Because its still cheaper, and the tariffs will be gone sooner rather than later. Also, see what Jill posted which is correct.

 

With the amount of interest in the new Blazer, I thought I'd stop and take a look at one today, though I didn't do a formal test-drive. They are arriving at local D.C. area dealerships, and most local Chevy shops have at least a couple or more in stock. A dealership near one of my favorite restaurants had a white AWD Premier, out front, listing for 51K though, of course, lower-line models can be had at lower prices. Anyhow, I thought that was a lot of money, even in top-trim version, for a vehicle of that size and type....in other words, I was questioning its value.

And, when I actually got in and took a closer look at it, boy, was I right. And, yes, Jill was right. This vehicle, IMO, is a flop....don't waste your money.

Now, it's not entirely a flop. I've always liked the Chevy steering wheels, with the gold bow-tie and smart design. The hood, at least, gives you nice gas struts to hold it up instead of a manual prop-rod. The transversely-mounted engine (and this surprised me) lacks the typical large plastic cover, so it is relatively easy to reach a lot of things underhood. The gauge-cluster is nice, simple, smartly-designed, and easy to read. I liked the heavy, solid, vertical front-door-pulls. The sun visors have a nice fabric covering....not hard plastic. The seat leather feels of a decent grade. And under the cargo-floor is at least a temporary spare tire....though, IMO, something advertised with the Blazer name should have a real spare like most off-roaders do.

But the rest of this vehicle, IMO, is not only weirdly-designed, but an insult to the Blazer name and moniker. First of all, it is not even truck-based...it is a car-based crossover with standard FWD and a unibody platform. The exterior is probably the most Wonky-styled of all of the Chevy SUVs. The dash looks basically like a redone Camaro, with the two giant vents right down at console-height. The release for the glove box is a tiny square button hidden away in the upper-middle of the dash. Most of the hardware inside is standard Chevy/GM parts-bin (same as you find on 20K entry-level Chevy products), and cheap plastic covers most of the door panels, even on the top Premier version. A number of the push-buttons look and feel like they are going to fall off or break with use. The rear seats are mounted a couple of inches higher than the front, which, together with a sharply-downward-protruding sunroof housing, leads to a severe lack of headroom in back for someone my size. The rear-quarter windows, set in extremely thick/wide D-pillars, from inside, look like a couple of tiny peepholes from the 1970s-vintage American coupes....visibility out the rear-quarter is almost nonexistent. The housing for the video screen was designed in a very odd way.....it looks neither like it was built-in or grafted-on, but halfway between the two. Outside, on the exterior, there is no body-cladding on the lower-body or wheel wells to protect the paint from salt and road debris....my sample vehicle had nothing but white paint all the way down to the lower edges of the body.

I don't like to pan vehicles, but I found very little to really like about this one. It did have the same 3.6L V6 and 9-speed automatic as in my Lacrosse...so I didn't bother with a test-drive, since I know from experience what that drivetrain is like. But, overall, I thought it was as Wonky as the Toyota CH-R, though, of course, considerably larger than the CH-R. The new Blazer, IMO, is simply not worth 50K+, and I question the value of even the lower-priced versions in the high 30s or low 40s. My general advice: If you want a true Blazer, simply get a Tahoe and find a way to live with the four doors instead of two....you'll be a heck of a lot closer, both in looks and spirit, to what a Blazer should be than this monstrosity.

MM

 

I think the new Blazer looks great actually...

And what about our many, many arguments that drive wheels and setups don't matter? All of a sudden they do matter on this vehicle?

 

To some extent, apples and oranges. True K5 Blazers were classic off-roaders, and crossover-type setups usually don't hack it in true off-road conditions.....Jeep, for example, found that out with the Compass and Patriot.

I'll cut you some slack on the styling...that, of course, is subjective. I've seen people fall in love with the Pontiac Aztek and drive one home. If you think the new Blazer looks great, fine (I'll respect your opinion)....and the styling probably IS suitable for something with another name on it. But not for a Blazer....at least not IMO.

 

They won't be selling many $50K Blazers. The bulk of the sales are going to have to be in the lower segments. It starts apparently at $29K and you can enjoy that four cylinder that comes with. If this thing sits in the mid-30s and ends at the $40s, there's a chance. But right now, you have in house competition: there is the bigger Acadia/Traverse once you move up in pricing. Then you move to the Koreans, with the Santa Fe and even the Sorento. Ford has the Edge. There is the Subaru... and so on.

 

 

No one that is a potential buyer of this vehicle is going to give a rat's a$$ about this--no one. It's great fodder to fill a thread on Car Chat--but that's it. It would not surprise me if many potential new Blazer customers have any clue about the historic Blazer. And how many customers of ANY car know anything about FWD/RWD attributes/benefits/detriments? I see plenty of Escalade drivers in my area--they would have no idea what you are talking about.

 

 

 

no need for personal attacks.

if you follow blazer reviews, GM actually gave it to journalists after it started sales, obviously because they knew they didnt have a good car... month later reviews came, and universally car was panned for being too expensive for what it is - a bland cuv.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/12/27/...icing-review//

 

Nope. Wrong on both counts. First, it did not make me angry, at least in the sense you are using the term. It simply made me unimpressed with it as a vehicle worth of its price tag. Second, as for its country of origin, I didn't even look at that on the price sticker...nor did I care, because, IMO, a domestically-built vehicle that is not worthy of the price tag is no different from one built overseas....and vice-versa. I'm talking principles here, not geography.

 

It's true that we are a different breed of car-critics than the average John Q. Public nationwide. But, that just goes to show that many of us, on Car Chat, look at what is under the skin rather than just be wowed by image and advertising. I learned, many years ago (as far back as high school), not to fall for the inevitable hype that surrounds new-vehicle launches....always go and check it out for one's self.

 

Yes, but they will care when the sticker shock sends them scurrying to the competition's dealerships and they see the difference in material quality, interior space and standard features. $30K? Sure, but over $40K is going to see some critical cross shopping.

 

Problem is......this doesn't even compare to the smaller S-10 Blazer or GMC Jimmy. It is essentially a redone Equinox crossover with a longer/lower body. We both seem to agree on that.

 

Which has nothing to do with the name of the vehicle.

This is the GM mantra. Price your car like you can run with the big boys, and then throw huge incentives at it when the rest of the world sees what you could not. Go price out a loaded Equinox--that's over $40K without a V6.

Yawn.