Chevrolet revives the Blazer brand for a new crossover
Now on sale at Chevrolet dealers nationwide is the all-new five-passenger midsize Blazer crossover utility vehicle, which brings back an iconic Chevy nameplate that hasn’t been seen since 2005.
The 2019 Blazer comes in six different models, beginning with the entry-level L version, starting at $28,800 (plus $1,195 freight) with front-wheel drive and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and ranging up to the 3.6-liter V-6 powered Premier, $42,700 with front drive or $45,600 with all-wheel drive.
In between are the Blazer 2.5 Cloth ($32,300, front drive only); Blazer 3.6 Cloth ($33,300, front drive only); Blazer 3.6 Leather ($36,500, front drive; $40,200, AWD); and the sporty RS ($40,600, 3.6-liter, front drive; $43,500, 3.6-liter, AWD).
The new Blazer is different from Ford’s Bronco revival for 2020, as that vehicle will be more of an off-road-capable SUV like its original, while the Blazer is a family crossover similar to the midsize, five-passenger Ford Edge and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
For about 30 years, the Bronco and Chevy K5 Blazer — both built on the chassis of their full-size pickup counterparts, the F-series and Silverado — were in head-to-head competition. There was also a smaller version of the Blazer, designated S10 instead of K5, to reflect that it was built on the chassis of Chevy’s S10 compact pickup. That vehicle was essentially replaced in the Chevrolet lineup by the TrailBlazer, introduced in 2002 and discontinued after 2009.
The bigger K5 Blazer morphed into the Chevrolet Tahoe, which remains one of the staples of the Chevy truck/SUV lineup.
This newest Blazer is slotted between the full-size Chevy Traverse three-row crossover and the compact five-passenger Equinox, which is about the same size as the early 2000s S10 Blazer SUV. There is also a subcompact crossover in the Chevy lineup, the Trax.
Chevrolet has never had a crossover in the midsize class, as the Traverse, introduced for 2009, has been marketed as a large crossover. The Blazer correspond in size and mission with the Edge, Grand Cherokee, and other midsize five-passenger crossovers, while the larger Ford Explorer has a third-row seat and competes with the Traverse. Ford’s Escape is a compact that goes up against the Equinox, and the new Ford EcoSport is the counterpart to the Trax.
The base engine is a normally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder with 193 horsepower and 188 foot-pounds of torque, connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission. EPA ratings are 22 mpg city/27 highway/24 combined.
Our Premier all-wheel-drive tester came with the 3.6-liter V-6, which is like the one used in the Chevrolet Camaro and several other Chevy models. In the Blazer, it produces 308 horsepower and 270 foot-pounds of torque. It also comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
EPA ratings for the V-6 are 20 city/26 highway/22 combined (front drive) and 18/25/21 (AWD). We averaged 19.3 mpg with our AWD V-6 Premier model.
An advanced twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system is used on RS and Premier trims. As with most crossovers, the Blazer’s all-wheel drive does not have low-range gearing for serious trail use. It does have driver-selectable settings for 2WD, automatic AWD, and various terrains.
The six-cylinder Blazers with all-wheel drive are capable of towing trailers weighing up to 4,500 pounds; the front-drive V-6 models and the 2.5-liter models are limited to 1,500 pounds.
There is 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, and 64.2 cubic feet with the second-row seatback folded flat. The second-row seat can slide fore and aft to increase leg and knee room or boost cargo space behind it. Also is a cargo-management system with rails and a cargo fence.
A dual-pane panoramic-view sunroof is available in the Sun and Wheels Package ($2,495) and was included on our tester. It also brought 21-inch pearl-nickel aluminum wheels and all-season black wall tires, replacing the Premier model’s standard 20-inch alloy wheels. Standard on lower-priced models are 18-inch wheels.
The RS and Premier models each have unique styling cues, including different grilles, bright chrome exterior trim on the Premier, and a blacked-out look for the RS.
At the front is a bold grille and hood lines, low-placed HID headlights, and LED daytime running lamps. At the rear are LED Chevy-signature dual-element taillights, dual exhaust outlets and an integrated tailgate spoiler.
Stop by one of the premier Chevy dealers in the Phoenix area for a test drive.
