Korea GM's 'Chevrolet Trailblazer' Achieves 2nd Place in Complete Vehicle Exports Last Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Chevrolet Trailblazer by Korea GM ranked second in domestic finished car exports last year.

According to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) on the 28th, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, along with its sibling model Buick Encore GX sharing the same platform, exported a total of 126,832 units throughout 2021.

Despite the impact of COVID-19 and the global shortage of vehicle semiconductor chips, the Trailblazer accounted for 6.5% of the total domestic passenger car exports in 2021. Since its first export in November 2019, the cumulative export volume has exceeded 280,000 units by 2021.

A company official said, "The Trailblazer is especially meaningful as a global core vehicle developed primarily by GM Technical Center Korea and produced by Korea GM, serving as a key export model for Korea," adding, "Based on its excellent product quality and marketability, the Trailblazer plays a pivotal role in GM's domestic management normalization plan established in 2018."

The Trailblazer has introduced three distinctive designs: the basic LT trim, the sporty RS trim, and the off-road specialized ACTIV trim. It secured sufficient competitiveness in both domestic and global compact SUV markets by featuring a generously sized body comparable to a compact SUV, as well as GM's next-generation 1.35-liter E-Turbo engine that satisfies performance, efficiency, and eco-friendliness.

The Trailblazer is also receiving positive responses in the United States, one of its largest export markets. In the US, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, together with the Buick Encore GX, sold a total of 161,408 units in 2021, marking a 104.0% increase compared to the previous year. It achieved a 16.1% market share in the small sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment. The Chevrolet Trailblazer and Buick Encore GX ranked 3rd and 6th in US small SUV sales with market shares of 9.0% and 7.1%, respectively.

Meanwhile, based on the success of the Trailblazer, GM is steadily preparing to launch the next-generation global crossover utility vehicle (CUV) targeting both domestic and global markets.