Chevrolet’s all-new, 2019 Blazer debuts a new design concept among modern GM utility vehicles: separated front lamps. The daytime running lamps – or “DRLs” – occupy a higher position on the Blazer’s front fascia than the headlights, and they feature their own, discrete housings and lenses. By contrast, everything else in the Chevrolet utility vehicle lineup, from the Trax right up to the Suburban, features DRLs that are integrated into the headlight cluster for a more classic, two-lens appearance. In saying that, we’re not counting any fog lamps, which are always separate.
But while the aesthetic decision to separate the headlights from the DRLs is brand-new to General Motors’ utility vehicle lineup, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has already done that with the current-generation Jeep Cherokee crossver. A mid-cycle update for the 2019 model year promptly did away with the Cherokee’s unusual-looking sextuplicate of lamps, but South Korean marque Hyundai adopted the same style with the subcompact 2018 Kona, and now, the midsize 2019 Santa Fe.
Granted, those two models take things much further than the 2019Â Blazer, with positively massive, uniquely-shaped lenses flanking the grille on either side, but the principle is the same.

The separated front lamp aesthetic can be seen on the 2019 Chevy Blazer (top left) as well as the (clockwise) Hyundai Kona, Jeep Cherokee, and Hyundai Santa-Fe
What’s going on here? Is GM and Chevrolet the latest automaker and brand, respectively, to embrace a relatively-new trend of separating the DRLs out from the headlights?
Maybe so, and in fact, recent spy shots of the future Chevrolet Trax, due out in time for the 2020 model year, show that Chevrolet might be planning to expand the design principle beyond the 2019 Blazer. There are plenty more forthcoming utility vehicles from rival manufacturers that don’t apply the split-light concept, mind you, but if the design of the new Blazer and Trax end up being well-received by consumers, we could well see more future Chevy utility vehicles splitting up their lights.
Who knows? It could even come to replace the squared-off fender arches as GM’s go-to utility vehicle design trademark.
Comments
Too bad it is made in Mexico. Would rather support American jobs and communities.
Interestingly, the front end of the sport model looks more Camaro than the new Camaro. They cheapened the new Camaro but this is pretty sporty.
Base model Blazer needs to do better than the large swaths of black plastic on the sides. The competition does.
Ask the POTUS about this. He has his clothes lines made in Mexico, too. And for your education, Mexico is “American’ as part of the North American continent and the American Hemisphere. Our country is the U.S. of A. which is another “American” nation. Too bad you are such an idiot!
All the Trump merchandise is apparently made in China.
Well I own a lz1 ! How about you ?
How to make even a front end “bumper” touch even more expensive to fix ….
It’s made by GMC ! VERY SKILLED EMPLOYEES !!! No matter local !!!
Man, what a horrible grille. May as well just leave the whole thing wide open as to sport black chain link fence fabric… This very bad look would highly likely prevent me from taking a serious look at a Blazer purchase.
The lead designer of the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer is bold and one has to wonder what the 2019 refreshed Camaro would have looked like if this individual got a chance to pen the front fascia of the Camaro or the new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.
The front of the Chevy Silverado is in my opinion, is not very attractive.
I don’t know how i feel about this new design language. Apparently GM knew this was coming, given they tried this in the Pontiac Aztek and everyone hated it (not specifically for the headlamp setup). I’ve see the Hyundai Kona when i first noticed this new design language and it’s whatever.
Why do people keep bringing up politics in here??
Agree on the politics, I come here to get away from it.
One thing about GM: they are to timid and fearful, or maybe too incompetent, to lead on design. They almost always copy others.
For the 6th gen Camaro they had the chance to lead with a sleek and sophisticated modern design but instead they continued to copy the Mustang’s retro obsession. So now we end up with a Blazer CUV that looks sportier than the Camaro, which from the front looks like a truck. No wonder GM sales are in the crapper.
This is not new for Chevy. My Camaro SS had DRL’s that were separate from the headlights. The DRL’s were located in the lower fascia. This feature was only available on the SS models.
It’s new in the way it’s implemented here. The setup on the Camaro is in reverse… and the span between the two clusters on the blazer is significantly greater as well.
The point is that this seems to be an emerging design trend that’s is purposeful on the blazer; any existence if it on the Camaro seems to have been accidental.
I have a 2008 SS blazer, and love it. The new RS blazer has to grow on me. Think GM should remove the shifter from the steering column in its larger SUV’s and put it in the center console like the others. It will make it more attractive.
Now back to the 2019 Blazer, I have to see it in person to be honest with you.