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Poll: Which Chevy Blazer Generation Is Your Favorite?

First launching in 1969, the Chevy Blazer nameplate has a long history behind, with five total generations and three distinct vehicle lines. Now, the Blazer is transforming into a new all-electric crossover via the Blazer EV, but fans will no doubt have one of the previous ICE-powered models in mind when it comes to picking a favorite. Now, we want to know – which Chevy Blazer generation is your favorite?

The first-generation K5 Chevy Blazer.

The first-generation Chevy Blazer launched for the 1969 model year as a rival to the Ford Bronco and International Harvester Scout. Also known as the K5 Blazer, the first-gen Blazer was based on the Chevy K10 pickup, and featured a shortened wheelbase plus standard four-wheel drive. A rear-wheel-drive model was added to the lineup for the 1970 model year, as was the mechanically identical GMC Jimmy. Four-wheel drive models were equipped with a sold front axle and front / rear leaf springs, whereas rear-wheel drive models featured an independent front suspension and rear trailing arms. A series of inline six-cylinder and V8 engines were offered for motivation, ranging up to 255 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque.

The second-gen Chevy Blazer launched for the 1973 model year, and was known internally as the “Rounded Line” generation. In terms of dimensions, overall length increased by 7 inches, while the wheelbase was extended by 2.5 inches. Rear-wheel drive was available until 1982, but the majority of Blazers sold were equipped with four-wheel drive. An update was introduced for the 1981 model year, and again in 1989, including a revisions to the front fascia. Engine options were highly varied across the model years, once again with six- and eight-cylinder options.

The K5 Blazer line ended in 1999. Meanwhile, the third-gen Chevy Blazer launched for the 1983 model year, moving the nameplate over to a compact SUV body style on the GMT 330 platform. Although initially only available as a two-door, a four-door variant was offered for the 1991 model year. The engine lineup consisted of four- and six-cylinder options, and even a diesel.

The fourth-generation Chevy Blazer launched for the 1995 model year, debuting a new midsize body-on-frame SUV with both two- and four-door body styles. A revised version of the GMT330 platform was used under the skin. While the fourth-gen did not receive a major refresh, a few cosmetic tweaks were made for the 1998 model year. The naturally aspirated 4.3L V6 L35 gasoline engine was the exclusive powerplant option.

Finally, the fifth-gen Chevy Blazer launched for the 2019 model year, more than a decade after the discontinuation of the fourth-generation Blazer. Generating controversy as a unibody crossover, Blazer purists didn’t hesitate to throw shade at the new Blazer, but nevertheless, its popularity justified a mid-cycle refresh for the 2023 model year.

So then, we want to know – which Chevy Blazer generation is your favorite? Tell us by voting in the poll below, and subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy Blazer news, Chevy news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. None of the above.

    Gen 6, Blazer EV!

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  2. Second generation real Blazer.

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    1. Supposedly this website is some sort of “authority” on GM… Do they even realize the “3rd Gen” Blazer they call it, was actually called the “S-10 Blazer”… The emphasis was always on the S-10 portion of it, it was never referred to or even generally called just Blazer until the 1995 model year…

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      1. True and the big body (obs) style was called Blazer until 1995 when it was changed to Tahoe. So G.M. “Authority” got it all wrong and just left out a whole generation of Blazer the 92 – 94 model years , wow great work.

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        1. Quick add on. In pictures in headline it shows 92-94 Blazer but article doesn’t even bring it up. Also pictures should be labeled as such: 2nd gen (K5) should be 73 – 91, 3rd (s-10) 83-94, 4th gen (oBS) 92 – 94, 5th gen 95 – 05, current gen 2019 – ….. so realistic GM on 6th generation of Blazer 3 big body and 3 midsize.

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        2. Never been a fan of “obs”, just call it GMT400. By the way, I still love my weekend/toy hauling GMT400 Subruban! She gets classic plates this year.

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          1. Will chevy make a gas blazer for 2025? If not then I’m going to order a 2024 before they stop production.

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    2. First Gen the true Blazer/ Jimmy

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  3. Today’s version is nothing like the blazer of old. It is like so many other crossovers today you can not tell them apart. Giving it the name of Blazer is a joke. Another Chevrolet nameplate made in another country besides the USA. GM gave up on their history of making great vehicles buyers want. For GM now it is all about making it cheap so they can make a profit. Hard to believe that they were the world leader in manufacturing cars and trucks for many years and I worked for them when they were the king of the automotive world.

