This week we give our first impressions of the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and talk about how it compares to the last outgoing model, and why this small SUV might have created a new size category for Chevy. Consumer Reports has teamed up with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (or IIHS for short) to recommend safe, reliable used cars and SUVs that are well-suited for teenage drivers, and cost $20k or less; our panel explains why this is an important market for buyers today, and which cars they would choose off the list. Also, we help a viewer decide between a new Toyota Venza hybrid and Toyota RAV4 Prime to replace his high-mileage Toyota Highlander, explain why all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles require all four tires to be changed at the same time, and pick a car we think would be perfect for a long trip to Mars.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
01:34 – Best Cars for Teens Under $20,000
11:33 – 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer First Impressions
18:18- Question #1: Which is a best replacement for an old Toyota Highlander, the Toyota Venza or the RAV4 Prime?
22:55 – Question #2: When replacing tires on an AWD car, why all 4 tires need to be replaced at the same time?
26:17 – Question #3: Which car would we pick to take to Mars?
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Coronavirus Resource Hub
Best Cars for Teens Under $20,000
How to Buy Your First New or Used Car
What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Teen Drivers
2018 LA Auto Show: 2019 Mazda3
2017 BMW 330i Quick Drive
2013 Subaru Legacy sneak peek
2013 Honda Accord first drive
2014 Volkswagen Jetta quick take
First Drive: 2021 Toyota Venza Strikes and SUV sweet Spot
2020 Buick Encore GX Test Results; Toyota Unveils a New Hybrid Sienna and Venza
First Drive: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Is Powerful and Luxurious
2019 LA Auto Show: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
2019 Toyota RAV4 Quick Drive
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Looks didn’t kill the last Trailblazer . I still looking for the corvette powered version
It seems a cruel thing to do to the Trailblazer name.
I definitely would not buy this car
Did you say 1.3L?
Trailblazer sucks. Until you factor in that the Trax is worse and arguably more expensive depending on options
Shawn asked a very pertinent question. Wonder why he didn’t consider the Highlander Hybrid
Daewoo Trailblazer.
That is why I avoid AWD.
The AWD owner could buy 4 new tires and sell his 3 olds on craigslist to recoup some cost.
12:05 I just want to say, can you image how much fun that motor would have been in a Spark with a manual?
Thank you john, It’s a testament to the extreme inequality in our country that tens of millions of American adults cannot afford a 20k car.
14:00 Ryan is totally honest about how boring the Trailblazer is! Thats why you all are the best.
This guys opinion of the new Rav4 is the first reviewer I’ve read that does not like the new Rav4. Most experts consider it the bench mark for small SUV’s
Truck for Mars? A Bronco Sasquatch…
1.3 3 cylinder? People put down the Mirage for having a 3 banger and this thing costs a lot more.
That engine that small will not gonna take the beating of the turbo charger. Imagine the pressure on that engine. Taking the pressure every day.
The under $20,000 list confirms what I am doing is correct. My kids are only 13 but in CT that means three years from now they start driving. Owning a 2013 Subaru Legacy means the current recommendation of that car will be perfect for me in 3 years. Just hand them both the older Subaru at that point with well over 100,000 miles but working perfectly.
The Chevy Trax is going away in two years. The Trailblazer will replace it. They are keeping the Trax (and Buick Encore along with the Encore GX) because they both sell well. For Buick, the Encore is the best selling car they have. So they are keeping the older models for a couple more years but these new 3 cylinders are taking over for the future.
GM is still not putting center rear head restraints in cars? That’s a huge safety omission
Uhhh, major problem with most of the Mars vehicle suggestions: there’s only a trace of oxygen there to support combustion. Its atmosphere is 95% carbon dioxide.
As a Toyota owner, the best replacement for a Highlander, is ANOTHER Highlander! Our family owns a 2001 Camry LE, 2002 Lexus ES300, a 2004 RX300, 2011 Tacoma TRD off road double cab and a 2012 Highlander Limited. The only replacement for our Toyotas would only be another Toyota