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New Details Surrounding Reborn Chevrolet Blazer Emerge

There’s one piece to Chevrolet’s crossover puzzle missing from its portfolio. Now that the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has moved into the compact space, and the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has reaffirmed its full-size proportions, the bowtie brand needs a true mid-size CUV.

Such a model is coming, and as we’ve reported in the past, it’s likely going to have the Blazer name attached to it. Autoline Daily has dug up new details surrounding the mid-size crossover, which we should expect to see some time next year as a late 2018 or 2019 model.

Proportionally, the 2018 Chevrolet Blazer (or 2019 Chevrolet Blazer) will be a five-passenger vehicle with extra room to differentiate it from the smaller Equinox while being smaller than the larger Traverse. The latest intel also pegs the Blazer as riding on the General Motors’s C1 platform, likely the same variant that underpins the 2017 GMC Acadia and 2017 Cadillac XT5. The 2018 Traverse and 2018 Buick Enclave ride on an extended-length variant of the C1 architecture.

As such, the Blazer will be a tried-and-true crossover, rather than a body-on-frame SUV — far from what it was during its SUV heyday in the 20th century.

The report goes on to say the new Blazer will find a production home at a GM Mexico facility.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Grand Cherokee fighter. It can’t be a soft-looking, CUV. It’s got to look like a rugged SUV and have some off road performance, with a V6.

    Reply
    1. I agree that it needs to look and be rugged but i don’t think it would necessarily need a v6, i hope it has one but at the same time there’s a difference between a mid size suv like the GC and a mid size cuv like i think the Blazer may be so a v6 would be nice but not probable.

      Reply
  2. I wonder if the FNR-X is a concept version of the blazer? I definitely hope not given what the blazer should be and the size of the FNR-X.

    Reply
  3. Made in Mexico?

    Not interested.

    Reply
    1. In some ways I agree, but it’s not so much about where it’s made, it’s about watering down the Blazer name with a front drive platform. Blazer should be a capable off roader Built on a platform that can offer a true rear drive based 4wd platform. We don’t need another 5 seat boring design pavement pounder. If Ford builds the Bronco that has been discussed, once again just like with F150, Taurus, Fusion, Focus, and Fiesta having high performance versions, Chevy won’t have an answer.

      Reply
    2. Amen. Buy American!

      Reply
  4. Does anyone else remember when the colorado was caught testing preproduction and there was what looked like a high riding body on frame suv presumably based on the colorado testing with it? It may have just been a trailblazer that they were using for random reason or testing for other markets but it could also be the blazer. my theory is that they wanted to bring the trailblazer with the colorado but didn’t think there was a big enough market however, with the recent obvious demand and competition from the bronco, they are now planning on bringing the trailblazer over as the blazer.

    Reply
  5. Maybe GM will do both!

    This fwd mid size cuv and a trailblazer SUV rwd to take care of both customers

    Reply
  6. Disappointing.
    Was really hoping they’d bring the Trailblazer here.
    There need to be more BOF midsize SUVs with longitudinal powertrain layouts and real transfer cases.

    Reply
  7. I wish that GM would produce a Jeep Wrangler type product with removable top and serious off road capacity.

    Reply
    1. GM did in the early and mid 70’s, it was called the full size Trail Blazer. do i remember it well. A two door would be nice but im not sure if the removable top would fly today.

      Reply
  8. What a shame ! GM is going back to it old ways , that got them in trouble before ! To many of the same Chevy ,Gmc,, Buick front drive crossovers !! Big mistake !! Ford is to build rear drive Bronco for 2019 / 20 and Chevy nothing ! Blazer had all ways been a rear and four wheel drive ! Again what a disappointment ! Make the front drive for the ladies .

    Reply
    1. GM has to cash in on this cuv crazy thing happening in this country. Not sure why people feel the need to own a cuv in the numbers that are being purchased today.

      That’s why I said they need to bring both a fwd and fwd version to cover both crowds of people

      Reply
  9. How about Hybrid??? Let’s not make it so off road… Majority of people still drive highway and want a safe comfy ride and don’t want nerf bars to get in… GM is going very wrong.

    Reply
    1. There are enough of those style vehicles as there is. I’m sure the could turn one of those platforms into the hybrid you desire. I believe Toyota has a Highlander hybrid with your name on it.

      Reply
    2. If i could rate this comment to a million thumbs down i would. A hybrid, Appalling! Absolutely detestable. No American vehicle (especially not an SUV) should be a hybrid! If you want a hybrid, take your Starbucks loving self over to Toyota and grab a Prius and hopefully a convoy of diesel pickups roll coal pass you everywhere you go. If you’re not intending to do off road stuff, don’t buy an SUV, buy a RAV4 or a CR-V or something like that. Sorry but there are a lot of people out here who miss actually having real vehicles on the road not some Tesla mobility appliance or some electro-hybrid recycled newspaper eco-box. I’m all for being Eco-friendly and technology filled but seriously we need more muscle cars, 4×4’s and diesel on the road and less Tesla mobility appliances and hybrid. If a Corvette can get 30mpg and we now have muscle cars that can be both powerful and efficient and clean, along with the fact that most diesels still run pretty clean and all the other advancements we’ve made, then there is no reason for hybrid cars, Tesla mobility devices or any of the other junk that fills up our roads.

      Reply
  10. My prediction is that it’s going to be a Chevrolet Acadia

    Reply
    1. Unfortunately…

      Reply
  11. Let’s see:

    Orion- one shift operation
    Hamtramck- one shift operation
    Lordstown- Lost one shift
    Lansing Delta- Lost one shift
    Lansing Grand River- Lost one shift.

    Yet Barra and company continue to fill the Mexican pipeline with product while Ford and FCA are repatriating. I wonder she is still one of Trump’s economic advisors?

    Reply
    1. Will GM’S decision allow them to turn a profit? And then use that money to fund the next Cadillac or corvette or camaro or I could go on!

      If the answer is yes then I have zero problems with it!

      You want companies to stop taking work elsewhere, the decision needs to come from the leader of the country.

      The United States has a set of rules that each company has to live by. GM is following the rules at the present time and I can’t fault them for that!

      Don’t be mad at GM be mad at the people who made the rules in the first place!

      Reply
  12. Brian, My friend you are way out in left field , If your read the majority of people comments , this is about the blazer not being rear wheel drive ,not about where it is being built !! with one or two exceptions .

    Reply
  13. What does that matter? Part of the article was about where it was going to be built! I take it you didn’t read the article

    Reply
  14. Bad decision….wrong platform, again! Enough with the crossover designs! Make sure we have a third row seat..LOL!
    In my neck of the woods, old Trailblazers and Envoys are in big demand, bringing back premium prices. Wake up GM!
    If this is what all you got, thanks, but no thanks. This will, pretty much, push me out of a my next purchase of a GM suv. I will make the switch to a Jeep Grand Cherokee….rear wheel drive based platform, three engine choices which go longitudinally not transversely, and most of all, the lack of the unnecessary third row seat that we are forced to pay for that many of us don’t need or use. You leave me no choice as a 40 plus year GM loyalist. I currently lease a 2015 GMC Yukon which is due up in a few months. This vehicle is too big for me and has had its driveability issues. I need a midsize version of this platform to satisfy my changing needs. This news is extremely disappointing.

    Reply
    1. Cry me a river!

      You say you only want two rows of seats. Then buy a 4 door version of the Colorado! It’s mid size, two rows of seats. But I am sure your going to have a problem with this selection!

      Please tell me I am wrong!

      Reply
    2. Finally someone with sense!!!!! Thank you. SUVs are supposed to be RWD/4WD truck based vehicles. Even though you sound like a GM person. have you considered the Durango??

      Reply
  15. Its not an SUV, Brian. As far as I know a Colorado is a pickup.

    Reply
  16. If GM is not going to give us a real Trailblazer, I would hope they won’t dishonor and disrespect the heritage of the Blazer/Trailblazer bloodline by naming a wimpy CUV some form of Blazer. Come up with a new name, please!

    Reply
    1. I agree with you in principle, but they already watered down the Blazer name when they took off the “S10” in front of the mini-Blazer. There hasn’t been a real Blazer built since at least 1994, and arguably 1991 when the real front axle went away.

      Reply
  17. I’m not disappointed they might make it in Mexico (more than likely Ramos Azirpe). I’m more disappointed that it’s not going to compete with the new Bronco and redesigned Wrangler. GM is making a big mistake turning the Blazer into a CUV. Unlesss Mary Barra is planning on the Trailblazer to compete with the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler.

