2004 Chevrolet Blazer Review
Pros & Cons
- Wide range of features and options, competent drivetrain, cheap price.
- Aged platform, spotty build quality, low-grade interior parts, uncomfortable rear seats, poor resale value.
Other years
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Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2004 Chevrolet Blazer.
Most helpful consumer reviews
habanero84,12/07/2014
I bought this car cheap roughly 6 years ago with the intention of just using it for the snow. Now I don't think I ever want to trade it in. It's got 140k miles on it and the engine still purrs like a kitten. The interior is comfortable and the controls are simple (perfect!). Best of all: this thing is a god in the snow. For people looking for a great snow vehicle, you can't beat this suv. Nothing scares me while I'm driving this. I abuse this car massively - driving over curbs, off-roading, putting the "top heavy" feature to the test on these curvy roads, and treating it like my own personal toboggan in the snow. Did I mention it also has tons of space for hauling? Love love love it.
Erica S.,03/13/2016
LS 4WD 4dr SUV (4.3L 6cyl 4A)
I bought this Blazer in October of 2015, for $4k at a local used car joint, as is, with 89k miles. I bought it because it was a Chevy, it was cheap, it was built on a truck body, and it had real 4WD. It hasn't let me down.
Since I bought it, I DID have to replace the master cylinder and I have a starter being shipped right now (she still runs reliably, the starter is just temperamental so I'll replace it for $45 brand new, no big deal). Both parts were cheap, because the Blazer is basically an S10/Astrovan, and parts are everywhere for it, which is part of why I bought it.
I drive twenty miles to work, over mountains and hills in northeast Pennsylvania, rain or shine. I had a Nissan Maxima (which was equally awesome, if it was dry and sunny year round). I NEEDED something that could cart me to work in the winter, and I was NOT DISAPPOINTED.
This January, we had a pretty massive Blizzard overnight into the next day. That morning at 6AM, I started driving to work in my Blazer. I couldn't see the road for all the snow, visibility was poor... I made it only 10 minutes later than usual. When 2pm rolled around and we closed early, I drove two coworkers home, and started my uphill trek home. I made the 25 minute drive in 45. I did not slide once. NOT ONCE. My husband's 2009 Silverado looked like a beached whale in comparison. He got stuck in the driveway, while my Blazer just crawled right through. This little thing is a BEAST. I've never felt so safe in a snow storm, and it was a literal BLIZZARD and I have horrifying anxiety.
Sure, it's 12 years old. Sure, it looks like an S10. Sure, it's not that fancy. Sure, you might need a low cost part here and there. But, and this is a big but, if you want a cheap, reliable snow tank... buy a Blazer. I just wish Chevrolet hadn't given up on them, the world needs SUV built on truck bodies.
And everyone complains about the gas... I fill up once a week maybe an extra $5 if I went above and beyond that week, but it uses about as much as my 6 cylinder Maxima did, slightly more. Mostly it seems as though they should have just made the tank itself a bit bigger. After having made my commute in my husband's Silverado, this thing might as well be a smart car lol.
bfamily2,10/28/2011
Love our Blazer, it has survived:
front collision, hitting a tree, then the tree falling on it, hulling trailer loads of wood, pulling rocks and stumps, getting stuck in the snow to the point the front bumper was ripped off.
We have the opinion that you buy a vehicle to serve you and this SUV has taken everything we have had to offer just fine.
After everything it is still our main vehicle 2 car seats fit pretty nice in the back (you cant put the front seat all the way back).
The interior doesnt stain or scratch very easy.
We do a lot of traveling and we feel very safe in it.
We are excited to see how many Blazers make it well past 200,000 miles, we will be keeping ours.
Garth,07/12/2009
Chevrolet based this compact SUV on their S10 pickup. This means that it is a truck based SUV which is some what of a rarity in today's world. The down side is that this adds weight but to me, I plan to own this truck for a long time and the frame offers some great jacking points. The power trane is based on the Chevrolet 350 V8 minus 2 cylinders so the basic design has millions of development miles under its belt. From a service stand point, the push rod motor eliminates the need to replace a cam belt which is an expensive requirement on many of its competitors. The automatic transmission offers electronic control which helps with drivability. The truck is a proven design which I prefer.