When word got out Chevy was bringing the Blazer back, we all had visions of the K5 Blazer, but that was not to be.
Instead the Blazer slots between two popular Chevy SUVs, the smaller Equinox and the larger Traverse. It has a wide stance, a bold grill, and a swooping bodyline that runs up to the floating roof, meaning it gives the appearance the roof is not attached. Dual exhaust and a rear spoiler complete the aggressive look.
My review vehicle is the RS, the sporty version, if you are looking for luxury, there is the Premier, and there is a base Blazer that starts under $30,000.
Under the hood, there is a 3.6-liter V6 putting out 308-horses. There is a 2.5 4-cylinder available on some of the lower trim levels, but they all come with a 9-speed automatic transmission. It has cylinder deactivation that shuts off 3 cylinders at cruising speeds. My tester is all-wheel drive but two-wheel is available.
Inside, beautiful slightly bolstered front seats have nice stitching and accent piping around the edges. There are bright colorful gauges and you can configure the center with all sorts of great info. I love that the multi-function steering wheel doesn’t impede the view of the gauges as in many vehicles.
The center console features the gear shifter, two cup holders, a cell phone charger, USB port, and you can change the drive modes from normal, to snow, to sport-always my favorite.
In a styling cue from Camaro, there are round air vents that you turn to adjust the temperature up or down. Above that is a row of buttons for the climate control and heated and air-conditioned seats.
Mid-dash is an 8” color screen that runs the audio, Bluetooth, navigation system, Wi-Fi hotspot, vehicle settings, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A swipe to the left gives you more choices including apps, Onstar, climate, camera settings, and Chevy Marketplace. From there you can order food or a Starbucks in advance from your vehicle, and pay for it with your phone.
All the electronics are easy to reach and use, and are lighting fast. Two great features I love are Teen Driver, which monitors other drivers, sets parameters of travel, and gives you a report card. It also has the back seat reminder. If you put something in the back seat, when you get to where you are going, it will remind you there is something back there, like a child, pet, or other valuables.
To the right of the screen is an electronic opening glove box. Although kind of cool, I don’t know of a practical reason for it. To the left, you can disable the start/stop system, which you cannot do with all GM SUVs.
Moving to the back seat, three adults can fit just fine, there is lots of head and legroom, and the seat slides forward and back, and also reclines.
Rear passengers get rear air conditioning vents, a 110-volt outlet, and USB ports. It will hold 64.2 cubic-feet of cargo area with the back seat down.
My review vehicle has $3,880 in options including the Enhanced Convenience package which is an upgraded Bose stereo, cooled front seats, heated rear seats, memory seats, and power tilt steering wheel.
It also has the Driver Confidence II package, which is a wireless charger, surround view camera, rear camera mirror with washer, adaptive cruise control, enhanced emergency braking, safety alert seat, and LED headlights.
Finally, it has the Storage Optimization package which gives you a handy collapsible cargo area organizer,
The Blazer looks great, it handles extremely well with no body roll, and is overall very balanced, yet at the same time, feels as sporty as a Camaro. Acceleration was surprisingly strong and it will tow 4500-pounds, way more than most SUVs in this segment.
Gas mileage is 19 in town and 26 highway, and MSRP as equipped is $49,270, and that’s right in line with similarly equipped competitors.
In summary, Chevy has a home run with the Blazer, and it is one of the fastest selling vehicles on the market. Dealers have trouble keeping them on the lot and after you drive it, you’ll understand why.