Chevrolet’s new Blazer is picking off competitors one by one. The new Blazer RS recently went up against its crosstown rival, the 2019 Ford Edge in a Car and Driver comparison test, and took out the Blue Oval’s offering without breaking much of a sweat.
One advantage the new Blazer has over the Edge is its freshness: it’s an all-new model, while the Ford was last updated for the 2016 model year. The Blazer’s sharp styling cribs strands of design DNA from the Chevrolet Camaro which according to Car and Driver, also infected the Blazer’s driving dynamics and handling.
For the comparison, the publication got a $48,085 Ford Edge with the turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine making 250 horsepower and 75 pound-feet of torque. The Blazer, meanwhile, was equipped with GM’s 3.6-liter V6 LGX making 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque (see more on 2019 Blazer engines). The model had a sticker price of $50,765.
That Blazer’s athleticism outshined the Edge in performance tests. The Blazer was 0.5 seconds quicker to 60 miles per hour from a standstill – 6.3 compared to 6.8 seconds. That gap widens on the run from zero to 100 mph – 17 seconds for the Blazer and 20 seconds for the Edge. The Blazer was also quicker in a quarter-mile race- 15 seconds at 94 mph compared to 15.3 seconds at 81 mph. There was also a considerable difference in braking distance: the Blazer took 165 feet to come to a stop from 70 mph while it took the Edge 183 feet.
But both vehicles are not without issues. In fact, both crossovers suffer from the “this-porridge-is-too hot, this-porridge-is-too-cold” paradigm. The Blazer suffers from similar outward visibility issues that plague the Camaro, while the Edge is criticized for its elevated seating position, expansive dash, and hard-to-read instrument cluster. However, the overall packaging of the new Blazer is what enticed Car and Driver to give it the win – a rather notable achievement given that the Edge is one of the three most direct rivals to the new Blazer, with the other two being the new Hyundai Santa Fe and the new Honda Passport.
GM/Chevrolet is hard at work on a three-row Chevrolet Blazer XL. That model is a definite for the Chinese market, but its arrival in North America is currently uncertain.
Check out the C&D’s complete write-up for yourself right here, and subscribe to GM Authority for the latest Chevy Blazer news and ongoing GM news coverage.
Comments
It also just beat out Honda Passport in MT test. It’s getting some nice reviews out there. Nice to see especially when the Equinox is just getting clobbered by bad reviews even when that platform outsells every CUV in the segment.
Barely… but I love their other comparison where the Subaru beats the Traverse. Once again GM’s crappy interiors are mentioned. “We also valued its welcoming interior ..” class.”https://www.motortrend.com/cars/subaru/ascent/2019/2019-chevrolet-traverse-vs-2019-subaru-ascent-comparison-review/
Interesting interpretation. They said nothing about the Traverse’s interior feeling or appearing cheap. The only criticism they had about the Traverse’s interior was that it was only available in black or grey unless you chose a High Country, which offers a brown interior. They claimed the Subaru “felt more inviting” because it had brown leather instead of black or grey. The only other point of criticism for the interior was that the Traverse had the slightly older version of MyLink, which isn’t a big deal because MyLink is still one of the top rated infotainment systems on the US market. What’s funny is that they praised the Subaru’s Starlink for its bezel-less “modern” (glossy) design but apparently didn’t spend enough time in the car to realize that the glossy screen is a negative, not a positive. It’s gotten tons of complaints for the fact that the glossy screen acts like a mirror, reflecting any light coming into the vehicle up at the driver’s eyes. A lot of Subaru owners have resorted to applying a screen protector with a matte finish to it, in an attempt to cut down on the amount of sunlight shining in their eyes.
Aside from that, I don’t see how they gave the nod to the Subaru. The Subaru was short 50 HP and the only transmission offered is Subaru’s subpar CVT. In their words, the Traverse also had “substantially more interior space”, which is the whole point of buying a large 3-row CUV.
Car mag writers are very much affected by shiny new red paint, and don’t have to live with the vehicles, they only drive them for a few days.
I don’t doubt the Blazer has some redeeming qualities, but the Passport is built in Alabama, and it is easier on the eyes, and should be far more reliable than the new Blazer unless GM did something out of the ordinary here.
Usually I agree with you, but Honda reliability has gone to sh!t lately. I would take the Blazer over the Passport or Edge due to driving dynamics alone.
