Chevrolet Blazer Interior Review
Expect to step up to get in the Blazer. Though not as radical as larger 4x4 rides, the Blazer has a higher seating height than the typical sedan. The payback is that commanding view of the road that SUV owners cherish.
Inside, the LT features standard "premium cloth" high-back bucket seats with eight-way power standard for the driver. Power is optional for the front passenger seat, and two-setting memory seat adjustment is available for the driver's seat.
The front seats are broad with limited bolstering. They are more like comfortable chairs than sports-car bucket seats. An annoying bulge in the front passenger's footwell accommodates the Blazer's exhaust. The rear bench is low; it is comfortable for two adults, though three will fit. The rear seatback splits and folds 60-40 for cargo flexibility.
The Blazer comes with full instrumentation that is well laid out; it shares its instrument panel with GM's other Blazer-class trucks. General Motors has made major strides in its minor controls, and the dash of the TrailBlazer is an excellent example. The switches, knobs and levers for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and audio controls look and feel good and don't require a correspondence course to learn how to operate.
The LT also includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote keyless entry, power locks and windows, power heated mirrors, rear window defogger and wiper, cruise control and lighted visor mirrors. Tilt wheel, two auxiliary power outlets, AM/FM stereo with CD player, and an overhead console with an outside temperature readout are also standard. New for 2001 is OnStar, GM's remote communications system, standard on LT and TrailBlazer. Air conditioning is standard on all Blazers, with automatic climate control optional on the LT and standard on TrailBlazer.
Chevrolet Blazer Road Test
The engine fires off eagerly with a twist of the key and settles to an idle that's steady but telegraphs some of the basic imbalance of a 90-degree V6. That smoothes as revs increase, and in the operating range between 2000 and 3000 rpm the Vortec is a friendly companion. Full throttle causes the V6 to accelerate with a healthy growl that gets louder as revs rise. The Blazer's acceleration is more than adequate to keep up with traffic.
The standard Touring suspension is very much in touch with the road, a characteristic not everyone will appreciate. But the reward is an easily discernable improvement in responsiveness, a reduction in float and, thanks to greater roll resistance, less lean in the corners. The result is an overall greater feel of control and confidence at the minor cost of a slightly bumpier ride.
The Auto 4WD mode can be used at all times. It keeps the transfer case in two-wheel drive until slip occurs, so there's no fuel-mileage penalty. Yet it reacts instantly to loose gravel or wet or icy pavement, shifting seamlessly into four-wheel drive. If there's any shortcoming in the system, it's that the driver isn't alerted when the system is shifting into four-wheel-drive mode (as on cars that use warning lights to indicate when traction control is functioning).
Out on the Interstate, the Blazer cruises effortlessly. The V6 operates in the low 2000-rpm range at highway speeds and, except for a subtle bass-line from the engine and a steady road rumble up through the suspension, the ride is quiet enough for easy conversation between front and rear passengers. The tires selected by Chevrolet are free of whine and aren't so heavy as to overwhelm the suspension. A slight whisper of wind noise around the A-pillars is the only other distraction. The ride, though firm, is not at all harsh or jiggly. Not all sport utilities are this civilized over the road, and we wouldn't hesitate to drive a high-mile day in the Blazer.
Loading for a big trip would be easy. Access to the commodious cargo compartment is via a rear liftgate. A cargo cover is standard; unlike those that require you to climb into the cargo area to unreel them, the Blazer's cover goes from side to side. Nothing is in the way when you want to lower the rear seats to load large items: the cover reel need not be removed and become itself another piece of cargo. And with the spare mounted under the rear, a flat tire won't mean unloading your load.
Chevrolet Blazer Lineup
After simplifying the Blazer lineup for 2000, Chevrolet has added a new Blazer variation for 2001. Called Xtreme, it is available only as a two-door, and only with two-wheel drive. A California Cruiser's dream machine, Xtreme comes with a special Z87 lowered suspension; low-profile P235/60R16 Eagle LS tires; deep-dish aluminum wheels; and an aggressively spoilered, clad, and color-keyed exterior. Xtreme prices start at $21,125.
The rest of the model line continues unchanged. The two-door LS sells for $19,170 with 2WD or $22,170 with all four wheels driven. The super-heavy-duty ZR2 comes only in two-door, 4WD form and sells for $24,170.
Four-door Blazers come in LS, LT, or TrailBlazer trim, each available in 2WD or 4WD. Prices range from $24,770 for the 2WD LS up to $32,125 for the 4WD TrailBlazer.