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  4. Second generation for sure!! I owned a 1973 Blazer, black on black, raised it 3″ had 10″ chrome wheels with 60 series Gillette tires. Sold it and bought a 1975 3/4 ton Silverado 4 wheel drive, which I still have today. The color and trim was featured in the brochure for that year. Maroon body with the wood grain down the middle, 16.5 rims and tires.

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  5. I like all of them as long as it is a 2×2. I’ve owned six S10 Blazers, a ’70 2 wheel and a ’72 GMC 2 wheel, about 10 full size from ’74 to 1982, and ’97 and ’96 2×2 Tahoes. Now they are getting high prices for nice ones.

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    1. There are fleet buyers with fewer of them 😂

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  6. Had a ’92 2 Door GMC Yukon GT. 350 CI V8 with a 5 speed manual trans. Great fun to drive. Loved that vehicle. Black with silver accent along lower panels.

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  7. I’d rank them 2 – 1 – 5 – 3 – 4, though I’d be surprised if anyone else agrees with that.

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  8. I thought the second generation was referred to as a square body not rounded line.

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    1. “Rounded line” was an internal GM designation, but “Square body” was what the public colloquially called it.

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  9. Picked the square body as my favorite and the second gen would be next. Owned an ‘89 S15 Jimmy Sport and that would be my third choice. Really liked our ‘22 Blazer but it was more car.

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  10. I owned a 1969. Best truck I ever had. Wish I still had it. Also owned an 1983 S10 Blazer, a 1989 S10 Blazer and a 1994 S10 Blazer. All were great vehicles. Thank God they were not EV’s.

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  11. I had a ’78 then bought a brand new ’87 K-5.. black. Loved it! Wish I still had it. Wish they would make them again.. perfect size!

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  12. I had a ’72 K5, bought it at a fleet auction in ’79, rustbucket, but fixed it all up with new rocker panels, 1 new 1/4 panel, and part of the floor. 6 Cyl, 3 speed on tree. Repainted it ’68 Camaro Aztec Bronze, Black top, added 10.5 x 15 BFG All Terrains on white spoke wheels, looked great, drove great, even though 10 mpg with the 6 cyl! Loved it, wish I still had it….

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  13. Easy 1973-1980 a real two door off road truck the K5 would sell if GM made it again today. I also the 80s models to.

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  14. I like the 69-72 best of all

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  15. Can’t disagree with Dave, although my 97 blazer ZR2 black and tan with a sunroof and third pedal built to my specifications from the Linden assembly plant manufacturing/assembly group. Thoroughly enjoyed the many miles until its demise. Appreciate the GM Truck Team for all their quality hard work back in the day.

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    1. I special ordered a 1998 ZR2 with a manual transmission…….took about 6 months to get it as they only built a handful……I have 127,000 miles on it and it still looks like new. Typical wear repairs and maintenance……glad to have it still in these days of EV, and mom mobiles………still love the first generation…….but then during that time I was a Scout driver……unstoppable until the bodies rusted off.

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  16. I owned a 99 T-10. I loved that truck, best I have ever owned!

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  17. I owned a 1975 Blazer. I loved it because you could remove the whole top off . I wish I still had it or find one.

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  18. The second generation 81-91 would be near perfection with a modern drivetrain.

    However these were dark years, and a lot came with the carbureted 305 and 700R4… literal “get out and push” performance. Believe these got throttle body EFI in 1987 with the pickups? May seem quaint today, but was day-and-night better than the emissions-era Quadrajets we had before.

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  19. 2nd gen!

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  20. 1st Gen is my fave!!! Nothing compares in my eyes. Summer night rides with the top off is the BEST!!

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    1. Definitely 1st gen. The whole top came off for those topless hot summer days

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  21. Had a ’79 GMC K5 Jimmy, followed by an ’87 K5 Blazer, then a ’94 Suburban 1500, 2012 Silverado 1500 CC and now a 2023 1500 Silverado CC. Enjoyed them all.

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  22. The first generation. Personally, I prefer round fender wells . Not sure GM squared them off.

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  23. For those of us working in the GM dealership service bays in the ’80s repairing the myriad of problems on the second gen “square body” Blazers and Suburbans, it was well-known internally and frequently experienced by technicians, that they were some of the worst-ever builds of GM vehicles.

