Used 2021 Chevrolet Blazer

The Chevrolet Blazer was reborn two years ago as an all-new 5-passenger SUV. While it has the same name as the SUV that debuted back in the 1980s, this new model is completely different. Instead of having a rigid truck frame and rugged manners, this new Blazer uses a sedan-like unibody platform, similar to other modern crossovers, to prioritize plusher road manners.

The 2021 Blazer slots between the smaller Equinox and 3-row family-oriented Traverse in Chevy’s lineup. It’s also part of a new wave of midsize 2-row crossover SUVs.

Where for years, the Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, and Subaru Outback were the primary players, fresh entries have arrived in the Honda Passport, Toyota Venza, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

The Chevrolet Blazer aims to attract with its sporty yet functional design, choice of engines, and sub-$29,000 starting price. The Blazer can make a compelling argument for itself, but its rivals include many features as standard that cost extra on the Blazer. Chief among them are active safety systems.

The Passport, Venza, Santa Fe, and Outback all include features such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. While Chevrolet has broadened the availability of such features on the 2021 Blazer, you still must step up to at least a 2LT trim to get them, negating the Blazer’s value proposition.

Also unlike rivals, you have to step up three trims and spend at least $36,295 to get all-wheel drive instead of the standard front-wheel drive.

The Chevrolet Blazer does a perfectly adequate job in both around-town duties and highway cruising. Its not-too-big, not-too-small size gives it good road presence yet doesn’t feel like a behemoth when parking. It does a nice job balancing road imperfections while keeping body roll in check and bringing a bit of excitement when hustling around corners. Selectable drive modes include Sport, Tow, and Off-road (probably the one that will be used the least). They change the responses of the steering, throttle, and transmission.

The sportier Blazer RS is no Ford Edge ST, but it does have quicker steering action. In any version, drivers will notice the quiet cabin (active noise cancellation helps here), excellent forward vision, and confident braking.

The real differentiator between Blazer models is what you choose under the hood. With 193 horsepower, the base 2.5-liter 4-cylinder does only an acceptable job of moving this vehicle. Furthermore, this engine tends to surge when applying light throttle, making it finicky to drive smoothly at parking-lot speeds.

A better option is the mid-level 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that boosts output to 227 horsepower.

Better still is the 308-horsepower V6. This engine is standard in RS and Premier models, and optional in 2LT and 3LT trims. If you opt for this engine, we’d recommend AWD to counter any potential torque steer you might get in front-wheel-drive trims. This engine and all-wheel drive also enable the maximum tow rating of 4,500 pounds.
The 9-speed automatic transmission is a fine complement to any of the Blazer’s power sources, optimizing acceleration, and fuel economy.

All 2021 Chevy Blazers have a 2-row/5-passenger layout. And the Blazer’s cabin is, in general, a highlight of the vehicle. It has a good blend of practicality, technology, and whimsy.

First off, it’s quite roomy. There’s ample space between driver and passenger, and rear-seat passengers are treated to an ample 39.6 inches. Cargo room measures 30.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. That’s less than what you get in the Honda Passport, Ford Edge, and Subaru Outback, but still quite good.

All models include an 8-inch touchscreen display that’s easy to see and use, especially with volume and track buttons beneath. One of the Blazer’s coolest features is one similar to the Chevrolet Camaro: the climate vents also act as giant knobs to change temperature. A twist of the fan housing to the left or right lowers or raises the temperature, respectively.

Contrasting rugged Blazers of the past, the 2021 model blazes its own design path. For starters, it has four doors where older versions had two. At its nose, the new Blazer features thin, sharply drawn “headlights” that aren’t headlights at all but rather LED running lights. The actual headlights sit midway down the fascia.

Blacked-out A- and C-pillars conspire with striking body lines to create a tasty aesthetic for all Blazer variants. However, moving up to the Premier trim dresses up the package with chrome accents and 20-inch wheels. Reserved for the Blazer RS are sporty 20-inch wheels, dark exterior accents, and revised exhaust outlets.

8-INCH INFOTAINMENT SCREEN
The Blazer’s standard infotainment interface includes a high-resolution 8-inch touchscreen featuring clear icons, a logical interface, and standard smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

REAR CAMERA MIRROR
This slick blend of a digital camera in a traditional rearview mirror is making its way into more GM vehicles. It’s particularly helpful in SUVs like the Blazer. A flick of a switch transforms the glass from a traditional mirror to a digital screen connected to a rearview camera, giving you a wide-open view of the road behind.

The new Chevrolet Blazer is available in half a dozen trims: L, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, RS, and Premier. At its most basic, the Blazer L has some decent features that include dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, 4G LTE with Wi-Fi, keyless open and start, and 18-inch aluminum wheels.

Blazer 1LT trims add 8-way power-adjust driver’s seat, SiriusXM radio, deep-tinted windows, compact spare tire, and road-side tool kit, plus the availability to add more options.

If you’re going to buy a Blazer, we recommend getting at least the 2LT trim. This adds the better turbocharged engine and the kind of important active safety and driver-assist systems that come standard on rivals. They include frontal-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning/lane-keeping assist.

The Blazer 3LT adds perforated leather interior with heated front seats, power tailgate, 6-way power-adjust passenger seat, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, remote start, heated, and auto-dimming side mirrors, and roof rails.

The Blazer RS includes the V6 engine, hands-free tailgate, navigation, black exterior accents, and 20-inch wheels.

The topline Blazer Premier includes an 8-speaker Bose audio system, power-adjust steering wheel, driver memory settings, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats.

Options for the Blazer vary by trim, but major ones include all-wheel drive (beginning on LT2 models), blind-spot monitoring, trailering package, navigation, surround-view monitor, remote start, universal garage remote, power tailgate, sunroof, and rear-seat entertainment system.

Also available are special editions such as the Midnight Edition and Redline Edition that add different wheels and exterior aesthetics.

The Chevy Blazer is available with a choice of three engines. The base engine, found in L and 1LT trims, is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that makes a reasonable 193 horsepower. It is available with front-wheel drive (FWD) only.

Standard on 2LT and 3LT trims is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that makes a more ample 227-horsepower. It comes with FWD or optional all-wheel drive (AWD).

Standard on RS and Premier trims and optional on 2LT and 3LT models is a gutsy 3.6-liter V6 that makes a hearty 308 horsepower.

All engines are connected to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Each engine has a fuel-saving engine stop/start function that can be deactivated. Active grille shutters (for aerodynamic and thermal efficiency) are also standard.

All-wheel drive (AWD) comes in either a basic setup or, exclusive to the RS and Premier trims, GM’s twin-clutch arrangement that can direct power to the outside rear wheel, bringing greater agility through the corners. Both systems have a mode that disconnects the rear axle for optimum efficiency when conditions allow.

2.5-liter inline-4
193 horsepower @ 6,300 rpm
188 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 21/27 mpg

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
227 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/29 mpg (FWD), 22/27 mpg (AWD)

3.6-liter V6
308 horsepower @ 6,700 rpm
270 lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 20/27 mpg (FWD), 19/26 mpg (AWD)