The Chevrolet Trailblazer is one of the most affordable SUVs you can buy, and it’s popular with families and first-time buyers. But a new crash test result from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is worth knowing about, especially if you put passengers in the back seat.
The 2026 Trailblazer earned a Poor overall rating in the IIHS’s updated moderate overlap front crash test.
What the Test Measures
The test simulates a front-end crash at about 40 mph, where part of the front of the vehicle hits a barrier. IIHS says it’s similar to two vehicles colliding offset at a little under 40 mph each.
A few years ago, IIHS made this test tougher. It now puts a small dummy, about the size of a 12-year-old or a small woman, in the back seat behind the driver. That’s because back-seat passengers often aren’t protected as well as people up front.
Front Seat: Good. Back Seat: Not So Much
The good news is the front of the Trailblazer did everything right. The driver area held up well, and the driver dummy’s injury readings were Good.
The problem was in the back. The rear dummy’s head, neck and thighs were fine, but:
- The chest injury measure was rated Marginal, because the shoulder belt pulled hard on the chest.
- The restraints and how the dummy moved during the crash were rated Poor.
Under IIHS rules, one Poor score in this category is enough to pull the whole test result down to Poor.
GM Already Tried a Fix
Here’s the surprising part. GM upgraded the rear seat belts on Trailblazers built starting in February 2026, and the vehicle IIHS tested already had those upgraded belts. It still scored Poor.
Other Results
The Trailblazer did well in some other tests, earning Good ratings in both small overlap front crash tests and the updated side crash test. But it struggled elsewhere:
- Vehicle-to-vehicle automatic braking: Poor. The system slowed the SUV down but didn’t stop it from hitting the target.
- Pedestrian automatic braking: Marginal.
- Headlights: Acceptable on LS and LT trims, but Poor on RS and Activ trims because the low beams create too much glare for oncoming drivers.
Other SUVs Have Fixed This
It is possible to pass. Nissan updated the rear seat belts on the Kicks for vehicles built after June 2026, and that SUV went from Marginal to Good in the same test, earning a Top Safety Pick award.
What Buyers and Owners Should Know
- Check the build date on the sticker inside the driver’s door. This rating covers Trailblazers built in February 2026 or later.
- The test used the seat behind the driver, so that’s the position the rating applies to.
- If you regularly carry kids or adults in the back, compare rear-seat crash results before you buy. IIHS posts them for free on its website.
- Don’t count on automatic braking to stop a crash in this model. Stay alert and keep a safe following distance.
Sources