Editor Eileen Falkenberg-Hull of The Atlanta
Business Chronicle claimed this past week in her article
that the Chevy Blazer puts forth the strongest argument to consider a Chevy SUV
in years. She recognizes off the bat just like all of us here at the Powerhouse do that the Blazer's
narrow, squinty headlamps and grille are reminiscent of the Camaro,
and they draw the viewer's eyes excitedly to the edges of the SUV. We enjoyed
how the Red Hot paint job on the borrowed RS tester was even a bit of an
invitation to catch stray glances from the local authorities, a sign that the
“streaking and sporty” vibe can carry over to the crossover SUV variant with
ease.
The RS trim model is powered by a 3.6-liter V6
engine that is paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. It achieves 308
horsepower and 270 pound-ft of torque that gives it a bit more pep off the line
than the average SUV on the market. We were proud to hear that our Blazer's
acceleration was much more satisfying to this testing team than their drive
experience in the competing Murano and Passport, and it also stuck to the road
in the long run with much less body sway than the Murano possesses.
Front-wheel drive models brandishing this
powertrain nail down 20 mpg in the city, and 26 mpg on the highway, while
Blazers that are equipped with all-wheel drive achieve 18/25 mpg city/highway.
Here Eileen attests that the Blazer's cabin is filled with modern design
elements that are absolutely unlike everything else in the Chevy lineup: especially
the circular air vents that sport climate controls on their exterior rings.
Across the center stack and below the 8-inch touch screen display are situated
small buttons for controls such as airflow and heated seats: after adjusting
them to your liking, you'll love how you immediately notice just how spacious
the cabin is.
The team's verdict about the infotainment touch
screen is that it is anchored more solidly to the dashboard than it is in many
other current SUV offerings, and there is a storage compartment conveniently
stowed away behind it. Many who will choose the new Blazer were drawn to it
because of their full schedule and busy lifestyle, and will definitely reap the
benefits of the well-designed cargo management system. The rail holds all of
the things such as grocery bags in place for the journey home, and provides the
element of arrangement where it is needed most. As depicted in this review
from the seasoned folks at Motortrend.com, maximum towing
capacity for the new Blazer with the V-6 is 4,500 pounds, and they also would
recommend the sporty and unique stance the RS trim provides!
