New GM replacement 4x4 SUV

[Chook]

GM in Australia looking @ filling the 4x4 SUV gap (left by the Hummer H3) with a new Chevy Trailblazer

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/...nt/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Mar/0321_trailblazer

 

[FormerUser]

Lucky bunch of Blokes down under - yet another example of a fine four wheel drive we can't get here in the states because?????

 

[alrock]

Looks like nice vehicle though I'm guessing with the overhangs, plastic bumpers, etc. it's designed much more for forest road and camping trips than significant offroad use. Wish we could get those diesels here.

 

[SolidusJ]

Hmmmmm :huh:. IDK what to say about it? I hear GMC is making a nasty off road truck with fox shocks all around and 35's tire, wonder who gave them that great idea?

 

[Hunner]

I had wondered if they had not already redesigned the Trailblazer in another form to substitute for an H3. That would get them away from the name.
However this just does not look like the type of vehicle the H3 is for off-road, so they missed it again for me.
I would have to read a lot more to get excited about a 4 cyl. diesel for power. Even with a turbo it would have to come on early to get torque at low rpm and on ramp acceleration.
I like my Alpha power.

 

[HUMMERDAD]

looks alot like the chevy traverse if ya ask me thats why we wont get it here plus to much plastic on it for me.

 

[autumn walker]

However this just does not look like the type of vehicle the H3 is for off-road, so they missed it again for me.

:agree:

 

[f5moab]

No more a replacement for the H3 than the Pontiac Solstice was a replacement for a Corvette

 

[autumn walker]

No more a replacement for the H3 than the Pontiac Solstice was a replacement for a Corvette

Thankfully that didn't happen!

 

[Sierra H3]

I think we still have the best 4x4 platform that GM offerred to the market. The V-8 H3 was approaching the sweet spot. Could have been improved more in follow on years. All they had to do was read these threads. One day the crowds will tire of cross overs and they may give us a new vehicle more like this again.

 

[Hunner]

Wonder how much torque a hydrogen engine produces lol

 

[f5moab]

Thankfully that didn't happen!

Came close...

 

[HUMMERADDICT]

looks alot like the chevy traverse if ya ask me thats why we wont get it here plus to much plastic on it for me.

x2! Thats what I first thought of when I saw this several months ago. If this is supposed to be GM's answer to Hummer owners, its a huge miss. Its a nice looking SUV, but still a miss IYAM.

 

[elripster]

it might look like a Traverse but it definitely isn't one. In fact, that it's designed and built overseas probably means it's a good replacement for our Hummers. Consider that when Toyota made solid off road trucks that didn't flex their frame so badly they crack the inner front fender wells, they designed and build vehicles overseas for markets overseas and brought them here as is. Those vehicles were rugged, slow, but rugged and made for excellent build up platforms. As soon as Toyota started building for the North American market they got soft and cheesy. I'd totally go for a vehicle that was built where rugged counted more than on road manners which is typical of developing countries. If they made a shorter version of that it would be solid.

As for styling I'm about capability as long as it doesn't too cartoonish which GM vehicles don't.

Frank

 

[f5moab]

GM is not like Toyota. They never have been and it appears they never will be. Just because GM builds something overseas does not make it any better than that built in the USA. It does make it less expensive and more profitable.

 

[elripster]

True, but GM vehicles would run circles around those old Toyota's until the chassis fell apart. In fact everyone and their mother puts GM powertrains in old Toyota chassis to get the best of both worlds. If GM doesn't build the vehicle to hold up to overseas treatment that's GM 's issue but it will fall apart if they don't. Toyota's now fall apart in the states.

Hummers had the chassis and the powertrain. I'd bet this vehicle will to and thus it won't live up to N.A. on-road standards. If were to be sold here it would probably be 'softened' which would be unfortunate.

Frank

 

[f5moab]

Not sure about Toyotas falling apart. Know quite a few who have Tacomas and FJs and so far they are holding up as well if not better than H3s and especially Colorado/Canyons. Not sure if I have even seen any C/Cs on the trails out here but there sure are a lot of Tacomas.

Old Toyotas need some clarification. Like year, model, etc. And GM powertrains need clarification too. If you are saying 20 year old Toyotas are getting GM powertrains, I can understand that. Old Toyotas didn't have that good of powertrains but they do now. And old GM powertrains are a dime a dozen.

 

[elripster]

FJ's have sufficient frame flex that they do in fact crack the inner fender well from all the torsional strain. It's hard to compare an FJ to the H3 because the FJ needs some aftermarket massaging to compare. Toyota doesn't have a front locker or 4:1 t-case option. Folks in the rust belt are still having Toyota buy back trucks due to frames rotting through. Like H3's yota's have steering issues when you jack up the front end via t-bars or spring spacers. I don't think any vehicle today truly falls apart, that's just a saying of sorts. GM has massively improved over the years and Toyota started to slip when they went for being the biggest auto maker vs. the best.

None of us can say whether on not this truck is worthy until we get to run it through it's paces which likely won't happen but it's starting its design from a good market perspective.

Frank