The 2021 Blazer isn't the off-road scrambler you may remember from years ago. Today's Blazer is better suited to on-road performance with its sharp handling and well-damped ride. There's a cost for its showstopping Camaro-like design: Rear headroom is severely compromised, and utility is limited given its small cargo capacity.
The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer sets itself apart from the rest of the midsize SUV crowd with distinctive and muscular styling. Essentially, Chevy took what could otherwise be a ho-hum family hauler and gave it an extreme makeover using clothes from the Camaro's closet. The accessorizing continues on the inside where you'll find a dashboard that has some Camaro-like design cues.
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Pleasingly, there's some substance behind the Blazer's looks. It has agile handling for an SUV, and its optional V6 engine provides robust acceleration. We also like that it comes with Chevy's newest infotainment system, which is responsive and easy to use.
What we're not so fond of are the compromises made by that sporty styling. Rear-seat headroom is limited and cargo capacity suffers as well. Other five-passenger midsize SUVs such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda Passport are significantly more practical and don't give up much in terms of outright performance to the Blazer.
Edmunds Expert Rating
edmunds TESTED
by the Edmunds Experts
Average
7.3
out of 10
We drove the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.
How does the Blazer drive? Strong acceleration and crisp handling are two of the Blazer's hallmarks. The V6-powered Blazer we tested sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. That's quick for this type of vehicle and a bit better than the Honda Passport and the Ford Edge with its turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Blazer is also agile through turns, with well-controlled body roll.
It's not all roses, however. Slow and heavy steering — combined with rampant torque steer, an undesirable trait where the steering wheel tugs in your hands when you mash the gas — negates most of the Blazer's sporting pretensions. Optional all-wheel drive is meant more for wet-weather driving than any legitimate off-road use, which is also hampered by the Blazer's lower ride height compared to the Jeep Cherokee or Subaru Outback.
Comfort: Stable ride, noisy cabin
7/10
How comfortable is the Blazer? For the most part, the Blazer delivers the on-road comfort you expect from a modern SUV. The ride is stable and controlled without being overly harsh. The front seats are well bolstered and remain supportive for long stretches. The rear seats are fairly flat but are set at a comfortable angle and height.
The Blazer isn't particularly quiet — the cabin is awash in wind, road and tire noise as you cruise along the highway. You might have to raise your voice to talk with rear passengers. The climate control system takes a while to warm the cabin, and seat heaters are slow to activate.
Interior: Comfy front seats, rear constraints
7/10
How’s the interior? Slipping in and out of the cabin is easy, but the Blazer's sloping roofline restricts rear headroom for 6-foot-plus passengers. There's also only enough shoulder room to comfortably seat two across in the back. Up front, there's more room and a wide range of steering wheel and seat adjustments to fit drivers of most sizes.
Drawbacks continue with placement of the controls. Certain buttons and knobs are cryptically marked and awkwardly arranged. Like the similarly styled Camaro sport coupe, the Blazer's outward visibility is compromised, particularly over your shoulder and to the rear. We recommend getting a Blazer with the available blind-spot monitoring system.
Technology: Touchscreen gets the basics right
8/10
How’s the tech? The Blazer touchscreen has crisp graphics and an easy-to-use interface. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality is also included, but the native interface is fine in its own right. The available Bose audio system isn't quite "premium," but it's decent. Sound quality is solidly midrange and can't go too loud before distortion sets in.
As for the voice commands, they require a fairly rigid syntax, and conversational speech is often met with prompts to repeat. The Blazer's advanced driver aids work well.
Storage: Blazer cargo is disappointingly tight
6.5/10
How’s the storage? The Blazer lacks the cargo capacity of most of its competitors. The cargo area measures 64 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which is far less than competitors such as the Passport or Hyundai Santa Fe. In particular, the Blazer's tall liftover height creates a challenge when loading heavy, bulky loads. That said, its clever cargo rail system is useful for securing items of varying lengths and sizes.
There's not much room inside the cabin for your personal effects. The center console is wide and deep, but the door pockets are shallow and narrow.
A properly equipped Blazer with all-wheel drive and the V6 engine can tow up to 4,500 pounds, which is an average amount for a midsize crossover SUV.
