Like any automaker or company, General Motors is constantly looking for opportunities in new market segments, and planning new vehicles accordingly. In GM Authority‘s view, one such opportunity involves a Chevy Blazer Activ.
2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer Activ
Chevrolet has been rolling out the Activ moniker across several models to represent an outdoorsy, off-road “light” offering. Activ models might look like off-roaders, but they don’t have much in the way of actual off-road capability. The Chevy Trailblazer Activ is perhaps a perfect embodiment of the Activ approach. It does not dominate Trailblazer sales, but it does account for a healthy 10 percent of them. Out hypothetical Blazer Activ would follow in the path set out by the Trailblazer Activ.
Chevy Blazer Activ rendering by GM Authority
GM Authority has given this subject some thought before now, publishing two renderings of what a proposed Chevy Blazer Activ could look like in September. We imagined the ruggedized crossover to have black five-spoke wheels, chunky all-terrain rubber and black detailing. The model would be powered by either the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LSY or the naturally aspirated 3.6L V6 LGX gasoline engine. All-wheel-drive with torque-vectoring would be standard.
Chevy Blazer Activ rendering by GM Authority
In our rendering, we went for quite an aggressive look, but if a Chevy Blazer Activ does come to market, it would likely have a slightly different front end that would allow for a better approach angle (much like the aforementioned Trailblazer Activ). Since it would not be possible to change the unibody construction for the body-on-frame underpinnings of previous Blazers, this would not be a true off-road vehicle, but it would certainly look the part.
GMC Acadia AT4
In fact, the blueprint for a hypothetical Blazer Activ already exists in another GM product – the GMC Acadia AT4, which offers an off-road appearance without significantly more off-road capability. Key features of the Acadia AT4 include a grille, badging and black chrome exterior accents. An active torque control AWD system that optimizes traction for every condition is present and accounted for. But the feature that’s arguably most noteworthy in the Acadia AT4 are the unique 17-inch gloss black wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires.
2020 GMC Acadia AT4
The Blazer Activ can offer similar styling enhancements as the Acadia AT4, including a set of unique wheels with beefy all-terrain tires, a capable AWD system, plus a unique front fascia like the Trailblazer Activ. With customer demand on the rise for crossovers, including those that look rugged, this one – to us – seems like a no-brainer. In fact, we could see every Chevrolet crossover getting the Activ treatment at some point in the future, but that’s a story for another time.
Comments
Stop pretending this and the Acadia are not real off road vehicles.
These are great on the road high mile fwd based CUV models nothing more.
Just putting big tires on and 4×4 stickers does not change what they really are.
GM still need a smaller off road lifestyle activity vehicle to match the Wrangler and Bronco. This is a market that is growing fast not only with men but women.
You used to see all the 20 something women in Mustang convertibles. Today it is Wranglers with the doors off and the top down. Jeopardy top!
Unfortunately, pretend-offroad vehicles sell pretty well. Even most of the actual offroad capable vehicles, like the Wrangler you mentioned, will never go offroad anyway.
So why not pretend?
I work in the performance aftermarket and the world of performance cars is dying fast.
We used to sell tons of Camaro and Mustang parts. Today it is all trucks Wrangler and soon Bronco.
Many of the parts we sell never go off road but they are going to an ever growing number of vehicles like these sold.
Now the Blazer is nice and will do well being just what it is. But it will never fill the void of not having a proper vehicle.
Most Corvettes and Camaro’s never hit the track but people want real performance. With your thinking you may as well just put Corvette badges on a Malibu.
By all mean they did the right thing with the Blazer as a passenger vehicle for the road. But please do not try to pass it off as a fake off-roader. GM is losing a lot of sales with a real Lifestyle vehicle.
They may fool you but most will go elsewhere.
This is not even up to the standard of the Suzuki supplied GEO Tracker years ago.
You’re missing my point. I know these aren’t real offroad vehicles. I would even suspect that most buyers realize that they are not. They don’t care, and they will buy them anyway.
The Blazer is quite popular. An Activ version of it would probably do pretty well, although I think it needs a better name than Blazer Activ.
Blazer Z71. There you go.
