2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer: Roslyn Buyers Guide
Quick Answer: The 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer at a Glance
Four trims: LS starts at $23,300, LT at $24,500, ACTIV and RS both at $27,900, and every one of those numbers is before the $1,395 destination charge (and before Nassau County's 8.625% sales tax, which is its own conversation). LS and LT run a 137-hp turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder as standard, with a 155-hp 1.3-liter available for $395 more; that bigger 1.3-liter comes standard on ACTIV and RS. All-wheel drive is available across the whole lineup, pairs with the 1.3-liter engine only, and swaps the CVT for a 9-speed automatic. East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn, on Northern Boulevard, has been family owned since 1975 and sits at 4.76 stars across 962 Google reviews for this location alone.
The three-cylinder thing trips people up, so let's get it out of the way
Yes, three cylinders. Not a typo, not a golf cart engine either. The base 1.2-liter turbo makes 137 hp and 162 lb-ft, which sounds small written down and feels perfectly adequate merging onto the LIE, mostly because Trailblazer only weighs around 3,000 lbs to begin with — it's not hauling around the curb weight that engine would need to fight against in something bigger. Step up to the 1.3-liter (standard on ACTIV and RS, a $395 option on LS and LT) and you pick up 18 more horsepower, 12 more lb-ft, and the ability to add all-wheel drive, which the base 1.2-liter can't be paired with at all. That last part matters more than the horsepower number does, honestly: if AWD is non-negotiable for a Roslyn winter, the trim and engine decision basically makes itself.
Everything runs on regular gas, nobody's asking you to budget for premium. FWD models use a CVT; step up to AWD and the transmission changes too, to a conventional 9-speed automatic. Two different gearboxes depending on which drivetrain you pick isn't something every automaker bothers explaining clearly, so here it is plainly: FWD Trailblazer, CVT. AWD Trailblazer, 9-speed. Same engine family underneath, different way of putting power down.
Pick your trim
Trailblazer LS
from $23,300 MSRP
Wireless CarPlay, an 11-inch touchscreen, and Chevy Safety Assist standard — the base trim isn't stripped down.
Trailblazer LT
from $24,500 MSRP
Adds two-tone 17-inch wheels, remote start, and heated mirrors for about $1,200 over LS.
Trailblazer ACTIV
from $27,900 MSRP
All-terrain tires, a skid plate, and off-road-tuned suspension. The bigger engine comes standard here.
Trailblazer RS
from $27,900 MSRP
Same price as ACTIV, same engine — black 19-inch wheels and gloss trim instead of the off-road hardware.
ACTIV and RS split at the same price — here's the actual difference
$27,900 gets you into either one, which throws people who assume RS must cost more because it sounds sportier. It doesn't. What you're actually choosing between is all-terrain rubber, a front skid plate, and softer off-road-tuned suspension on ACTIV, versus black 19-inch wheels and a gloss-black trim package on RS. Same 155-hp 1.3-liter engine in both. Same interior upgrades — synthetic leather, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a power driver's seat — standard on both, too. It's genuinely a styling and use-case decision, not a which-one-is-better decision, and the honest answer to "which should I get" is whichever look and stance you keep coming back to when you're looking at both in the lot.
What Roslyn buyers who actually own one are saying
962 Google reviews for this specific location, averaging 4.76 stars, and the Trailblazer shows up by name constantly — it's clearly one of the higher-volume sellers on the lot. Jonquel NYC bought one in May and put it about as plainly as a review gets: "I purchased a Trailblazer in May, I did most of the deal over the phone when I showed up. The car was prepped ready to go." Michael Zam cross-shopped two other Chevy dealers first, three hours of his life he wasn't getting back, before landing at East Hills: "As soon as I sat down Gary disclosed offers and incentives available to me that neither of the other two dealers disclosed... I love my new car and I highly recommend these guys!" Elena Petruzzi's review is shorter and just as clear: "Worked with Mike for our new 2025 Trailblazer. He was great. We got a great deal and everything went smoothly." First car ever bought, secondhand SUV lease, family's third one from this dealership — the Trailblazer reviews here cover a wide range of buyers, and the throughline in almost all of them is the same: nobody felt rushed.
Living with a Trailblazer in Roslyn
Oil changes, the annual New York inspection, what Nassau County's road salt does to a car over a few winters — all of that's on the service & repair guide. What a Trailblazer actually costs to drive home, Nassau's 8.625% tax included, is on the pricing & leasing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2026 Trailblazer a good car?
For what it's built to be — a small, efficient, easy-to-park SUV under $30,000 — yes. It's not trying to be a three-row family hauler or a performance crossover, and judged against that job description it does what it's supposed to: standard Chevy Safety Assist, standard wireless CarPlay even on the $23,300 LS, and combined EPA figures in the low-to-mid 30s depending on engine and drivetrain. The real test is a back-to-back drive against whatever else is on the shortlist, ideally at East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn where LS through RS all sit on the same lot.
How much is a fully loaded 2026 Trailblazer?
An AWD ACTIV or AWD RS is close to the top of the range, roughly $29,500 MSRP before the $1,395 destination charge, since AWD only pairs with the 1.3-liter engine those two trims already carry standard. Add destination and Nassau's 8.625% tax and the out-the-door number climbs from there — East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn can quote an exact figure on a specific in-stock build.
What are the downsides of the Chevy Trailblazer?
The base 1.2-liter three-cylinder won't feel quick merging onto a highway with a full load of passengers, and cargo room behind the second row is genuinely small for the segment — this is a subcompact SUV, not a compact one, and it's sized accordingly. Neither is a dealbreaker for what most Trailblazer buyers actually use it for: a smaller, cheaper, easier-to-park daily driver. It's just worth knowing going in rather than discovering it after signing.
What's better, an Equinox or a Trailblazer?
Different segments, not really a fair fight. Equinox is Chevy's compact SUV, a full size class up, with more cargo room and rear-seat space; Trailblazer is the subcompact below it and starts several thousand dollars cheaper. The right call depends on whether budget or interior room matters more — East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn carries both, so sitting in each back to back settles it faster than any spec sheet does.
Where can I see all four trims in person?
East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn's new inventory, 1036 Northern Boulevard. Stock shifts week to week, so if a specific trim, color, or drivetrain matters, a quick call ahead saves the drive.
A dealership Roslyn's known since 1975
East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn's been family owned and operated on Northern Boulevard for five decades, and the East Hills EDGE program that comes with every purchase — new or used — includes complimentary annual New York State inspections and loaner cars with service, on top of the usual sales relationship. The current Trailblazer inventory sits alongside their used and CarBravo-certified stock, and trade-in conversations happen the same visit as a test drive — no separate trip required.
MSRP figures exclude the $1,395 destination charge, taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; figures reflect published third-party pricing sources cross-checked against EPA data as of this writing and can move during the model year — confirm current pricing with East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates; real-world results vary by driving conditions. Equipment and availability can shift with production timing. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of East Hills Chevrolet of Roslyn.