    Reply
  18. needs to be Colorado based. Chevy needs to get rid of the trax, equinox, traverse, sonic, & spark and have the Camaro, Corvette the Malibu, an Alpha platform Impala with an SS V8 option, a Chevy blazer, Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, Colorado, Silverado & Silverado HD and that’s it. If GM were to do that with the Chevrolet lineup, kill Buick completely (bring back Pontiac in its place so we could have cool cars again like the Trans Am Firebird, the GTO, the Bonneville and the Grand Prix) Redo Cadillac by dropping the ATS lineup & CTS lineup and bring on the Elmiraj coupe & Escala sedan and make the ultra fast, powerful and luxurious by whatever means necessary, keep the Escalade and add a smaller SUV under the escalade that was based on the Colorado, that would be cool. Another thing GM needs to do is sell Opel to China and let them have it. Focus on the American market for a change rather than worrying about over seas. Let them do what they are going to do and focus on the Red White and Blue.

    Reply
    1. I am so glad you don’t run the company! Those are horrible ideas!

      Pontiac is dead! It needs to stay dead! The people who want it to come back need to kill those ideas.

      If you ever wanted to start a car company please let me be your competition, cuz I would eat you alive!

      Reply
      1. lol this guy literally suggests doing everything that drove GM to bankruptcy as if it were a novel and sound strategy hahah

        Reply
  19. A blazer should be a mini-Tahoe body on a Colorado frame/drivetrain. Keep it narrow (75in) like an Acadia/Colorado. Seat 6 or 7 w/ SmartSlide 2nd row like Acadia. But with true 4wd and real towing capacity. Otherwise, just put a bowtie on the Acadia and call it a day.

    Reply
    1. Exactly!
      I’m in my 20s and feel like I’m constantly seeing somebody post about their new jeep on social media. They’re a hot seller with the younger market. I’d pick a Tahoe over a Jeep any day of the week, and so would most of my friends, but A. It is too big and B. none of us can afford one lol.

      If GM released a smaller Tahoe in the same way that the new compass is a mini grand Cherokee, they would be a hit

      Reply
      1. So you want GM to build a smaller Tahoe that will take sales away from a larger vehicle that cost more and has a higher profit margin?

        I think GM will be just fine

        If you can’t afford a new Tahoe then that’s a you problem. The Tahoe is priced right where it should be if it wasn’t then it wouldn’t sell!

        Reply
  20. Blazer needs to be a body on frame not a dang crossover! rear drive/4×4 with a V8! we have enough so called suv’s with no off road capability, aka grocery getters

    Reply
  21. What I think?.. I want a Modern Body Style, 4 Wheel Drive, Two Door, basically with a off-road package.. NO Equinox, or Traverse looking/acting car!!!.. I want a SUV, just like the S-10 Blazer that Chevy came out with in the past, only updated!!!.. Ohh and with the 4.3 V-6 engine..

    I still own a 1997 S-10 Blazer 2 door with 4 wheel drive off road package with the 4.3 V-6 engine.. I love it and don’t want to give it up.. However, it is showing its age.. Weird to say, but the engine is out lasting the body.. I am almost tempted to buy a used Toyota FJ Cruiser because I am not finding anything of interest in the Chevy line of SUV’s or CUV… But, if Chevy comes back with an updated S-10 Blazer/ 2 door/ 4 wheel drive/ 4.3 or something of that nature, definitely something with horsepower. it would be deeply appreciated!!!!

    Reply
  22. I disagree with the person who said narrow is good basically… Spend some time in a Colorado.. it is confining as hell. AND the back seat won’t fold really gone so you can use the floor.. POS in my opinion… So if they do the Blazer they need to get a bit creative.. Nice front seat area.. roomy wide and the back should fold down flat as a board.

    Reply
    1. And I bet you want all of this for 20k and zero financing!

      Reply
      1. Actually I don’t expect it to be cheap… If they want to make a utility model like a WT fine… I am looking for something with a quality level close to Denali…..

        Reply
        1. So then buy a Yukon Denali and be done with it!

          Reply
          1. Too big and I would like a high end Blazer….. I don’t want a Yukon… If I did I would buy it.

            Reply
            1. People are buying the Canyon over the Sierra because of size, in some cases paying more for the smaller size!

              I priced out a canyon and Sierra and despite the Sierra having a $9400 higher sticker price, it came out to be about $1,400 cheaper than the Canyon.

              Reply
  23. I have really not seen the Canyon… I don’t like the Colorado… Back seat doesn’t disappear the way it does in the big truck.. I like to put stuff on that floor sometimes.. The interior is cheap on the Colorado Dash is fine but the seats etc. I should go look at a Canyon Denali.. I don’t know why it would be that much better but I am willing to take a look. I love my Silverado but I don’t need such a big truck… I WANT the luxury cause it is my ONLY vehicle.

