The Chevrolet Blazer is a

mid-size crossover SUV Mid-size crossover SUV is an automobile classification used mainly in North America to describe a segment of crossover SUV, a type of sport utility vehicle, between compact crossover SUV and full-size crossover SUV. A mid-size crossover SUV ...

produced by

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

under the

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...

marque. The vehicle went into production in December 2018 and sales began in January 2019 as a 2019 model. In China, a version with longer rear section and optional three-row seating is offered, which debuted in 2019 and went on sale in April 2020.

Overview

The Blazer was introduced to the public in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

on June 21, 2018 as a mid-size crossover SUV that slots between the compact

Equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

and the three-row, full-size Traverse. It serves as a counterpart to the

GMC Acadia The GMC Acadia is a crossover SUV manufactured by General Motors for its GMC marque. The first-generation GMC Acadia shared the GM Lambda platform with the Saturn Outlook, the Chevrolet Traverse, and the Buick Enclave. The Acadia went on sale ...

in the mid-size crossover SUV segment and is built on the same platform as the Acadia. The vehicle's design has a sporty look that takes its cues from the

Camaro The Chevrolet Camaro is a mid-size American automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, classified as a pony car. It first went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed to compete with the Ford Mustang. The Camaro share ...

but has a crossover SUV feel. The Blazer nameplate history dates back to 1969 when it was introduced as a two-door large SUV. As the result, the use of the Blazer nameplate on a crossover has sparked mixed reactions, mostly from fans of the K5 Blazer, S-10 Blazer and

TrailBlazer A trailblazer is a person who is paving the way in their particular field for future generations. Trailblazer may refer to: Sports * Derby Trailblazers, a British semi-professional basketball team * North Carolina Trailblazers, a US women's rec ...

, who were disappointed of GM's decision to apply it to a crossover instead of a

body-on-frame Body-on-frame, also known as ladder frame construction, is a common motor vehicle construction method, whereby a separate body or coach is mounted on a strong and relatively rigid vehicle frame or chassis that carries the powertrain (the engin ...

SUV, citing the Blazer's history as an adventurous off-road vehicle. The Trailblazer nameplate returned to North America as a

compact crossover A crossover, crossover SUV, or crossover utility vehicle (CUV) is a type of automobile with an increased ride height that is built on unibody chassis construction shared with passenger cars, as opposed to traditional sport utility vehicles ( ...

that slots below the Equinox in 2020 as a 2021 model.

Powertrain

The Blazer launched with two engine options: a standard 2.5 L I4 engine rated at and of torque, and a 3.6 L V6 engine, rated at and of torque. Both engines were paired with GM's 9-speed 9T50 automatic transmission. The same transmission is also used in the company's Cruze, Malibu, and Equinox models. For 2020, a 2.0 L turbocharged I4 engine was added to the lineup.

Trim levels

When the Blazer went on sale in January 2019, it featured either FWD and AWD, with a choice of L, LT (1LT, 2LT, and 3LT), RS, and Premier trim levels. Since then, the L and 1LT trim levels have been dropped. Standard features on all Blazer models include the

Infotainment 3 system with eight-inch touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and

Android Auto Android Auto is a mobile app developed by Google to mirror features of an Android device, such as a smartphone, on a car's dashboard information and entertainment head unit. Once an Android device is paired with the car's head unit, the syst ...

smartphone A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...

integration,

OnStar OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, China, Mex ...

with 4G LTE Wi-Fi capabilities, keyless entry with keyless access and push-button start, and alloy wheels. Options include remote start, upgraded alloy wheels, a

Bose Bose may refer to: * Bose (crater), a lunar crater * ''Bose'' (film), a 2004 Indian Tamil film starring Srikanth and Sneha * Bose (surname), a surname (and list of people with the name) * Bose, Italy, a ''frazioni'' in Magnano, Province of Biella ...

premium audio system, GPS navigation,

SiriusXM Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius S ...

Satellite Radio Satellite radio is defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s ITU Radio Regulations (RR) as a ''broadcasting-satellite service''. The satellite's signals are broadcast nationwide, across a much wider geographical area than ter ...

, a power sunroof, heated and ventilated front bucket seats with driver's memory, red interior accents (RS trim only), and a power tailgate. File:2019 Chevrolet Blazer 2LT AWD, front 7.27.19.jpg, 2019 Chevrolet Blazer 2LT AWD (US) File:2019 Chevrolet Blazer 2LT AWD, rear 7.27.19.jpg, 2019 Chevrolet Blazer 2LT AWD (US) File:2020 Chevrolet Blazer RS, front 10.25.20.jpg, 2020 Chevrolet Blazer RS (US) File:2020 Chevrolet Blazer RS, rear 10.25.20.jpg, 2020 Chevrolet Blazer RS (US)

Model year changes

2020

The 2020 model year Blazer saw a 2.0L turbocharged 4 cylinder LSY engine added as an option on 2LT and 3LT level trims.

2021

The 2021 model year Blazer offers a new towing package called the VR2 Trailering Package on models equipped with front-wheel-drive and the 3.6L V6 LGX engine. The optional package includes the same cooling system as the aforementioned similar V92 package available on AWD models and is expected to increase the maximum towing capacity of front-drive models to 4500 pounds, the same as on the AWD model. Four new colors were also added, while three were dropped. Pewter metallic, iron gray, cayenne orange, and cherry red tintcoat were all new for 2021, while nightfall gray metallic, graphite metallic, and cajun red tintcoat were discontinued. The standard leather-wrapped steering wheel was replaced with a urethane steering wheel on the L, 1LT, and 2LT trim levels. The twin-clutch AWD system was removed from the Premier trim, and is now only exclusively offered on the RS trim level, while all the other models get a regular AWD system (without the twin-clutch setup).

