We all know that the Ford Bronco is coming back, probably as the rugged off-roader that we all hoped it would be. That’s certainly good news for the hardcore Bronco fanbase but a little off-putting to the people who prefer their off-roaders to wear a bow tie.
Chevy’s Bronco-buster, the Blazer, slowly morphed into the TrailBlazer and then the Traverse, which rendered it mostly useless on the trails where the Blazer once roamed.
Last week, news started circulating that the Blazer would return for 2019. Exciting, right?
Not so much. Get ready to find out what disappointment feels like, Blazer fans.
Chevy will revive the name next year on a new midsize crossover set to compete with the Nissan Murano and Ford Edge, rather than as an off-road SUV. Chevy is testing Blazer mules now. Automotive News says,
The two Chevrolet crossover prototypes were photographed testing in two different trim levels. The lower-tier prototype featured smaller wheels and dual circular exhaust tips. The more upmarket prototype was fitted with larger chrome wheels and lower-profile performance tires. The angular exhaust tips were molded into the rear fascia.
The two prototypes reportedly had GM’s 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine — the same ones shared with the redesigned GMC Acadia. The Blazer and Acadia will share the same architecture.
So there it is. The Blazer will be back, but in name only. General Motors is clearly chasing the money here and building the kind of vehicle that’s in the most demand right now. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, it just would be nice if Chevy could save the Blazer name for a more appropriate vehicle.
So what do we know about the new Blazer, aside from the name and the engine choices? Not a whole lot, though Chevy may give it a third row of seating, which would set it apart from the Murano and Edge. Chevy has made the Equinox smaller and the Traverse bigger to create a space just large enough to plop in the new Blazer.
Would you buy Chevy’s new midsize crossover just because it’s called a Blazer?
-tgriffith
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