Chevrolet has just announced that its all-new Trailblazer SUV will reach our shores before this year is out.

Rearing to break the Toyota Fortuner's stranglehold of the bakkie-based-SUV market, the Trailblazer comes to the party with tough American-truck-like styling - it is based on the Chevy Colorado bakkie after all (although that one is not headed our way).

While the actual production version of the Trailblazer has yet to be revealed, the concept car you see here should be the spitting image of the final product, barring a few minor details, of course.

Like the Colorado, the Trailblazer will be powered by a 2.8-litre diesel engine which is likely to match the bakkie's outputs of 132kW and 470Nm. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual and six-speed automatic.

IT’S A TOUGHIE

While endowed with enough grunt to hold its own on the open road, it won't be any sissy when you show it mud, its chassis tuned to allow heady-duty off-roading.

 

Practical too, the Trailblazer's cabin provides space for seven occupants and claims to offer the most spacious third-row in its class. The seats also offer tumble and fold-flat versatility.

That's as much as we can tell you for now - GMSA will, of course, announce the model line-up and pricing closer to the time of launch.