Chevrolet Trailblazer vs Toyota Fortuner: Can the king be dethroned?

The Toyota Fortuner so far has been the king of the premium SUV segment, outselling all its rivals many times over. However, this reign by the Fortuner could be cut short with another beefy rival getting ready to launch in India.

Chevrolet has imported a few Trailblazers for homologation and by the looks of it this vehicle has the potential to overthrow the Fortuner. The Chevrolet Trailblazer is due for launch later this year. So far General Motors has not had much luck in the premium SUV segment, with the Chevrolet Captiva barely selling a few units a month. Also read: Why the Toyota Fortuner cannot be beaten in sales

Internationally, the Chevrolet Trailblazer sits in a price bracket below the Captiva – and the Trailblazer is a much larger vehicle. There are many distinct similarities in the virtues that the Chevrolet Trailblazer offers compared to the Toyota Fortuner. (Scroll down for detailed comparison)

Here’s why we think the Chevrolet Trailblazer has a fighting chance in overthrowing the king – the Toyota Fortuner.

• The Chevrolet Trailblazer is larger than the Toyota Fortuner. It measures 4,878 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,845 mm, which would make it the largest wheelbase in its segment. That would also translate to far better interior space, especially in the third row, seating seven passengers in comfort.
• The engine that the Chevrolet Trailblazer will come with in India is the 2.8 litre Duramax four-cylinder diesel that puts out 200 bhp of power. The Fortuner puts out only 169 bhp of power from a 3 litre engine. Both are almost equally heavy, but if you look at the Trailblazer it has a far better power-to-weight ratio (of 96 bhp / ton) compared to the Fortuner (84.5 bhp / ton).
• The Chevrolet Trailblazer comes with a six-speed automatic transmission in the top-end model, compared to the five-speed automatic in the Toyota Fortuner.
• The Chevrolet Trailblazer also has better ground clearance than the Toyota Fortuner at 231 mm compared to 220 mm for the Fortuner.
• Those who want a bit more bling would also notice the Chevrolet Trailblazer has larger wheel rims – 18-inch alloys compared to 17-inch alloys for the Fortuner.
• And by all indications, the Chevrolet Trailblazer’s price would start way below the Toyota Fortuner, with the top-end model also likely to be significantly cheaper.

As far as features and equipment go, the Trailblazer will feature quite an impressive list. Safety features will include dual front airbags, ABS, traction control, cornering brake control and hill descent control in the top-end variant. Electric driver’s seat, powered mirrors, automatic climate control, touchscreen infotainment system, rear view camera, cruise control etc, will also be part of the equipment list.

General Motors has a fairly vast dealer network of about 280 dealers in 215 towns and cities in India, which should make the Trailblazer fairly widely available. Toyota too has dealers in over 200 cities. GM India has offered interesting warranty and maintenance packages on its other products and could do the same for the Trailblazer, which would add to customer confidence. Plus, the product is a proven one internationally.

Do you think the Chevrolet Trailblazer will be able to overthrow the Toyota Fortuner? Share your thoughts.

Also read: 5 upcoming luxury SUVs you need to watch out for