The average new car in America costs close to $50,000 these days, so any upgrade to an entry-level model is good news. Chevy’s two cheapest SUVs, the Trax and Trailblazer, are getting fresh styling, a lot more standard tech, and a brand-new off-road trim for 2027.
- Both the 2027 Trax and Trailblazer add more than 20 standard safety and driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control.
- A new 11.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in and Gemini comes standard, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still included.
- The Trailblazer gets a new Z71 trim with standard all-wheel drive, off-road suspension, and a skid plate.
More Standard Safety and Smarter Screens
The Trax and Trailblazer are General Motors’ most affordable vehicles. They took over from the Cruze sedan as the entry point into the Chevy brand. They’re also a bit different in size. The Trax is longer and wider, and the Trailblazer sits taller.
For 2027, both get the same big safety upgrade. More than 20 safety and driver-assist features become standard. The list includes adaptive cruise control, front and rear park assist, a safety alert seat, reverse automatic braking, blind zone steering assist, side bicyclist alert, rear cross traffic braking, and intersection automatic emergency braking. That’s a long list for Chevy’s least expensive models.
The cabin tech gets a big update too. An 11-inch instrument cluster and an 11.3-inch touchscreen are now standard, running Google built-in with Gemini. Prefer your phone’s apps? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto still come standard. OnStar One shows up on these models for the first time, free for the first 12 months. It includes Wi-Fi hotspot capability, which needs an active service plan, plus video streaming. There’s also a new interior color called Storm Sky Gray, and both models get new climate controls on the refreshed dash.
A Trailblazer That Can Finally Hit the Trail
The Trailblazer name first showed up in Chevy’s lineup in 2002. It took a while, but there’s finally a version built at the factory to go off-road. The new Trailblazer Z71 is Chevy’s entry-level adventure model, and it goes up against the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness and Ford Bronco Sport.
All-wheel drive comes standard on the Z71. More important, it gets real hardware upgrades. There’s an off-road-tuned suspension, an underbody skid plate, and sport-terrain tires. Inside, Z71 badges sit on the head restraints, and the Jet Black and Storm Sky Gray cabin gets orange accents. Chevy has used the Z71 badge for nearly 40 years to mark its more adventurous models.
The lineup gets simpler, too. Trailblazer trims are now the base model, RS, and Z71. Every 2027 Trailblazer gets a new shifter on the steering column. That clears room for a redesigned center console with more flexible storage and cupholders that tuck away. Rear passengers also get their own climate vents now.
Why the Trax Still Leads the Pack
It’s easy to forget how much the Trax matters to Chevy. Only the Silverado pickup and Equinox crossover outsell it in the brand’s US lineup. Through September, Chevy sold 167,910 Trax, down 0.9% from a year earlier. The Trailblazer jumped 21.1% to 90,891 units. Chevy says it holds about 20% of the segment with the Trax, and it’s aiming for 30% of the subcompact SUV market with both models combined.
For 2027, the Trax gets a new grille, new wheel designs, all-LED taillights, and a redesigned liftgate. A power liftgate is offered for the first time. Trims are now the base Trax, RS, and ACTIV. The base model leans urban with higher-contrast wheels, and the RS rolls on 19-inch rims, the largest you can get. The ACTIV keeps an adventure-inspired look with its own front-end design. The Trax also keeps its shifter in the center console.
Smart Ways to Shop a Budget Crossover
Pricing won’t come out until the refreshed models reach showrooms next spring. For reference, a 2026 Trax starts at $21,700 with destination, and the Trailblazer starts at $25,095. Both are built in South Korea and face 25% tariffs, so keeping prices in check will matter.
A brand-new crossover in the low to mid $20,000 range competes with a lot of used cars at the same price, and each path has its perks. A used model might get you a bigger vehicle or a fancier badge for the same money. But an older car may not have adaptive cruise, intersection braking, or Google built-in as standard. A new Trax or Trailblazer gives you the latest safety tech and no wondering about the last owner’s habits. It makes sense to compare both before you sign anything.
Plan Your Spring Test Drive
Chevy says these two crossovers are having their best sales year ever, with more than a quarter-million sold so far this year. With more standard features and a Z71 that can actually leave the pavement, the 2027 lineup gives budget shoppers more to work with. Wait for spring pricing, then test drive both and see which one fits your life.
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