First drive of new Chevy Colorado and Trailblazer in Cebu

By RIZAL JOHAN | 20 October 2016


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Trailblazer.


The latest incarnation of the Chevrolet Colorado pick-up truck will be making its arrival today while the Trailblazer is scheduled to hit our shores next year.

Both vehicles were the centre of attention at the recent Ride and Drive event in Cebu, and journalists from the Philippines and the South East Asian region were invited to a preview of the new 4X4 vehicles at the Shangri-La Mactan.

Colorado
Colorado.


The new Colorado and Trailblazer presented there, both in its second generation in the Southeast Asian region, have undergone changes in its exterior with angular lines and sporty front fascia to make it look tough yet stylish. The interior too has undergone changes to its dashboard, refinement in terms of materials and better noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels.

The mills have been upgraded for its 2.8L and 2.5L Duramax four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines with Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) which produce 200PS and 500Nm of torque and 180PS and 440Nm of torque respectively.

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Colorado.


The high torque output is sure to raise eyebrows when compared to the competition. Depending on the region, the new vehicles come in six-speed manual and auto transmissions with 2WD and 4WD variants.

Among the new features for the VGT variants include electric power steering, remote start engine, auto headlamps, auto rain sensors, front and rear park assist, tyre pressure monitoring, lane departure warning, forward collision alert, rear cross traffic alert, driver knee airbag and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The safety features are abundant with anti-lock braking system (ABS), panic brake assist (PBA), electronic brake force distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), hill descent control (HDC) and hill start assist (SA).

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The MyLink infotainment system features an 8-inch colour touchscreen and the latest in connectivity technology with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

It is clear that Chevrolet has taken these vehicles to the next level for the modern consumer to fit their lifestyle and employ it as a practical and durable machine for loading and off-roading and also a daily driver which offers comfort and versatility.

For the Ride and Drive event, a fleet of left-hand drive Colorados and Trailblazers were prepared to make the trip up to highland where the Danasan Eco Adventure Park was located. The road leading up was narrow and windy and it proved to be challenging navigating through the dense population inhabiting either side of the road on top of the oncoming traffic.

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Trailblazer.


We drove the Trailblazer SUV on the way up and found it to be very cosy and comfortable with its quiet cabin and pliant suspension.

Despite being a seven-seater SUV, the Trailblazer’s handling was impressive through the twisty road. The Colorado pick-up was then used for the drive back and interestingly we drove the rear-wheel drive 4X2 variant unintentionally.

There was a noticeable difference here as it was not as refined a drive as the Trailblazer. A stiffer suspension setup meant that it was not as comfortable too.

Trailblazer.
Trailblazer.


To be fair though, we were meant to drive the 4X4 Colorado and we were also told the suspension is set up to haul heavy loads and performs differently under those conditions which we didn’t experience during the drive.

When we reached our destination in Danasan, an off-road course had already been laid out to test the capabilities of these two 4X4s. And both the Colorado and Trailblazer easily adapted to the demanding terrain put before them.

Besides testing the new vehicles, Chevrolet stopped by the Nicolas Tiongko High School where they delivered ultra-durable footballs to the students and also provided building materials to help refurbish a section of the school building and waterworks which were badly damaged by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

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All Trailblazer photos below
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Trailblaser on the move