• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The End of an Era for Rolls-Royce
  • South Carolina Provides $1.29 Billion Incentive for new Scout Factory
  • Hyundai and Kia Criticized about Stolen Car Problems by Attorneys General
  • Dodge Rolls Out Final “Last Call” Model: a 1,025-Hp Challenger SRT Demon 170
  • Acura’s New Integra Type S Launching with 320 Hp
  • First Look: Ferrari Roma Spider
  • What do Americans Think of EV Ownership Today?
  • Challenger Fain Edges Closer to UAW Presidency
  • Week Ahead: All About the Cars — Except for the UAW Part
  • The Rearview Mirror: Birth of a Sports Car Legend
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • First Drive: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70
    • First Drive: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Jeep Compass Limited
    • A Week With: 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series
    • A Week With: 2023 Volvo XC40 AWD Ultimate
    • First Drive: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
    • First Drive: 2023 Lexus RZ 450e
    • A Week With: 2023 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 Manual
    • First Impression: 2024 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD

        A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD

        This two-row midsize SUV deserves more attention than it gets.

        Jeff Zurschmeide
        Jeff Zurschmeide , Executive Editor
        March 08, 2023

        While the SUV world obsesses over the Bronco, Wagoneer and other retro nameplates, there’s been one model out there flying under the radar. That should end, and the Chevrolet Blazer should get attention that it deserves. 

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD front 3-4
        As a two-row midsize SUV aimed squarely at the heart of the new car buying demographic — adults over 50 — the 2023 Chevrolet Blazer is a more compelling SUV than expected.

        As a two-row midsize SUV aimed squarely at the heart of the new car buying demographic — adults over 50 — this is an important vehicle for Chevrolet, and a more compelling SUV than you might have thought. 

        Overview

        The Chevrolet Blazer was released in its current generation in 2019. If ever there was an inopportune moment to release a vehicle, the period just before the world locked down for COVID had to be the worst. 

        Despite this, the Blazer was a smart move for Chevy, giving the brand a competitor to the wildly successful Jeep Grand Cherokee and other two-rows such as the Ford Edge, Toyota Venza and Nissan Murano. 

        While those SUVs don’t get the magazine covers, they appeal to an important segment — grown-ups who no longer need to haul a soccer team or buy groceries by the ton at the big box store. For this segment, an SUV with reasonable luxury at a reasonable price is attractive, and they have the money to buy it. 

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD side
        In terms of curb appeal, the Blazer doesn’t depart from the successful crossover SUV formula.

        Exterior

        In terms of curb appeal, the Blazer doesn’t depart from the successful crossover SUV formula. It’s got enough shape to look sporty and pugnacious but isn’t so wild as to turn off the target buyer. The Blazer doesn’t quite blend in the way the midsize family wagons do, but neither is it a self-conscious statement of wealth or machismo. It’s a nice-looking crossover, suitable for a trip to the mall or the country club. 

        Interior

        Because the Blazer does not have to make room for a third row, both the front and back seats offer plenty of space. All the compromises that you have to make to wedge that cramped seat in the cargo area go away. Chevrolet accentuates that with an interior that is modern, comfortable and oriented toward a mature owner. 

        That means you won’t find a single pane of glass mounted on the dash in a science fiction imagining of the SUV of 2050 or a shifter you need to figure out like a puzzle. The Blazer is a no-nonsense vehicle, but depending on trim level, you will have leather touch surfaces, a heated steering wheel and wireless phone charging. The Blazer interior is well thought out, roomy and easy to live with. 

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD rear 3-4
        It’s a nice-looking crossover, suitable for a trip to the mall or the country club.

        Powertrain

        The Blazer comes with two driveline options. The first is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 228 horsepower, mostly installed on lower-cost trims. Our test vehicle came equipped with the engine you want, which is a 3.6-liter V-6 putting out 308 hp and 270 pound-feet of torque. 

        When we last drove the Blazer, the 4-cylinder felt like it was working too hard, while the V-6 simply offers plenty of power. Both engines are paired with 9-speed automatic transmissions and the buyer’s choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. 

        You’ll sacrifice a couple of mpg to get the V-6, but not a lot. When equipped with AWD, the four-banger gets 27 mpg on the highway, and the V-6 returns 26 mpg. There’s a 3-mpg difference in city driving. Towing is rated at 1,500 pounds without the optional trailering package. When equipped with the trailer package, you can pull 3,250 lbs with the 4-cylinder, or 4,500 with the V-6. 

        Safety and Technology

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD interior
        The Blazer features an interior that is modern, comfortable and oriented toward a mature owner.

        The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rated the 2023 Blazer with its top five-star crash test rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rates the Blazer as “good” in all crash tests, which is as good as it gets. The only ding IIHS has against the Blazer is that the child seat LATCH system is not easy to use. They gave the Blazer an “Acceptable” rating there. 

        Like all automakers, Chevrolet has a whole package of driver assistance and safety features. Standard equipment on the Blazer includes automatic braking, lane keeping, automatic headlights, and a following distance indicator. Additionally, 360-degree HD cameras, adaptive cruise control, rear camera mirror and other advanced features are available in an option package. 

        On our test car, the front sensors would sound randomly for no reason, and the blind-spot detection would sound when changing lanes even though the coast was clear; it was sensing cars two lanes away. 

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD rear seat
        Because the Blazer does not have to make room for a third row, both the front and back seats offer plenty of space.

        A 10-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard on all trims. Higher trim levels include a wireless phone charging pad. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. Chevrolet’s Infotainment 3 system is generally easy to use, and in the upper trims comes with GPS Navigation. 

        Driving Impressions

        The driving experience of the Blazer is where this vehicle really surprised me. I remembered that I wasn’t all that impressed with the Blazer at its launch. It was nice enough, but would it really compete with the Grand Cherokee? The answer now is a resounding yes, with the sole caveat that if you want to go off-road, the Jeep is probably still the right choice. 

        The Blazer probably could handle some off-road work, but that’s not the intention. This is a nice SUV for urban and suburban living, and probably won’t do more off-road than it takes to get to the ski slopes or the fishing stream.  

        The V-6 engine and 9-speed transmission provides a well-matched amount of power for the Blazer. It’s not a hot rod, but not a lazy dog, either. The Blazer feels stable and solid on the road, and it’s quieter inside than I remembered. Overall, the Blazer is easy to get along with, and would be a fantastic choice as a year-round commuter vehicle or for a long-distance road trip. If there are just two people in your everyday family, the Blazer can easily be your only vehicle. 

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD Specifications

        DimensionL: 191.8 inches/W: 76.7 inches/H: 67 inches/Wheelbase: 112.7 inches
        Weight4,313 pounds
        Powertrain3.6-liter V-6 engine; 9-speed automatic transmission, AWD
        Fuel Economy19 mpg city/26 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
        Performance Specs308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque
        PriceBase price: $47,095; As tested: $50,865 including $1,395 destination charge
        On-Sale DateAvailable now

        Wrap Up

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD cargo
        The Blazer interior is well thought out, roomy and easy to live with.

        Chevrolet offers the Blazer in four trim levels. The base 2LT starts at $36,495 with front-drive, or $39,195 with AWD. If you want that V-6, you have to bump up one level to 3LT and pay a little more at $41,195 for FWD, or $43,895 with AWD. At that point, you might as well go with the sporty RS trim that we tested. That comes with most of the goodies and stickers at $47,095. 

        For the same money or a little more, you can get the top Premier trim, but that’s mostly just visual stuff like a chrome grille. All trims carry a $1,395 destination fee, but Chevrolet is also offering incentives, so talk to your dealer. 

        We don’t think you can do a lot better than the RS trim, even though it’s more than $10,000 over the cheapest possible Blazer. With this trim you get almost all the good stuff, including the AWD, V-6, and most of the tech. There’s an additional Driver Confidence II package at $1,375 which gets you the camera mirror, adaptive cruise, and 360-degree camera system, as well as an upgrade to the emergency automatic braking. That’s the main option package you’ll want. 

        In all, our test Blazer came out at $50,865, which is a healthy price, but you also get a lot for your money. When you compare it to the direct competitors, the Blazer is right in the big part of the bell curve on price, and substantially less than the premium brands with the same features.

        2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD ­— Frequently Asked Questions

        Is the Chevrolet Blazer reliable?

        The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer has a J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 86 out of 100. A score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average and 0-69 is considered below average.

        Is the Blazer bigger than the Equinox?

        The Blazer is bigger and slightly more spacious than the Equinox.

        How long does a Chevrolet Blazer last?

        A well-maintained 2020 Chevy Blazer can last around 250,000 miles.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 front 3-4 REL

        First Drive: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70

        Yesterday
        2023 Nissan Ariya at Sonoma Raceway

        First Drive: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce AWD

        March 20, 2023

        A Week With: 2023 Jeep Compass Limited

        March 16, 2023

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: