Jim Park’s Advice about the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS:
The heart of the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS is its LS2 Corvette motor. To keep it affordable and not tread into the territory of the TrailBlazer’s more expensive and luxurious brethren like the Tahoe, GM has rightfully opted not to upgrade the TrailBlazer’s interior and minimize changes to the exterior. The TrailBlazer SS is for the dedicated Chevy enthusiast who wants power and performance…luxury and comfort be damned. The drive to do what is fun, affordable, and to speak to the hearts of Chevy owners is laudable on GM’s part.

Although there are several alternative SUVs in the same affordable price range offering greater luxury and comfort, the visceral grunt and obscene acceleration of the two-plus ton SS in a utilitarian package is almost too good to pass up.

Christian Wardlaw’s Advice about the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS:
Honestly, I cannot decide if I should be overjoyed or appalled that the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS exists. It’s not the most fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly, highest-quality piece of work on the planet. It’s based on an outclassed vehicle that was past its expiration date the first day in showrooms. And the package is not nearly as impressive as, say, a GMC Typhoon was in its day. What makes me glad that Chevy built this thing is that it shows somebody at General Motors gets it. This is a product that could only be embraced by enthusiasts, the same influential group of consumers to whom each one of us turns when we need advice about new and used cars. Chevrolet’s broad Super Sport program reaches the friend, the family member, and the office colleague who knows and loves cars. Chrysler’s SRT efforts do the same thing. These vehicles aren’t for everybody, but they grab the attention of the people who will broadcast the brand for them, and word-of-mouth recommendation from trusted sources is the best kind of advertising in the world. The TrailBlazer SS is, effectively, a viral marketing campaign for Chevrolet, and it tells me that GM might just pull out of its death spiral and survive. Now, the trick for GM is to make the cars and trucks people actually buy just as appealing as the enthusiast models.

Thom Blackett’s Advice about the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS:
To be fair, I slammed the 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS’s main competitor, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, for being a gasaholic that represented social irresponsibility in these times of high fuel prices and global energy issues. In my opinion, the same needs to be said of the Chevy, which returned only 13.9 mpg during our week of testing. For buyers who truly need utility and/or cargo capacity, there are countless other vehicles that can get the job done more efficiently, one being the regular TrailBlazer. However, if it’s got to be a relatively affordable muscle SUV, the options are Chevy or Jeep. The Jeep offers 30 extra horses and comes standard with four-wheel drive for about $40,000, whereas the TrailBlazer SS can be had for about $10,000 less in rear-wheel-drive guise, or about $8,000 less with push-button four-wheel drive. Neither is big on materials or build quality, but the Jeep outmatched the Chevy in the handling department by just a bit. So, if you’re looking for a rip-roaring SUV that will have you actually enjoying those spirited runs from Mobil to Chevron, one that’s a relative bargain, the TrailBlazer SS is worth consideration. But for shoppers seeking slightly better handling, more power, and don’t mind the added expense or conspicuous styling, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 may be a better bet. Just don’t drive either one to an Earth Day rally.