    Steering lead/pull issues and suspension wore rapidly and “death wobble” was common.

    As for the first gen Blazer/Jimmy platform, it is still good looking, but build quality was terrible, just as it was in the pickups of the era. However, a properly restored and upgraded of either gen 1 or 2 can be a nice vehicle.

    I guess it’s convenient to allow time to erase the many issues with 307ci pistons, 305ci cams, just to name a couple.

    FWIW, I still own a ’71 pickup replete with panel gaps that echoes the words of many in those days about acceptable build quality, “Who cares, it’s just a work truck?”

    Fit, finish and overall build quality today is way improved, but attention to detail with wiring harness routing, connector seating and other assembly issues are apparent.

    Third and fourth gen models despite being downsized, were significantly improved builds, but lacking somewhat in character.

    Looking through rose-tinted glasses can create fond memories of the good times and wipe out the bad memories. The gen 4 has the others beat in so many ways, but not being a full-sized model it loses out to the gen 1 in looks.

    I’m a realist with a ’71 pickup and a ’23 pickup having worked on all generations of the GM trucks and utilities from the ’60s models up. There’s no looking back.

    FWIW, information about engineering and build quality across all manufacturers that was once tightly-held behind closed doors, is now exposed thanks to the internet. All manufacturers had issues then and experience them now, but more transparently than ever before.

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  24. I owned a 71 mustard 2 x 4 it used to take 5 of us to remove the roof. I had an 84 an 89 and a 91. It is a tough call but I will say that the 1st gen looked better with the roof off but the second gen was defiantly more comfortable

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  25. Driving a 4th gen right now blazer. Owned a 1999 Jimmy had 230,000, when hit at 50 miles per hour from the rear. It saved our lives. The frame over the rear tires was bent at almost a 90 degree angle our bumper was facing the ground. No one was seriously injured. The car still ran and drove but it was totaled. Best car ever. Jimmy is the GMC version of a Chevy Blazer. The Jimmy was also a 4th generation.

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  26. 2nd Generation. They were bulletproof. I never owned one, but I did own one of his siblings. My father gave me his ’87 Silverado with the 350 in 2000 because I was broke and 40k in debt. I drove it for 7 years. I saved so much money driving that instead of some foreign car or truck that rusted out in 6 years. Couple that with an ’07 GP and my current ’14 Impala Limited, I’ve had nothing to fix in 24 years. $27k for 3 bulletproof vehicles.

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  27. 1st-3rd gen are blazers
    But 2nd gen

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  28. My dad brought me home from the hospital in a 2-door first gen S-10 Blazer back in 1985.

    My personal favorite was the 2nd gen S-10 Blazer (because it was a vehicle around when I was growing up and my dad was going to buy one but landed up getting a 2nd gen Nissan Pathfinder instead). I especially liked the facelifted model. The only problem is these vehicles had a problematic 4WD transfer case that worked with vacuum tubes (instead of fully electronic) and would fail constantly. I remember Regular Car Reviews making a video on the Oldsmobile Bravada and talking about this issue.

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  29. I like the 73-80. I’m prejudice because I have a 1977 K5 that my Dad bought in the eighties.

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  30. I owned a 79 k5 blazer I loved that truck wish i still had it they dont make them like that anymore.

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  31. I had a 1974 K5 Blazer loved that the top came off from the windshield back. The square body style made it. Only thing I would’ve changed was put an 86 or 87 front clip on it. Just liked the square double headlights.

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  32. I own a 81 Jimmy and love it

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  33. I owned a 1978 chevy blazer I bought it we I graduated high school. I restored it. All original

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  34. I have a 93 2 For Chevy Blazer and I Love it. Gonna refurbish it Not going anywhere. 🤙🏾

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  35. Blazer 73 to 70

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  36. I’ve owned every body style from 1970 to 1998 except the latest thing. Also had many S10 Blazers. All were 2×2 (2 wheel drive/2 door) except a 1982 4×4, which I bought and flipped. My favorite years would be the 81/82 and then what they called Tahoe, of which I owned 2. All were customized and all made me money. There’s a huge market for nice Blazers. Go to any custom truck show and you’ll see them. Prices have gone crazy on the 2-wheel drives.

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  37. The present generation

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  38. The present generation and the hopeful existing 7 passenger version

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