2022

The Blazer L and 1LT trim levels were dropped—these models were only available with FWD and the 2.5L inline-4 LCV engine. This marks the discontinuation of the 2.5L inline-4 engine for the Blazer lineup, as this engine is not offered with any other Blazer configurations.

2023 facelift

In February 2022, for the 2023 model year, Chevrolet announced a

facelift A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...

for the Blazer. Changes on the exterior include revised

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor Electronics, device that Light#Light sources, emits light when Electric current, current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy i ...

headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...

and tail lights, new

grille Grill or grille may refer to: Food * Barbecue grill, a device or surface used for cooking food, usually fuelled by gas or charcoal, or the part of a cooker that performs this function * Flattop grill, a cooking device often used in restaurants, ...

design, and new 18, 20, and 21-inch wheel designs. Additionally, new colors available include Fountain Blue, Sterling Gray Metallic, Copper Bronze Metallic, and Radiant Red Tintcoat. On the interior, all trims come standard with a larger 10-inch infotainment screen (up from 8 inches on the pre-facelift version). Qi wireless charging is now standard on the RS and Premier trims, while it will become available on all other trims. RS models are available with a new Nightshift Blue interior color. Adaptive cruise control is now available on the 2LT and 3LT trim levels and the Chevy Safety Assist package becomes standard. File:2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS.jpg, 2023 Blazer RS File:2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS Rear.jpg, 2023 Blazer RS rear

Markets

Mexico

The Blazer was introduced in Mexico in February 2019. Trim levels available are Tela (which replaces the L), Piel (which replaces the Premier), and RS which differs in equipment list compared to the RS sold in the U.S. and Canada.

South America

GM marketed the Blazer in South American markets, with Argentina, Chile and Colombia since 2019 as part of its lineup expansion in the region.

Oceania

GM was looking at expanding the Blazer to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

as a

Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thre ...

, up until GM’s decision to eliminate the Holden brand in 2020. It would have been slotted as a mid size entry between the Acadia and Equinox.

Asia/Middle East

GM began selling the Blazer in GCC markets in June 2019 with similar features as the North American version.

Chinese version

The Chinese version of the Blazer was previewed as the FNR-CarryAll concept in November 2018 at

Auto Guangzhou China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition (), also called Guangzhou International Motor Show () or Auto Guangzhou (), is an auto show held by Guangzhou Zhanlian Exhibition Service Co., Ltd, in November and December every year in the G ...

in China. On November 8, 2019, GM introduced the production version of the Chinese-version Blazer during the 2019 Chevrolet Gala Night event held in Hefei, China featuring three rows of seating. The Chinese Blazer is also longer and taller than the international version of the Blazer to accommodate the third row seats. It serves as its flagship SUV in China with three trim levels available: standard, RS, and Redline. Pre-sales began in March 2020, while production at its Jinqiao Assembly in April 2020 with deliveries starting by mid-year. In addition to the Chinese three-row Blazer, GM is also offering a two-row version of the Blazer with the same footprint, size, and dimensions as the former for the Chinese market. Contrary to rumors that it would be called the "Blazer XL" in North America, GM will not market the Chinese three row Blazer there because of the Traverse filling that slot. It was also confirmed that the Chinese three-row Blazer will not be available in South Korea, meaning the three-row Chevrolet Blazer is a China-only model. File:Chevrolet Blazer (China) 001.jpg, Front view File:Chevrolet Blazer (China) 003.jpg, Rear view

Safety

The 2022 Blazer was tested by the

IIHS The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collision ...

Production and assembly

GM chose the

Ramos Arizpe Assembly The Ramos Arizpe Assembly is a General Motors automobile factory in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Mexico. It opened in 1981 and has manufactured Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn, and Saab vehicles. It currently produces the ...

in Mexico because its Spring Hill facilities were at full capacity. On November 27, 2018, Chevrolet began production on the Blazer in Ramos Arizpe, phasing out production of the

Chevrolet Cruze The Chevrolet Cruze is a compact car that is produced by General Motors since 2008. It was designated as a globally developed, designed, and manufactured four-door compact sedan, complemented by a five-door hatchback body variant from 2011, and ...

altogether. The latter ended its North American production in March 2019.

Sales

The first 27 units of the Blazer were sold in the US in December 2018.

Reception

In a side-by-side comparison with the

Ford Edge The Ford Edge is a range of crossover SUVs manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for the 2007 model year, the Edge is the first mid-size CUV marketed by Ford in North America; the model line is currently in its second generation. ...

, ''

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was fou ...

'' declared the Blazer the best, for its "responsive and stable handling, aggressive styling, and stout V-6 engine.""2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS and 2019 Ford Edge Titanium Face Off: Which Is Detroit's Best Two-Row Mid-Size SUV?"
from ''

'' (April 10, 2019)

References

External links

* {{Chevrolet Truck Blazer (crossover) Cars introduced in 2018 2020s cars Mid-size sport utility vehicles Crossover sport utility vehicles Front-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles