2023 Chevrolet Blazer: If looks could win, then here’s to victory

2023 Chevrolet Blazer AWD RS v. 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Altitude 4x4: Battle of the midsize SUVs.

Price: $50,865 as tested. Driver Confidence Package II added rear-seat alert, adaptive cruise, rear camera mirror, HD surround vision for $1,375; black 21-inch wheels for $1,000; more below.

Marketer’s pitch: “The trendsetter.”

Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver says it’s “fiercely styled for an SUV, smooth ride on standard 18-inch wheels, cargo area and rear seat are spacious,” but it suffers from “some cheap interior bits, no hybrid option to boost fuel economy, pricier than nicer rivals.”

Reality: The first contestant aces appearance, but temperament, not so much.

What’s new: The hoary old Blazer hearkens back to earliest SUVs one can think of, back to 1969, even. Back when the frame components swallowed most of the interior space, when the ride was Murray mower level, when gas was gleefully guzzled.

After a few midsize incarnations through the ‘90s, this latest incarnation of the Blazer came to us in 2019. It’s a giant leap from its origins — we should all be so lucky — but among the competition it seems … bland.

The truck gets a refreshed look for the 2023 model year. Some new exterior colors round out the look, and wireless charging on all models add to the fun.

Buyers who want the true Blazer excitement will have to choose a 2024: That’s the year the world meets the Chevrolet Blazer EV, which has already garnered Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year for the 2024 model year.

Competition: In addition to the Grand Cherokee, the class includes the Ford Bronco, Honda Passport, Subaru Outback, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Venza, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Up to speed: The Chevy Blazer featuring the 3.6-liter V-6 engine definitely performed admirably. With 308 horsepower, the Blazer roared onto highways, even when those highways turn into long uphill stretches like some parts of Route 30 in Chester County. Car and Driver reports the 0-60 time is 6.6 seconds. A 228-horsepower turbo four-cylinder is also available.

On the down side, power delivery could be uneven, particularly when decelerating around corners. It brings to mind an aged Plymouth Reliant I once had that liked to stall when I turned left. (No stalling here, but still not reassuring.)

Shifty: The 9-speed automatic transmission operates without drawing any attention to itself. It better, because there’s no shift capability, and even controlling the gears on your own is lame — just a button on the shifter.

On the road: Handling in the Blazer was sure and easy. Sport, all-wheel-drive, and two-wheel-drive modes all were equally competent. The SUV stayed stable on curves and corners, but it wasn’t fun.

Front-wheel drive is the default option on the Blazer, so this is no heavy-duty off-roader.

Driver’s Seat: The cockpit provides a comfortable and roomy base of operations. Nice gauges caught my eye, and they looked a little better than the usual GM offerings.

The black seats are covered in leather.

Friends and stuff: The rear seat is roomy and comfortable — legs, feet, and head should all enjoy the ride. Spine, too, as the seat itself is supportive and well-appointed. They’re even heated courtesy of the $950 Enhanced Convenience Package, which also heated and cooled the front seats and made the steering wheel adjustments power-operated.

Buyers looking for three rows will need to upgrade to the Traverse or Tahoe. (Or next week’s Jeep Grand Cherokee.)

Cargo space is 30.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 60.2 behind the first.

Towing capacity maxes out at 4,500 pounds, but that’s available in the all-wheel-drive version.

Play some tunes: The 10.2-inch touchscreen seemed larger than its dimensions and easy to follow. A couple buttons outside don’t help much, but the home button gets you back to a nice iPhone-worthy home screen that does everything simply.

Sound from the system was an A-. CarPlay seemed to have trouble connecting on startup every time, which could be my phone or the Blazer.

Keeping warm and cool: Circular vents like those found in the Blazer remain my favorite, for usefulness and attractiveness. The Blazer’s keep the air well-directed and are easy to shut off.

The system operation is a bit cumbersome — there’s a whole bunch of buttons in a row under the infotainment screen, directing the source of the air, the heating and cooling of the seats, and more. So. Many. Buttons.

And this from a guy who whines when everything happens in the touchscreen. Can he be pleased? Yes — three dials: Temperature, air source, fan speed. Voilà.

There’s even a pair of temperature displays, one for Team Driver’s Seat and the other for Team Passengers’ Seat. I pressed them, but they’re just squishy LED readouts. I tried pressing above and below. Nothing. Rings around the vents handle this function, and I couldn’t decide if it was awesome or silly. I have big paws and it works for me, but smaller hands might have a harder time

Fuel economy: I averaged around 19 mpg or a little less, very disappointing.

Where it’s built: Ramos Arizpe, Mexico

How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Blazer reliability to be a 4 out of 5.

Next week: How does the Grand Cherokee L stack up?