Yep, let’s slap those noisy off road tires on every model. BY the time they have 10,000 miles on them the owners will be complaining about how noisy they have become due to wear and improper tire rotations.
Hopefully the dealer would have rotated them at least once at the free oil change it would have had by then.
Would offroad tires get louder if they wore down? It wouldn’t surprise me if they got quieter.
C8 you make no sense, “stop pretending these are not real off roaders”
which is it?? these are not real off roaders and NO ONE is pretending they are!!!!!
your statement does not make sense, these are appearance packages and nothing more, maybe your car will handle better in poor weather or If you live on a dirt road, but actually going off roading, LOLOLOL
Performance cars dying fast????? I think your wrong there too, I have an aftermarket performance exhaust on my 2016 Camaro SS. I think we are in the best time to be alive when it comes to car performance. My 2012 Silverado also has an Aftermarket Lift, tire,rims,light bars, nerf bars, and Yes I use it to go off roading, but after market none the less. The aftermarket is awesome and I have lots of performance choices.
NFAB,PRO COMP,MAGNAFLOW to name a few
I am familiar with all these and the people who work for them.
Tom stop thinking you know what you are talking about. I know dang well these are not off road vehicles and that is my point. I have a Acadia now and it is more touring car that off reader.
GM is trying to pass an Acadia off as an off road vehicle in the AT4. They are now promoting the Activ line as a life style vehicle and it is not. Enthusiast know better but many others don’t.
As for the performance market. Big deal you bought a few parts. I work for a global firm that markets more parts than you can name and we have seen a major shift in the market. The Camaro and Mustang market is there but no where near as strong as it once was. But today the truck and Jeep’s market is running away as the profit center.
The future is trucks, Wrangler and I expect the Bronco. With emissions getting tighter many people are going for non engine enhancements.
Today yes you get some guy putting on an exhaust just to make more noise. In the past it was cams, intakes, carbs, headers that all really made the car faster. Today fewer wade into those water. Part because the car already has more than 400 hp but often because they can’t afford the more expensive parts or they are unable to tune the car or have a local tuner. So they put on the exhaust just to sound different.
The problem here is out side the trucks GM is missing a real small SUV that really will take on the Wrangler and Bronco. The Blazer and Tracker just are not going to do it. They are like putting SS emblems on a fwd Malibu.
I agree for factory performance it has never been better but people actually modifying the cars that segment is in decline. Back in the Fox body days there was tons of money made on Mustang parts. Today it is not like it was.
I have been on the front line of this almost 30 years. Just one trip to SEMA will show you where this is all going. GM will need a true lifestyle off road product or they will be left out of the true growth in this area.
Wanglers are crap and if you can make a better Jeep’s you could print money. Ford may have already done this. Time will tell.
The market compared to even 10 years ago for sports cars are dying fast. I think someone who works in vehicle after market would know what they’re selling but whatever. Also in order to be a real off-roader it has to have 4×4. Not that AWD crap with a “rock mode”.
You just made the point that consumers desire something other than a pick-up. Why give business to the aftermarket when GM can give you everything you like in one package? Perhaps 3% of pick-ups are taken off road. They went out of style in 2003. The Blazer Activ is the future. If pick-ups only came in white or pink, would you still buy one? If NO,… then the off road features are NOT what one seeks. It is instead a vehicle they feel proud driving that is NEW, Fresh, and has Style. No one crosses the street to look at a Black Harley, and no one crosses the street to look at a pick-up.
People are tired of big pick-ups. 95% of those are seldom if ever taken off road. They are purchased by those who need to “compensate”, and are purchased only for the look. Thus GM will always give the customer what they desire and will always be 2-3 years ahead of the competition. I want to be among the first to drive a Blazer Activ around and turn heads. Pick-ups are like… eye brows,… everyone has two.
I’ve said the same thing for the Traverse for years. I think Z71 is known more by people than Activ even if they aren’t car or off-road people. Whatever it’s called, the look sales and GM knows it.
Activ without the e sounds modern and trendy. Dare I say it: German. So, the market appeal is there.
Z71 is also a bit mis leading too, some Rancho shocks,skid plate and some stickers also don’t make your Truck more capable off-road. ZR2 is the true off-road moniker from GM IMO
These letter numbers are just production order numbers for a suspension that they made a badge for.
The Z71 is just a step up frontman stock and the ZR is the next step up.
Just what the world needs. Another poser vehicle so urban/suburban white collar guys can feel rugged and manly.
Whenever I see a camo-painted monster truck with 4′ diameter wheels, or a Wrangler or soon a Bronco; I suddenly hear Monty Pythons ” Lumberjack Song” in my head.
Big pick-ups are purchased only by those who need to “compensate”. For Pete’s sake, they are like a nose in that everyone has one. Folks will be driving the latest GM idea(s) while those who reside in the 1990’s will stick to their compensation vehicles and be the very last to own an electric truck. They will appear as farmers in a horse and buggy while the rest of us who live in the future will flock to get the styling we desire. Some 80% of all pick-ups are white, making them disappear in a parking lot. I will be the first to have a Blazer Activ in that awesome Blue color. Cannot wait!
Purchased only by those who need to “compensate”???? People like you crack me up. So in your eyes I shouldn’t own a big truck. Even though I use to pull my boat. I use it to pull my camper trailer. I use to bring garbage to the city dump. I use it to bring materials home in order to do landscaping in my yard. All of those things in which the blazer cannot perform. I’d love to see the chevy blazer pull my boat to the lake or even try to make to the area in which I go camping. The blazer (Activ or not) will never be able to perform any of those things. The point is that the blazer is just a soccer mom vehicle not capable of anything unless it involves pavement. Well, maybe a maintained dirt road.
This is not the Blazer the masses wanted. Adding “off road” is not going to help this turd. GM should not have taken the icon Blazer name and created another SUV that looks like the rest. A retro version of the full size or the S10 version is what most people wanted and GM simply missed the mark.
@Brad:
WHAT….are you talking about ?
“Turd”? The Blazer is selling extremely well. Look back to 12-21 on this site and you’ll see an item saying Dealers can’t get enough of them!
The “masses” as you call them, LOVE this Blazer.
And what makes you think that some throwback-retro thing is “what most people wanted”? What data do you have to support that statement? I think you’re the one who’s “missed the mark” by stating your opinion as fact.
Brad this vehicle is selling fine. While it may use the same name it is a totally different vehicle.
This is why GM still needs to build a true off road vehicle vs just a pretend one. There is still a segment of the market out there that is growing fast and they are missing those sales.
Granted this model may have been better named Nomad and the true off road model Blazer. But it is too late to change that by arguing,
Selling fine….. The Blazer is selling 20th among other brands at 29,485 units in Q3. Recent data has shown that it may have jumped in the race significantly to end the year at 79k units sold. The pandemic has also changed the game this year being not all companies could produce or import as many cars as 2019.
Add that GM has single handedly saturated the market with like SUV’s, Acadia, Enclave, Envision, Cadillac XT5 & XT6, Traverse, Equinox, Terrain all just creating noise in the SUV market and just adding more cars that will not stand the test of time. Toyota Rav4, Honda CRV, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Ford Escape, Mazda MX5 all share the the front wheel drive playbook that the blazer is falling behind in sales. The abomination they decided to call the Blazer being a FWD (yes, I know AWD model is available) could have been much more to capitalize on the Blazer heritage. Like the GTO revamp they fell short. I truly believe in my opinion Megeebee & C8.r that if GM took the iconic name and placed it on a full framed vehicle it would have stood out among a sea of like platform cars.In 2020 the Blazer is selling well. Like others have stated they would like a more capable off road vehicle (point of this thread) and you simply can’t achieve that with a unibody fwd car. Bring back a SUV based off of a frame that can be lifted or lowered with a capable economical v8 that shares technology off the camaro or vette (not just a front facia) and you would have a vehicle that would stand out, stand the test of time. The Ford Bronco sales in 2021 will be the true test to see if I am right or wrong.
Actually most dealers are hurting for stock. Reports of lack of inventory for the Blazer have been common.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/10/chevrolet-blazer-sales-numbers-figures-results-q3-2020/
Blazer sales are up 100% GM sold about 35000 units last year and over 70000 this year thats over 100% increase YOY
Sorry Brad but your just wrong here 20th??? its 5th behind the Chevy Traverse,Honda Pilot,Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Explorer
Funny because my wife wants the new Blazer, We like the looks, we like the RS. We own a 2016 Camaro SS so the styling is spot on for those who like the Camaro . Ya either a Blazer or Acadia, depending on incentives when we go to buy. anyway We like the new Blazer .
