WHEN the Colorado 7 launched Down Under in late 2012 as a seven-seat wagon sibling to the Colorado ute, it filled a huge SUV-shaped void in Holden’s sparse SUV line-up and provided a spiritual successor to the Jackaroo off-roader that was retired in 2004.

It was pitched as a more modern contender to the Mitsubishi Challenger and Nissan Pathfinder, offering a cut-price alternative to the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.

Since then a litter of new contenders has arrived on the market, including the related Isuzu MU-X that has been a runaway sales success, Toyota’s HiLux-based Fortuner, the Ranger-derived Ford Everest and Challenger-replacing Pajero Sport.

In response to this and disappointing sales, Holden has upped its game significantly with the rebadged and comprehensively refreshed Trailblazer that has addressed almost all the criticisms levelled at its awkwardly named predecessor.

After a week with the entry level LT, we reckon the extra $4500 for an LTZ would be money well spent but could not help thinking the coil-sprung wagon had not responded quite as well to Holden’s chassis overhaul as the leaf-sprung Colorado ute.

Click here for the full review...