Mid-size SUVs aren't usually the sportiest vehicles in the world, almost always opting for practicality over performance. But the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer brings sports car-charm and a punchy V6 to the segment in a nod to its muscle car sibling, the Camaro.
But how much are you willing to sacrifice in the name of sporty driving? In this case, the Blazer falls short in certain categories that mid-size shoppers might value. Some sought-after active safety features are baked into pricey packages, for example, and the Blazer is neither the cushiest nor the most affordable crossover in the world.
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| Quick Stats | 2022 Chevrolet Blazer RS |
| Engine | 3.6-Liter V6 |
| Output | 308 Horsepower / 270 Pound-Feet |
| Touchscreen | 8.0 Inches |
| Fuel Economy | 19 City / 27 Highway / 21 Combined |
| As-Tested Price | $50,585 |
Gallery: 2022 Chevrolet Blazer RS: Review
- Exterior Color: Nitro Yellow
- Interior Color: Black W/Red
- Wheel Size: 21 Inches
The Chevrolet Blazer looks sharp, especially this RS trim. Slim LED running lights stretch horizontally across the corners of the aggressive fascia, with squared headlights positioned lower down in each corner of the bumper. Taking up most of the real estate on the front end, though, is the massive black grille; on this RS model, it wears wider mesh and darkened trim pieces.
The Blazer's Nitro Yellow paint job, a new hue for 2022, makes the already aggressive SUV more eye-catching. Love it or hate it, the $395 paint is impossible to ignore, and it looks better with the RS trim’s standard mandatory black roof, black badges, and darkened accents. The optional 21-inch gloss black wheels help enhance the styling but cost an extra $1,000 over the base shoes.
The inside isn't as eye-catching as the exterior. Jet black leather covers the seats and steering wheel, with that same hue extending to the dash, door panels, center console, and elsewhere. But on the RS model, there is one specific feature that stands out: the air-conditioning vents, weirdly. The gloss red trim surrounding each vent immediately pops among the otherwise drab cabin, matching subtle red stitching on the seats.
The cabin layout emphasizes the Blazer’s aggressive appearance with a high beltline and narrow greenhouse, and a center console and door panel inserts that angle inward to create a cockpit-like layout. The driver-oriented seating arrangement is nice, but the high beltline makes the space feel tight.
- Seating Capacity: 5
- Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
- Cargo Capacity: 30.5 / 64.2 Cubic Feet
Because this is Chevrolet's sportiest crossover, the Blazer doesn't exactly excel in the comfort department. The ride is harsh and the seats are uncomfortable; the hard leather and lack of bolstering makes it feel like you're sitting on top of the chairs rather than in them. The cabin lets in a ton of outside noise – road, wind, and engine – which makes it difficult to talk to your passengers without having to raise your voice.
Because of its swoopy bodywork, the Blazer feels more cramped than alternatives like the Ford Edge and Hyundai Santa Fe. The front compartment is tight, with a smallish window that shrinks the greenhouse and chunky elements on either side of the driver that encroach on elbow room. Headroom and legroom in the second row aren't an issue for average-sized adults, but again, the small greenhouse from the even smaller rear window makes the compartment feel more cramped than it is.
Cargo space is where the Blazer really suffers. The 30.5 cubic feet behind the second row and the 64.2 cubes with that bench folded flat are the lowest figures in the class. And trying to load anything into that rear hatch requires a significant lift over the high lip.
| Headroom | Legroom | Cargo Space | |
| Chevrolet Blazer | 39.8 / 38.6 Inches | 41.0 / 39.6 Inches | 30.5 / 64.2 Cubic Feet |
| Ford Edge | 40.2 / 40.6 Inches | 42.6 / 40.3 Inches | 39.2 / 73.4 Cubic Feet |
| Honda Passport | 39.5 / 40.0 Inches | 40.9 / 39.6 Inches | 41.2 / 77.5 Cubic Feet |
| Hyundai Santa Fe | 41.2 / 39.0 Inches | 44.1 / 41.7 Inches | 36.4 / 72.1 Cubic Feet |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 39.9 / 39.4 Inches | 41.3 / 38.2 Inches | 37.7 / 70.8 Cubic Feet |
| Nissan Murano | 39.9 / 39.8 Inches | 40.5 / 38.7 Inches | 32.1 / 67.0 Cubic Feet |
- Center Display: 8.0-Inch Touchscreen
- Instrument Cluster Display: 8.0 Inches
- Wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: No
Every Blazer gets a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Unfortunately, it's still a wired connection; not even the top-end trims get wireless CarPlay. At least the RS and Premier models add navigation and an adjacent 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster to the mix which makes the setup more appealing.
Admittedly, the Blazer's 8.0-inch screen is on the small side compared to what some of the alternatives offer. The Grand Cherokee has a gorgeous 10.1-inch optional display, for example, and the Sante Fe comes with a 10.3-inch screen. But the Blazer's display does the job well enough.
Chevy's home screen is crisp and easy to parse thanks to its color-coordinated and well-spaced icons. Touch responsiveness isn't smartphone-quick, though. Every version of the Blazer gets a Wi-Fi hotspot, satellite radio, and OnStar remote services out of the box, while wireless phone charging is available on RS and above as an option.
- Engine: 3.6-liter V6
- Output: 308 Horsepower / 270 Pound-Feet
- Transmission: Nine-Speed Automatic
The RS model is the only Blazer that gets a standard 3.6-liter V6 engine (it's optional on the 3LT and Premier models). With 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Blazer RS accelerates off the line in a hurry and delivers impressive stamina at higher speeds. The Blazer routes power through a standard nine-speed automatic and sends it to all four wheels here via the all-wheel-drive system, which costs a cool $2,900.
