Fortuner/Trailblazer shoot-out

Chevrolet Trailblazer

The second generation Chevrolet Trailblazer (first production model only saw North America in its production line-up) is available in derivatives, two with a Duramax turbodiesel, a 2.5 and 2.8, and a 3.6-litre V6 VVT petrol engine. The Fortuner also sees three models in its lineup; a 2.5 and 3.0 diesel and a fuel hungry 4.0l V6 Petrol motor.

When the facelifted Fortuner was revealed at the end of 2011, many were let down by the overuse of chrome. The poor interior did not escape the chroming either, but even so, it has been a tremendous success. Park the Trailblazer next to it however and, despite the striking resemblances, the Trailblazer is the clear winner in the looks department. Dollops of chrome still adorn it but subdued and used more tastefully than on the Fortuner.

The two-part black grille has a chrome finisher while the famous golden Chevrolet bowtie badge stands in the centre part that divides the grille. Chevrolet has used what it calls a ‘body in, wheels out’ exterior design style in an attempt to gain every kind of off-road advantage.

As for the rear, the Trailblazer once again has a slightly more rounded appearance while the chrome strip is shorter and does not go from tail-lamp to tail-lamp as on the Fortuner, making it slightly more understated. The 18-inch alloys found on the Trailblazer are thicker and chunkier than the Prado-like wheels of the Fortuner. But when it comes to choice of rubber, the Toyota has an advantage.

Both vehicles are running the popular Bridgestone Duellers, but the Fortuner has the off-road friendly AT version whereas the Trailblazer has tar-biased HT tyres.

The Fortuner interior has always leaned towards plainness; functional yet understated and this is a philosophy that has worked for Toyota for many years. It is not going to win awards but it is going to do the job. An advantage here is the simple sandy-beige-and-grey hued interior that is fairly simple to clean with a cloth and some elbow grease. But it is not all bad. Each occupant of the seven seats in the Fortuner has a place to put a can of Coke or decent-sized water bottle.

In many regards the Fortuner and Trailblazer are on par: the power-adjustable driver’s seat, number of seats, flimsy centre console lids, rear cooler, half-decent audio, Bluetooth, cruise control and electrically-adjustable rear-view mirrors are common. But when you climb into the Trailblazer after driving the Fortuner you do sense a classier, more stylish environment. Build quality is also substantially better in the Trailblazer.

The biggest interior difference is the configuration of the third row of seats, where the Trailblazer easily comes up trumps. When not required, the Fortuner’s seats fold up against the sides of the cabin thereby wasting loads of precious packing space, and when folding down you have to first loosen two hooks before flattening the seats. One little handle does all of this in the Trailblazer where the seats fold away nicely onto the floor, creating a flat, uniform surface.

There’s no denying that the 3.0 D-4D of the Fortuner will go down in history as one of the classics. It has proved to be efficient and reliable in even the harshest African conditions.

This much-loved motor delivers a useful 120kW with a maximum torque of 343Nm, which makes it one smooth operator in both the city and the bush. The Trailblazer’s 2.8 LTZ 4X4 Auto slightly betters the Fortuner with peak outputs of 132kW and a healthy 470Nm. When you fire up the Trailblazer and hear that diesel crank over for the first time, it does sound a little like a truck – here others who are used to stealthy hi-tech diesel engines might not find it that attractive.

As they say, the proof is in the handling and this is where both the Fortuner and Trailblazer truly shine.

The Fortuner sits like a piece of gum on your shoe and while the Trailblazer takes slightly longer to respond, when it gets going it sits with the same affirmative grip as the Fortuner.

The Fortuner is a full-time 4WD vehicle but with the Trailblazer you have to turn a knob to take you from 2WD to 4WD High Range, which can be done on the fly. One disconcerting Trailblazer fact is that, unlike almost every other vehicle we have driven before, there are no bright little lights on the facia to confirm engagement, so you have to trust the big black knob. However, if you push the Hill Descent Control (HDC) button, a warning light does appear.

Standard on all Trailblazers is a limited-slip differential that kicks-in when one of the driven wheels is struggling for traction by transferring torque from the slipping wheel to one with available traction. An optional mechanical locker is available for the Trailblazer, which engages when the vehicle’s sensors decide it is time to lend a helping hand. It will activate when a differential wheel speed of 100rpm is reached and is only deactivated once you go over 36kph or if there is a reversal in torque. In the Fortuner, the rear diff-lock engages with the push of a button.

The Fortuner has a 30deg approach angle, 25deg departure angle and 220mm of ground clearance. The Trailblazer also has a 30deg approach angle but only a 22deg departure angle, and when it comes to ground clearance, there is just a centimetre more (230mm) clearance.

Off road performance is widely applauded on both vehicles and little separates the two in the bush, the extra torque from the Trailblazer gives it a slight edge. Slip on some A/T tekkies though and the game changes drastically to the favour of the Chevy.

A difficult call?

The Fortuner has always been a firm favourite in the off-road community and die-hard Toyota fans will be exactly that, but the Trailblazer is difficult to ignore.