The American Chevrolet Blazer has been updated again: a sudden x-face and a bigger TV
Less than a year has passed since the last update of the American version of the Chevrolet Blazer crossover, but GM decided to play with its appearance and equipment once again in order for the model to finally find success.
The Blazer name, best known for the boxy mid-size SUVs of the last century, now belongs to a monocoque crossover made in Mexico and China, with the Chinese version markedly different from the Mexican. Mexican-assembled crossovers have been on sale in the U.S. since 2019, but the new Blazer hasn't achieved much success in the domestic market yet: in 2021, according to CarSalesBase, 70,325 units were sold, which is 26% less than in 2020. By comparison, let's say 407,739 Toyota RAV4 units were sold in the US last year. (-5%), Honda CR-V – 361,271 units. (+8%), Nissan Rogue (aka X-Trail) — 285,602 units. (+25%).
The problem is that the Chevrolet lineup includes the slightly more compact and affordable Equinox crossover (165,323 units sold in 2021), which is closer to the previous market leaders: they are all considered compact by American standards and the Blazer with an overall length of 4,862 mm and wheelbase is 2863 mm because it has not grown into a full-fledged “mid-size” like the Ford Explorer. It turns out that the Blazer is somewhat stuck between classes and this slows down its sales a bit, but GM does not give up and has prepared another update for the 2023 model.
It's funny to say, but the X-face with characteristic chrome squiggles, pretty worn on the Lada and Mitsubishi models, was glued to the Blazer's ancestor. At the same time, the fog lamp caps and the contour of the radiator grill have changed slightly. The taillights received a new ornate LED filler. In addition, new wheel options (18″, 20″ and 21″) and new paint colors are available.
The main and, in fact, the only change in the cabin is the basic 10-inch screen of the multimedia system instead of the previous 8-inch one. In addition, the availability of some important options has been expanded: wireless smartphone charging and adaptive cruise control are now available in any configuration.
There are no changes in terms of equipment – it was changed as part of last year's update. The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer will continue to be available with a choice of two petrol engines: a 2.0-liter “turbo” (231 hp, 350 Nm) or a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 (312 hp, 366 Nm), both are equipped with a 9-speed hydromechanical “automatic”. The drive is either front or all-wheel drive, and in the RS configuration, two separate clutches send power to the rear wheels, as in the sister Cadillac XT5.
The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer will hit U.S. dealerships this summer, pricing has yet to be announced. Recently, this model is now officially not presented.
