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The recently redesigned TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT have quickly established themselves as two of the most popular midsize SUVs on the market. A week spent with a TrailBlazer EXT showed us why. It's a truck that does just about everything well.

For 2005, these trucks offer even higher levels of passenger comfort and efficiency, including a new Vortec 5300 V8 engine equipped with GM’s innovative Displacement on Demand (DOD) technology, available on TrailBlazer EXT. Our test truck was equipped with the Vortec 5300/DOD engine, a $1,770 option.

GM’s Displacement on Demand technology enables fuel economy gains of up to 8 percent in certain light-load driving conditions by reducing the number of cylinders engaged in the combustion process. A sophisticated engine controller determines when to deactivate cylinders, allowing the engine to maintain vehicle speed in lighter-load conditions such as highway cruising. When the cylinders are deactivated, the engine effectively operates as a V4, with every other cylinder in the firing order disabled. The engine returns to V8 mode the instant the controller determines the vehicle speed or load requires additional power. The process is seamless and virtually imperceptible.

GM isn't saying so, but this is essentially the same concept they tried twenty-four years ago on the notoriously unreliable 1981 Cadillac V8-6-4 engine. Engine management computers were still in their infancy back then, and, although the idea was sound, the technology proved to be a bridge too far. Now, the technology has caught up.

Rated at an estimated 290 horsepower and 330 lb.-ft. of torque, the Gen IV Vortec 5300 5.3L all-aluminum V8 — yes, that's the full name — supports the TrailBlazer EXT's superior towing capacities of up to 7,000 pounds when properly equipped. All 5300 V8s are equipped with DOD. The 5300 V8 is a sweet engine. Smooth and flexible. Even with the DOD technology, though, gas mileage was nothing to write home about. The EPA rated out vehicle at 14 City/19 Highway.

The standard engine on all TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT models, whether two- or four-wheel drive or in LS or uplevel LT trim, is GM’s Vortec 4200 4.2L inline six-cylinder engine. Both engines are complemented by the Hydra-Matic 4L60-E electronically controlled four-speed transmission.

TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT receive a comprehensive array of new standard and available occupant safety features for 2005. GM’s Passenger Sensing System (PSS) uses the latest sensing technology to turn the front passenger air bag on or off. If the sensor system detects an unoccupied front passenger seat or the presence of a smaller occupant, the front passenger air bag is designed to automatically turn off so it would not deploy in the event of a frontal collision. A status indicator on the instrument panel alerts occupants that the passenger air bag is on or off.

TrailBlazers also are equipped with LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) system anchors for child safety seats in all second-row seats. The LATCH system provides two lower anchors and a top tether anchor to be used to secure a child seat to the vehicle seat structure. These anchorages are designed to make it easier to properly install compatible child safety seats.

Appearance changes for 2005 include revised badging on the exterior and steering wheel; a new seat design for improved comfort; new door panel, floor mat and console trim designs for LT models; and additional chrome interior accents throughout on both LS and LT versions. Other changes include the availability of an MP3 player as part of an optional stereo package for LS models and improved touch-screen functions for the available navigation radio system.

Available options on TrailBlazer and TrailBlazer EXT include adjustable brake and accelerator pedals, sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors, inside rearview mirror with temperature gauge and compass, RainSense wipers, leather seating surfaces with eight-way-power driver and passenger seats, sunroof, and both factory- and dealer-installed running boards.

Available entertainment and information features include XM Satellite Radio and Navigation Radio. XM (continental U.S. only) provides more than 120 coast-to-coast, digital-quality channels of original commercial-free music and premier news, sports and talk as well as advanced traffic and weather information for select major metropolitan areas nationwide. Consumers can subscribe to the basic service for $9.99 a month. In addition, GM customers with GMAC financing can choose to include the XM subscription in their car payments. Navigation Radio incorporates a dash-mounted GPS system and display with the vehicle’s sound system.

In sum, we liked the TrailBlazer EXT. But you almost need an accounting degree to figure out the price sticker. The base price was $34,270. To that they had added almost ten grand worth of options. In fact, including the destination charge, the total tab came to $44,415. But then they deducted $3,150 for "preferred equipment savings" making the final grand total $41,265. It's still a lot of money, but, then, what isn't these days? The TrailBlazer EXT is fully competitive with similar models from the competition. We recommend it. R&D