts
of air. The deluxe overhead console housed map reading lights, the Homelink
transmitter, electronic compass and an outside temperature readout.
Overall, the interior fit and finish scores a perfect ten as every panel,
gauge, vent and part lined up well with each other and functioned perfectly.
Exterior
The overall exterior stylings for the Blazer (formerly known as the S10 Blazer),
haven't had any dramatic changes since its conception and it shows even in
the new TrailBlazer. This isn't necessarily a bad thing if you like the
mid-sized SUV body style, but a change nonetheless will be welcome.
The TrailBlazer continues its smooth lines and geometry along with its
low stance. The TrailBlazer has well-placed and not-overdone gold
accents regardless of its monochromatic paint scheme.
Other exterior traits include foglamps and self-dimming driver side,
outside mirror with dual breakaway feature. Front tow hooks are a nice
feature and the roof rack is sturdy enough to hold some serious luggage,
perfect for a trip to the mountains or the lake. Additionally, our TrailBlazer
came with a class II receiver hitch and all necessary electrical hookups which
will be nice for towing a boat, jet skis, motorcycles or the likes.
Engine and Drivetrain
The standard mill for the TrailBlazer is the Vortec 4300 V6 (L35) which puts
out 190 horsepower at 4400 rpm and a generous 250 lb.-ft. of torque at
2800 rpm. The low-end grunt in the rig was impressive but at highway
speeds, the passing power was a bit lacking.
Standard equipment for the TrailBlazer in the tranny department is the
4L60-E 4-Speed Electronic Automatic Transmission. It did well in our testing
but did tend to overheat and smell a bit during acceleration tests. The second
gear start option is nice during austere weather conditions as it locks
the transmission in second gear when starting to drive.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the TrailBlazer is a nice rig with a comfortable ride and ample
power. It is definitely more of a luxury vehicle and one that you should be
proud to have the valet drive off in. Its on-road capabilities were better than
good but it lacked in its off-road aptitude.
| NOTE: All ratings on a scale of 1 to 4 with flat tires equal to a half. |
| Description |
Notes |
Rating |
| On-Road Performance |
The TrailBlazer did well on the road offering a soft ride. When put into hard turns, the vehicle felt loose but held its ground well. |
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| Off-Road Performance |
Poor approach and departure angles coupled with street type tires and a low ground clearance makes it unsuitable for any off-road adventures any more serious than an unpaved road. |
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| Drivability |
Very comfortable rig to drive. Large windshield and few blindspots made it easy to see all around. |
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| Comfort |
Ample room for a compact SUV. Fit and finish both inside and out was awesome to say the least. |
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| Appearance |
Smooth lines and geometry united with good color schemes makes the appearance very appealing. |
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| Price in comparison to related vehicles |
Our TrailBlazer priced as tested for $33,376. Compared to other rigs in its class (Durango, Explorer, 4 Runner and the Grand Cherokee), it was about $1500 higher. (Prices estimated) |
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| Editors Notes |
The '99 Chevrolet TrailBlazer offers more creature comfort than one can ask for and ample power. However,
it wouldn't be our first choice for any serious off-roading...RW |
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