Dynamically, though, the Blazer RS is the best-handling model thanks to its quicker steering ratio and a twin-clutch differential with lateral torque vectoring that directs power to each wheel as needed. Toss it into a corner and the Blazer RS inspires confidence with limited body roll and flat cornering, while the torquey engine provides plenty of power out of the corner.
The steering is weighty and offers ample feedback from the road when cornering; you know exactly what the tires are doing. But when cruising on the highway, there is a vague on-center feel that gives the wheel too much wiggle in your hands.
The transmission is the only thing keeping the Blazer RS from a higher score here. The nine-speed automatic doesn’t execute shifts as quickly as it should, even in Sport mode. It takes fiddling with the gear stick to get this gearbox to respond during performance driving, and even then, downshifting is sluggish. And for whatever reason, even in the sportiest Blazer, there are no paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
- Driver Assistance Level: SAE Level 2
- NHTSA Rating: Five Stars Overall
- IIHS Rating: Not TSP/TSP Plus
The Blazer comes with a few standard safety features out of the box, but not as many as what most alternatives offer. Automatic emergency braking with a forward collision alert, front pedestrian detection, and active lane-keep assist with a lane-departure warning come standard on every model. Upping to the RS adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree overhead camera at no extra cost.
Unfortunately, even on the RS model, adaptive cruise control costs extra. Part of the $1,650 Driver Convenience II package, that add-on also includes high-speed automatic emergency braking and a rearview mirror camera. That said, with the Driver Convenience II package and all that active safety equipment equipped, the Blazer RS cruises in confidence; the automatic throttle and braking inputs are smooth as are the steering inputs, which help keep the car centered in the lane.
- City: 19
- Highway: 27
- Combined: 21
The Blazer RS, with its standard V6 and optional all-wheel drive, isn’t the most efficient crossover in the world. Then again, none of the alternatives are fuel sippers, either. The Blazer’s 19 miles per gallon city, 26 highway, and 21 combined are middling. But even with a heavy foot over nearly 100 miles of highway driving, this Blazer RS hovered around its estimated fuel economy figure throughout the week, if not just slightly below that mark.
Here’s how the Blazer stacks up against its nearest all-wheel-drive alternatives:
| City | Highway | Combined | |
| Chevrolet Blazer RS | 19 | 26 | 21 |
| Ford Edge ST-Line | 20 | 28 | 23 |
| Honda Passport Touring | 19 | 24 | 21 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy | 22 | 25 | 24 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude | 19 | 26 | 22 |
| Nissan Murano SL | 20 | 28 | 23 |
- Base Price: $34,595 + $1,195 Destination
- Trim Base Price: $45,195
- As-Tested Price: $50,585
The Blazer RS gets dinged for its expensive price tag. At $45,195 to start with the $1,195 destination fee included, the Blazer is pricier than an equivalent Passport with all-wheel drive and more expensive than any Santa Fe, even the luxurious Calligraphy model. The Ford Edge ST-Line is a bit more expensive than the Blazer, and most comparable versions of Grand Cherokee are pricier too, but they come with more features out of the box.
| Base Price | All-Wheel Drive | |
| Chevrolet Blazer RS | $42,665 | $2,900 |
| Ford Edge ST-Line | $44,240 | Standard |
| Honda Passport Touring | $42,905 | $2,000 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy | $42,655 | $1,700 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude | $45,225 | $2,00 |
| Nissan Murano SL | $41,935 | $1,710 |
To match the standard features of some of its competitors, Chevy forces you to spend $1,660 on the Enhanced Convenience package, which adds memory seats, a telescoping steering wheel, and a Bose eight-speaker audio system. On top of that, the $1,650 Driver Confidence package is a must-have if you want adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and wireless phone charging.
All told, our tester comes in at a relatively steep $50,585. Even with all-wheel drive and every option box ticked, the Santa Fe Calligraphy doesn’t crest $45,000, while the Passport is just under $50,000 with every factory option equipped. You could save some money on the Blazer RS, though, by toning down the styling; the combo of Nitro Yellow with a black roof is $945 and the 21-inch wheels are another $1,000.
The Blazer RS is the most compelling sporty crossover in the class, simply put. Its robust V6, improved steering, and more-rigid suspension mark noticeable upgrades over the base model and allow the driver the fling it into a corner more fervently. But there are still some areas where the Blazer falls short; it’s slightly overpriced, not all that comfortable, and asks a good amount extra for otherwise basic safety features.
Competitor Reviews
- Ford Edge ST: Not Rated
- Honda Passport: Not Rated
- Hyundai Santa Fe: 9.6 / 10
- Jeep Grand Cherokee: 8.8 / 10
- Nissan Murano: Not Rated
FAQs
Are Chevy Blazers Four-Wheel Drive?
Every Chevy Blazer gets standard front-wheel drive with all-wheel drive as an option. On the base 2LT and 3LT models, all-wheel drive costs $2,700 extra, while the RS and Premier models ask $2,900 for power at all for wheels.
Where Is The Chevrolet Blazer Made?
Chevy Blazers sold in the US are built at GM’s Ramos Arizpe Assembly in Mexico. The crossover replaced the production of the Chevrolet Cruze sedan and hatchback, which was discontinued in 2018.
What SUV Is Comparable To The Chevy Blazer?
The Chevy Blazer competes with other two-row, mid-size crossovers like the Ford Edge, Honda Passport, and Hyundai Santa Fe.