Magirus – many auto writers DO have to live with new vehicles. Not only do we buy new vehicles ourselves (like all consumers out there), but there are also such things as long-term fleet testers, and the average span of a normal vehicle rotation is a week. That’s a pretty good amount of time for a professional to get well-acquainted with a vehicle. Now on to the rest of your comment…
1. Sure, the Passport is built in Alabama… and the profit generated from the sale of each vehicle gets sent to Tokyo to mostly benefit Japan. The Blazer is built in Mexico and the profit from each model is sent to Detroit, to mostly benefit the United States. Let’s not forget the statistic that for each white collar job, 5 new auxiliary jobs are created… while for every blue collar job, 3 new auxiliary jobs are created. This built in Mexico thing is getting tiring already. It will ultimately have minimal impact on the sales success of the vehicle.
2. The only way that the Passport is “easier on the eyes” is that it is downright ugly and its design is outdated. This is no longer the 1990s or early 2000s, where boring and unoffensive designs were the “in thing”. Today, people want to be seen and the Blazer’s styling enables just that. If you have seen the Blazer in person, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. But the short story is that it turns heads.
3. Regarding reliability: you seem to be making your presumption based on past reliability studies of brands as a whole, but not on the reliability of the actual model lines. I invite you to look up reliability of the Traverse and Pilot… and then see if you can make the same statement.
It’s also hilarious that every time someone carps on the Blazer being made in Mexico never ever mention the fact that Toyota and Honda also make vehicles there like the Tacoma and Fitt as examples.
Thank you Alex!
Homda quality is absolutely awful. Mediocre engines, bad paint, awful brakes, sketchy transmissions. They’re selling vehicles solely based on past rep. Anybody that’s owned a newer Honda automobile has Most likely experienced the below average quality of their products. I know I have.
In my view the Blazer is a sweet looking SUV. Sharp, sleek, and aggro but not too aggro. The interior is also well done, in line with other recent Chevy efforts to improve interiors, but someone needs to smack some sense into whoever thinks we need air vents blowing on our knees. Outward visibility is fine for a long SUV in my opinion, and I’m among those who think the Camaro’s biggest vice is poor outward visibility.
My qualm with the Blazer is its price. If it had a twin turbo V6 or a V8 then sure, it would be a fair price. For a V6? No way, not without throwing in something like MRC.
Honda reliability has been on the decline for over 15 years now. From the engines, to the brakes, even the transmissions. They are a shadow of their former self when it comes to quality. The small engine stuff such as motorcycles and generators are still good and well-made.
Oh noes! A red Blazer!
Ah, who am I kidding? It doesn’t look bad in red.
Bahahah! You took the words out of my mouth.
Car and Driver and GM Authority must both be in on the conspiracy to “promote” and “sell” the 2019 Blazer… especially in red.
The Blazer only wins comparos if it is in red and RS spec.
General Motors 3.6L DOHC-4v V6 that makes 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque affords the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro sports car like grunt and while Chevy appears to have won Round 1, one has to think this head-to-head matchup with Ford’s Edge will continue like the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang which means there’s no time for Chevrolet engineers to rest on their laurels as they need to continue refining the Blazer or risk left in the dust.
There’s already the Edge ST with a twin turbo V6. GM can’t compete with it because they won’t design a twin turbo V6 for FWD corporate platforms. It’s unfortunate because if GM management would invest the development money and time then Chevy could CRUSH the Edge ST with a powerful Blazer SS sporting MRC.
Of course the best solution would be a RWD SUV platform. Then they just drop in an LT1 and crush Ford and BMW in one fell swoop. But GM are too risk averse to try such a bold strategy with a large payoff potential.
This platform is very deceptive. While it may look like just another SUV it really can be a fun drive.
While it may not be a Z/28 it will handle much like a good sports sedan with a plesent ride.
Our Acadia shocked me when turned into sport mode as it becomes very responsive and has a 60% rear drive bias. With the Variable suspension it remains flat in corners yet still rides very well.
The Blazer in RS mode carries these traits too.
It will do well as the reviews get out.
I was honestly surprised at how much sport mode can change a car as well. We have an XT5 (same platform, engine), and in tour mode there is a ton of wheel slippage at even half throttle from a standstill, a scary amount of torque steer, and a pedal that is a bit touchy.
However, when put into “sport mode” its actually fun to drive! No wheel spin, no torque steer, a great feeling throttle and steering and a trans that holds gears up to redline. The only downside in my eyes is getting half of the MPG.
My MPG still holds well. No major drop off.
We go from 26 in Tour, to 15-17 in sport.
But then again, I’m not a “laid back” driver while in sport mode 😉
Wife gets 20-23 around town. I have gotten around 30 in 4×4 on the highway. That was with the cruise on.
I will take off rams and back roads with some aggression but i am not out hammering on it constantly. Being more top heavy is always on my mind. SUV’s are not meant to be road racers. One curb will toss many over.