    Reply
  24. I have a 72 GMC Jimmy in the driveway. My daily driver for over 9 years. It was time to make her a weekend warrior a couple years ago and buy a new daily driver. Unfortunately GM trucks have fallen so far behind I couldn’t pay a premium for a lesser truck. With several dozen GM t-shirts I cannot buy a Ford. I ended up buying a brand new Ram 3500 due to GM being too far behind. I was really hoping General Motors would get their act together and build another 2-door off-road SUV with a full removable hardtop (hopefully that doesn’t leak). Looks like I might have to wait another 40 plus years for GM to make a real off-roading 2-door SUV. I doubt I’ll live that long and I doubt my t-shirts will either. So sad.

    Reply
    1. I am so disappointed in people like you! Not a loyal bone in your body! You Think You did a good job picking a dodge over a chevy! I guess to each is own! But don’t try to come off like you are a die hard chevy fan!

      Reply
      1. I have driven Chevy’s all my life. Started with a 78, then an 84, then the Jimmy. I drove them all for more miles and years then they were designed for. All with 350’s and I racked up over a million and a half miles with those 3 trucks so yeah, I would say I am a bigger fan then many. As a consumer, when it came time to lay down 60k on a new truck I could have bought another GM but as it was the worst in it’s class in every way and most expensive. I went with the leader in it’s class and least expensive. There is loyal and then there is dumb. When you have my experience and get to my level, let me know what choice you make. I bought a RAM. Good luck.

        Reply
        1. Dude your just embarrassing yourself! Have fun being a anti GM supporter!

          Reply
          1. I never said I was anti GM nor a loyalist. I still have my 72 Jimmy plus the wife’s Yukon. For me, I needed a truck and I bought a RAM for obvious reasons. You never mentioned your driving past nor present but wait, why should I reply further?!?!

            Reply
          2. I never said I was anti GM nor a loyalist. I still have my 72 Jimmy plus the wife’s Yukon. For me, I needed a truck and I bought a RAM for obvious reasons. You never mentioned your driving past or present but wait, why should I reply further?!?!

            Reply
            1. I have a 70 chevy truck with a 600 hp 383/700r4. That I have had for over 44 years. Over that time I have only owned Chevy’s period!

              It’s called loyalty for a reason and it use to mean something!

              Reply
            2. You act like you bought a more superior truck which is laughable! Good luck my friend who’s a dodge fan says tell them hI down at the dealership!

              Reply
  25. This is a disgrace. Please don’t call it a Blazer. It was bad enough that you called the S-10 a Blazer.
    The Blazer was designed and marketed to compete with the Ford Bronco.This new “blazer” looks as if its designed to compete with the a prius.
    I currently own 4 REAL Blazers and am always asked about them. People love the size and the look.

    I wish I knew who to send my comments to at GM. I would include my own rendition of what the new Blazer should be. And yes, it has a removable top.

    Reply
  26. I have had Tahoes and Suburbans and Blazers since the mid 90’s. Since I am in my early 80’s and we travel in the Tahoe a lot, it is IDEAL for travel we think. 4WD, (we removed the 3rd row), leather, all the features like On Star, Bluetooth, GPS, etc. We still have an ’04 Blazer, bought it new, use it only for back up since we live 20 miles from town. It used to be a travel vehicle but the Tahoe is much much better. Suburban is “too big”, the Tahoe is JUST RIGHT. Since I don’t worry any more about saving money for retirement I can buy Tahoes every 4 years and pay cash for them. How many more years will I need one? I would really like to see a NEW BLAZER like a shrunken Tahoe, with all the features AVAILABLE, not necessarily as standard equipment. I have been a GM person since the late 1940’s and every time I tried Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, I regretted it. Build it in Texas like the Tahoe.

    Reply
    1. I would love to talk to guys who are life long GM fans! Hearing your stories of the cars and trucks you owned and how you stayed with the GM family all this time unlike some of the disloyal people in this country!

      If you are interested here is my email

      [email protected]

      Reply
  27. The last real Blazer was the 1991 K5. Everything after that is bullshit. That said, at least the S10 that first stole the name was body-on-frame rear drive based. The abomination they’re planning now is a mini-van.

    Reply
  28. So basically they are going to Nova the Blazer. What a disappointment. I suppose I will wait for the new Bronco. Supposedly a direct competitor to the Wrangler.

    Reply

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