23rd Jul 2010, 17:50

Again, buy the better performance and suspension Trailblazer SS. I had no issues with mine and it's not a daily driver or off roaded. Compare apples and apples, or buy the best one and generalize downward if you can speak from experience. I like comparing brand new against brand new such as a 2010 Trailblazer vs 2010 Highlander. And say you have an LS not an SS when you review

23rd Jul 2010, 21:07

"The same will happen with Toyota soon enough"

I'm not so sure. Toyota is now under its third Federal Grand Jury subpoena this year regarding vehicles dating back to 1990.

24th Jul 2010, 11:56

16:13 back in 2006, the Trailblazer SS did 0 to 60 in under 6 seconds. Now it's 5 seconds. The Highlander 7.4 seconds. Why would you go for less; 20 inch wheels, better balance, and you have the same brakes as on the Corvette. Do a few mods and you can get the Trailblazer to 4.6 seconds 0-60, and add aftermarket brake kits on the SS if it's needed. Maybe replace your 6 year old weatherstrip is all you need on the hatch. I park mine inside, no issues, but would order a weatherstrip kit if needed vs doing nothing to fix it.

24th Jul 2010, 12:00

This isn't apples to apples when you compare a limited high performance $40K SS to a base Highlander V6, as they all come with the same powertrain in them. You've stated yours isn't a daily driver, so you have no idea what the longevity will be on it. The 2010 Trailblazer is essentially the same as mine, as they never really changed or improved them since 2002, other than a modest power increase for the 4.2L. The Highlander outperforms the EQUALLY equipped TB in every aspect from acceleration to handling. It actually isn't all that far behind your SS in acceleration at 1.5 seconds to 60, and it gets about 10 mpg better.

I think the SS is a cool truck, believe me, but you can't compare it to the average SUV. It can only be compared to maybe the SRT Jeep Cherokee.

26th Jul 2010, 11:51

I have sat here for the past hour reading all the comments go back and forth about SUV's vs. small cars. What I see about every negative SUV comment goes back to the driver themselves, like talking on phone or texting, driving too fast, over confidence, and so on. It still relates to the DRIVER NOT THE SUV. SUV's in the ditch during snow storms and every other excuse that was given still goes back to the driver.

There is a reason that SUV's are used in the wilds of the desert all the way to the polar caps, because with the right driver, the vehicle itself is more capable. Don't even try to argue that point, or they would be using Honda Civics, but they are not. Always goes back to the driver.

Any vehicle in the wrong hands can kill someone. I for one know this. A teenager that pulled out in front of me on a hot summer day in 2004 was killed. I was in a Ram 2500 and they were in a Toyota Avalon. I have to live with that every day. But I also live with the fact that the 2 other passengers in my truck including myself were not hurt. My suggestion to car and truck drivers is to take care while you drive.

26th Jul 2010, 16:41

First, the Highlander is 7 seconds flat to 60, and my RAV 4 Sport does it in 6.5. They both get mid to upper 20's for mpg on the highway, and are not something you feel the need to park in the winter due to their rarity (and useless tires) like a TB SS. How did the SS gain time on the 0-60 run? They are still the same 390 HP, aren't they?

Seriously though, I was comparing the Highlander to the standard TB like 99% of people own. You can't really do a comparison of a base model to a high performance rare model. That would be like putting the Camry up against a Corvette. There's really no purpose to it. I KNOW the SS is faster and handles better than the Highlander. If I want to pay $40K for a summer truck that gets around 14 mpg, I'll look for an SS. The Highlander is much better for an all around vehicle, and it is plenty quick enough for an SUV, considering how most people drive them! It also outperforms my old TB 4.2L by a longshot in every aspect of driving.

29th Jul 2010, 19:00

Yes, you are right it is all about the drivers. But the point is the wrong driver can make that SUV unsafe as they are not as easily controlled as a car! Inexperienced or careless drivers that are yakking away on their phones weaving in and out of traffic have no clue that it takes almost twice as long to stop a 6,000 pound SUV as the average car. They also have no clue how quickly their SUV will roll if it is lightly clipped or they make a sudden maneuver to avoid an obstacle. I see idiots driving these big behemoths like race cars every day without a care in the world. That is what is unsafe.

I don't care if they are capable in the desert or on the polar caps. Good, take them all there so they aren't endangering lives on the freeways!

30th Jul 2010, 20:37

For 40k you could own a 2006 SS Trailblazer and a mint likely low mileage 99 C5 Corvette. Drive the Vette in the summer and the 4WD Trailblazer SS in the winter. What a great deal.

1st Aug 2010, 08:48

A TB SS in the snow?? Yeah, that would be fun with those steam roller tires on it... Plus, 2 GM products??? AHHHHHHH!!! No thanks. I like driving places other than the dealer to get things fixed! Never again will I own a GM product.

1st Aug 2010, 12:40

I've never seen a SINGLE INCIDENT where an SUV driver was AT FAULT in an accident involving a car. It is always the driver of the car who (mistakenly) thinks cars are so much better handling that they can pull out on front of SUV's and not get hit!!

2nd Aug 2010, 16:33

I am really interested as you keep saying this. Did you stop at EVERY accident and interview the people involved and read the police reports to find out who is at fault? How could you possibly know who caused any specific accident by driving by? How do you know the SUV wasn't going 20 or 30 mph over the speed limit, like I see them doing all the time around here, and therefore hit the car because they were going way too fast?

I have seen so many SUV's in the woods upside down or crashed into the trees in accidents BY THEMSELVES with no other cars around, because drivers have some false sense that they handle as good as a car and go too fast with them. I didn't need to stop and see who's fault it was, as they were the only vehicle crashed!!

I also saw a guy whip into the passing lane at over 75 mph in a Grand Cherokee, trying to miss a slower driver in is lane, and end up on two wheels at about a 30 degree angle from the ground. I am not quite sure how he saved it from cartwheeling down the highway, but he should have gone to play the lottery that day as it surely was his luckiest ever. Luck aside, had he been in a car, the right wheels never would have left the ground in that kind of maneuver.

I also was right behind an SUV, again on the highway, and he rear ended the truck in front of him at about 40 mph. I was the same distance behind him as he was to the truck he hit and I stopped in time to avoid hitting him. I was close enough to have to back up and drive around him, but I stopped. Had I too been in an SUV, I would have been calling my insurance company... NO QUESTION!

I am not really sure why you think heavier, poorer handling, longer stopping vehicles are the safest choice on the road, but from my experience in witnessing first hand accidents, SUV's cause quite a few of them.