Head out for adventure without leaving the tech and comfort at home

There was a time when the concept of taking the family on a back-country touring holiday promised all the glamour of being stranded on a castaway island. Minimal creature comforts, a general lack of convenience, and nowhere to keep Wilson from rolling around.

Rugged travel meant rugged vehicles that prioritised capability over everything else. You’d get where you were going, but it was more than likely going to be too hot, too cold or just plain old dusty.

Thankfully, things have moved on, so much so that a trip along the most remote path-less-travelled can be conducted with the same ease and comfort as a jaunt to the shops.

Take the Holden Trailblazer LTZ for example, a large seven-seat 4x4 SUV that packs all the mod-cons on top of a proven and capable chassis.

Up front, you’ll find a 2.8-litre Duramax turbo-diesel engine with 147kW of power and a solid 500Nm of torque, capable of supporting a hefty 3000kg towing capacity.

Indeed, the Holden Trailblazer LTZ takes long-distance touring in its stride and can easily return frugal single-digit fuel consumption on a highway cycle.

Swap the black stuff for dirt, and the Trailblazer’s shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system means you can add the surety of extra traction without even having to pullover and stop.

Speaking of climate, regardless of your choice of terrain, the Trailblazer’s dual-zone climate control can ensure the whole team is kept cool or cosy. Rear passengers even score roof-mounted vents with temperature control. Chillier days are further supported by two-stage heated seats up front, and who doesn’t like a toasty backside!

Keeping everyone in the back happy is an always important consideration. The Holden Trailblazer’s 60:40 split second row, and 50:50 split third row means you can configure your occupants and cargo for any circumstance.

There is a 12V outlet behind the centre console and another in the boot, meaning devices stay charged and children stay happy – right up until you venture out of mobile phone reception range!

When it comes time for the front-seat DJ to take over, the eight-inch touch-screen and MyLink interface offers Bluetooth phone and audio function, including DAB digital radio, as well as a native navigation system.

The real party trick however is the support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone projection.

These systems are improving all the time, with Apple now supporting Google Maps, Waze, and Spotify along with all the regular Apple goodies. There’s even an app for Audible Audiobooks, should you wish to traverse the Nullarbor listening to Burt Reynolds narrating his own autobiography...

Technology isn’t limited to entertainment either, as the Trailblazer features a lane departure warning and blind spot alert system, along with a forward collision alert to ensure you get back safely from you trip to the back of beyond.

Find your perfect lunch stop or camp site, and you’ll find the rear parking camera, and parking sensors at both ends supremely handy too. There’s even a remote start function from the keyfob so you can fire up the Trailblazer before you hop in, perfect to warm it up or cool it down before getting some more miles under your belt.

The comfort and capability of the Trailblazer means the only references to Castaway will be a lack of streaming video services as you travel beyond mobile phone reception range.

It doesn’t matter whether your idea of adventure is glamping or camping, the Holden Trailblazer can get you and your crew where you need to go, and back again, with all the comforts of home.