The revived Chevrolet Trailblazer is a compact crossover that has been a massive hit among consumers to the point where the South Korean plant in Incheon cannot produce enough units to meet the outstanding demand. Last month, a report suggested that the crossover was such a financial success that the factory would be downsizing Trax production to make more space for Trailblazer assembly.
The compact crossover broke cover in 2019 at the Los Angeles Auto Show with a choice of two downsized turbo-gasoline engines and aggressive styling. It can be had in four different trims but the flagship RS has proven to be a notably popular configuration since its launch date in 2021.
According to GM Authority, Chevrolet has expanded production at its South Korean plant to produce an additional 6,000 units for the year. Most of this addition will fulfill the 2023 model year allocation. This increase is a pleasant effort from the factory but when you consider that demand was 464% higher than supply as of last September, this bump in production is relatively nominal.
The young crossover is certainly a hit but due to its throttled production, the Honda HR-V is still managing to outsell it in the local market. As of 2021, the Trailblazer bested every other crossover in the segment including the Jeep Compass, Nissan Kicks, and Hyundai Kona. It also showed the highest increase in annual sales at 161.92%.
Trailblazer units are also assembled at the Yantai, Shandong plant in China as a joint operation with SAIC but these cars cater specifically to the region. Here, the Trailblazer has seen less success with it selling just 555 units throughout 2021. The model did quite a bit better in South Korea where 18,286 units found new homes.
The Chevrolet Trailblazer started strong because it entered the market with a sub-$20,000 price tag but as of right now, the base LS trim starts at $21,800 before the destination charge of $1,195. With this price increase, the range did benefit from more standard features and customization options such as new paint colors and a trailer pack for the 2022 model year.