Fifty Thousand Sticker for a Mexican built Chevy ? I can’t imagine anyone buying these without a 20%+ discount.
Holy cow… you would think GM shareholders are printing money !!!!
For $50 K there are far better values out there. IMHO, the top of the line model for this thing, considering the cost of labor is near zero, should be closer to $40K
Agreed that it’s overpriced. Doesn’t matter where it’s built, the competition determines whether the price is good or too high.
$29K Base, $50K for a fully loaded premier
Most buyers will probably opt for a nicely equipped LT model. With an MSRP of $38-$42K
Shouldn’t we be comparing the 2.7L Ecoboost instead of the 2.0? I guess the V8 Camaro beats the 4 cyl Ford too.
Look at the prices , cuz. The models being compared are very comparable.
C&D said the V6 Camaro was faster than the V8 Mustang GT around their track just a couple of years ago.
Funny they compared an RS sport version of the Blazer to a high zoot luxury version of the Edge. I’m surprised the 3.6 didn’t do better than a mere .5 seconds difference in the 0-60 dash considering it’s 38 HP increase over the 2.0T and slightly less weight. I’ll bet that number gets better after the 3.6 gets more break in miles like my 2013 Impala which was a full second quicker to 60 after it had 12k miles compared to when it was new. The 8 speed automatic Ford uses must have really good gear separation to get this kind of performance out of a vehicle as heavy as the Edge. I have driven several 2014-2016 Taurus’s that weight less with the 2.0T and 6 speed with less weight and they were 7.5-7.8 second cars. The 2.0T in the Edge does have 5 more horses and torque but is also moving around a taller less wind resistant bubble so this is good performance for the segment. I wish Chevy would make the 2.0T std on some as pricey as the Blazer and Acadia. The 2.5 should be offered on the lighter Nox and Terrain.
It GM’s way to cheap profits, they offer a crappy engine, which they know is substandard, only so the customer decides to spring for the better mill, at extra cost of course. GM knows very little about “VALUE” and giving the customer MORE than they bargained for. This is why 15 yrs ago they had 29% mkt share and today they have what 18%? Short term profits mean improved stock performance which equals higher bonus’s… this is no way to run a company in an insanely competitive business… Hey GM try “over delivering” for once… give us wonderful interiors, especially Cadillac, give us your best styling. (Don’t show us the Escala, El Miraj, Ciel then give us head lights that look similar…)
Give your customers a superior product at a great value and you’ll sell… thats how the Koreans are beating you and how the Japanese did 50 years ago… and how the Luxury leaders are doing it now…
“This is why 15 yrs ago they had 29% mkt share and today they have what 18%?”
18% is still enough to take 1st place in US market share.
“thats how the Koreans are beating you”
The Koreans are also beating Ford when it comes to vehicle fires.
But aside from that, I agree. GM needs to start providing more value for the money. They can’t keep gutting vehicles in a lazy attempt to force people to go up 2 trim levels to get blind spot monitoring or the better engine. They’re almost certainly pushing some potential buyers into other vehicles that offer more features for the same money.
For whatever reason this comparison was Blazer RS vs Edge Titanium? Most looking for performance would compare the Blazer RS vs Edge ST. The ST has the 2.7L TTV6 w/ 335hp/380lb.ft. and will outperform any version of the Blazer. Checking most every option, it comes in about $50K before the inevitable discounts. That being said, the Blazer has an aggressive look that is preferred by some and in many cases it looks better in the picture on fakebook.
shhhhh you not supposed to know about that
Agreed, the Blazer looks much better in person.
GM has no engine to compete with Ford’s 2.7TT V6. Kind of a problem, but GM has been all or none on performance lately. You either pay big bucks for a performance car or you settle for a buzzy turbo four that shakes the entire vehicle with bad vibes.
Can’t imagine why they’re not selling more of those buzzy four banger powered cars…
I’d take the buzzy turbo four over the smoky blue exhaust and cam phaser rattle of a 2.7EB.
For 50k I’d get a ford edge st
After giving both serious consideration, I got the ST. I liked both, but the ST was faster and more fun for the same price. I found it very underrated. The MF is fast and sticks to the road like glue.
If even Motor Trend can pick the Blazer over their favourite car maker’s Passport, that’s something indeed!
Yeah, Blazer RS needs a TTV6.
I have seen two Blazers in the flesh. It’s a beautiful crossover. It doesn’t look Mexican, it actually looks Canadian.
I looked closely at the Blazer RS and the Edge ST. The Blazer looks sportier, but the ST definitely outperforms it across the board – and at the same price.