No need to get personal. That “turd” to you is awesome to those of us with futuristic leanings. Keep driving your ugly pick-up which we all know is to “compensate”
Sorry Jeff we were talking about the Blazer not a pickup. Not really sure what you are insinuating with compensating as I don’t own a lifted truck plus size wheels and tires. But thanks for making assumptions.
Why is this coming up like 4 months later lol
Y’all made the blazer feminine looking and not in a good way! How about redeeming yourself and bring back the two door tahoe? Make it mean and masculine please and thanks ❤
Keep your ugly pick-up. They went out of style about 2003.
I grew up a GM guy and while my plates didn’t read IH84DS I at least respected the competition. The remake the Ford Bronco was a long long time in the making and GM had plenty of time to react. Instead what we have is a “lite” Bronco that nobody wants and will surely fade from market long before Bronco. What a missed opportunity. Who is running the show anyway. This is just sad. A retro Blazer would simply kill. C’mon guys, Ford with Bronco, FCA with Jeep, must be embarrassing.
My hope is this. Since this Blazer is not really in the same segment as the Bronco GM has more in store?
We have the new Colorado coming. It would take little work to do a new SUV on this platform. They already have a new ZR platform coming.
The Bronco is just a shortened New Ranger that is coming. They will share the same platform in different lengths.
Now Fords has a name issue too. They have a larger real off road Bronco then a smaller one that is more on road CUV. It gets a bit confusing using a name too much just as on the wrong vehicle.
A Blazer / Jimmy nameplate is a must if they build off Colorado in my view.
They just need an appropriate name for a Colorado version.
People buy models not names. Yes the Blazer name would have been a wise choice but it is already gone.
THE NEW HUMMER IS THE ANSWER TO THE BRONCO REMEMBER as far as GM having an off road nameplate.
the new hummer will check all the boxes for those hardcore offroaders
No Hummer is not even in the same segment. Yes it is a 4×4 but it also is electric and more than 3 times the price of the Bronco.
GM needs an ICE model that is starting at $28k. That is wrangler size.
Current “Lean Production” methods do not allow for a clunky, circa 1985 vehicle. Come up into the current times
No. Actually the real solution is a real four wheel drive system instead of FWD/AWD garbage in these things.
Ugly, clunky pick-ups are a 1990’s thing for men who feel they have to “compensate”. Modern consumers desire a look as much or more so than function. Boys drive big pick-ups solely to give the appearance they are “Men”
I personally don’t understand the need for automakers to consider everything as an “off-road” vehicle. Let’s be honest, majority of people live in metropolitan areas which are dominated by paved roads. Of those people, how many are actually taking their vehicles out for true off road needs?
They shouldn’t have taken an iconic off-road nameplate and slapped it on a midsize crossover that’s driven by soccer moms. If Ford did that with the Bronco I wouldn’t know what to say. Don’t get me wrong it’s a great looking SUV but it doesn’t deserve the Blazer name. Even if they do redesign it to a real off-road vehicle it’s just never going to be the same.
Beating a dead horse is also lame, YES WE KNOW the Blazer name should not be used on a family SUV blablabla
We have heard this a million times, I wonder how many people have actually owned a real BLAZER or were alive during its production or are they just being buttheads???? I personally had a 86 Jimmy with the removable hardtop and 35’s I loved it, but I am also not offended by the Blazer name. As they say “what is in a name? a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet”
It’s the product not the name that matters. GM still lacks the segment product.
What GM needs to do is get that FNR-X into production with the E/28 nameplate on it to go up against the Mach E and make a 4-door coupe variant as well.
I spec’ed out a Acadia AT4 with 20 inch wheels..what a joke ..you got the same skinny Michelin Highway tires as a base Acadia.
Come on GM wake up. Oh, and test your vehicles a lot better so you you don’t drown us with problems and hundreds of TSB’S!
This should be GMC only.