Fuel Economy: 21.1 mpg beats EPA expectations
7/10
How’s the fuel economy? Over about 1,245 test miles, our front-wheel-drive test Blazer V6 returned 19.5 mpg. That's a bit off from its EPA rating of 22 mpg in combined city/highway driving. But on our official mixed-driving evaluation route, the Blazer achieved 21.1 mpg, meeting expectations.
Value: Warranty helps, performance doesn’t
7/10
Is the Blazer a good value? With a pleasant but plain interior, smaller cargo capacity than rivals, average driving performance, and class-average pricing, the Blazer offers questionable value relative to other midsize SUVs. It doesn't do anything much better than the others, with the lone exception of crisper cornering — not high on our list of SUV needs.
The warranty is respectable, however. Like most rivals, the Blazer enjoys basic coverage for three years/36,000 miles while the powertrain warranty is good for five years/60,000 miles. Roadside assistance is covered during the powertrain warranty period, and unlike many rivals, the Blazer's plan includes one complimentary service visit during the first year of ownership.
Wildcard: Fun-to-drive feel needs Camaro magic
8/10
The Blazer would be more fun if it drove like the Camaro that inspires it. Instead it's a mildly sporty SUV that's more playful in turns than most of its competitors. Strip away the big front grille and the bold exterior styling, and the Blazer is an average midsize SUV. But that styling counts for something, especially in a class prone to anonymity.
*The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Click here to see all Chevrolet vehicles' destination freight charges. Dealer sets the final price.
2021 Chevrolet Blazer trim level differences
The Blazer is a five-passenger SUV available in six trim levels: L, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, RS and Premier. Three engines are available: two four-cylinders (one turbocharged) and a V6. All are connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional on the 2LT, 3LT, RS and Premier trims. The Blazer's significant features include: Compare the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer trim levels in-depth.
Which Blazer trim does Edmunds recommend?
The cost of a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer can escalate quickly. As such, we recommend that you stick with the 2LT trim level. This choice ensures you get the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine as well as the new Chevy Safety Assist package, which bundles popular driver aids such as automatic emergency braking and lane keeping assist. To this, we'd add the Convenience and Driver Confidence package, which adds nice-to-have features such as heated seats, a programmable power liftgate, auto-dimming side mirrors and rear cross-traffic alert.
The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 1 recall. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5, ranks it #3 out of 29 among Compact SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent
#3 out of 29 among Compact SUVs
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$463/yr
vs. $465/yr for Average Compact SUV
Frequency
0.13x/yr
vs. 1x/yr for Average Compact SUV
Severity
11.9%
vs. 11.5% for Average Compact SUV
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
1 recall found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
20V811000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N202322230
Number of vehicles affected:
470
Defect Description:
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Defect Consequence:
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 6, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
2021 Chevrolet Blazer Premier 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
About Me:
I'm 6' 3", my son is 6' 7". We look at GM as brand that supports tall drivers and passengers. I want a car that has safety features especially automatic braking, high resolution backup camera, and wide enough that 2 adults can share the center arm rest. ( I hate theaters with shared arm rests). I rarely tow, but want the option. 4WD is must in Canadian Winters. A heated … steering wheel is a must for me. If your hands feel warm, the rest of you does too. Remote start should preheat or cool the cabin, not just start the engine. I look for a vehicle that has good handling and precise steering and no torque steer at low and medium acceleration. In 4WD no torque steer should be noticeable at high acceleration. Tech integration is important to me.
The cons:
The head room in the back is low for my 6' 7 son, he can fit a bit squashed. The adjust-steering wheel button on side of steering wheel can be hit by a tall persons knee causing the steering wheel to lower and crush knee. Two memory settings with 3 drivers is a problem. Lastly, the passenger side wiper pivots from the center of the car, leaving a "blind spot" for tall passengers. (I prefer pivoting from the edges which has better coverage. 21" tires are a bit noisy on bumpy roads. Doors don't automatically relock if you accidentally pocket-press. (yes option to auto-lock is selected). Hands free rear hatch open, often takes 2 try's of foot waving. The memory settings need more features to understand my wife and I like different display options. OnStar day-to-day use with a 10 minute response time is too slow to be useful. The SD card slot in a user accessible area with map data makes no sense to me. My SD card shows an error and after 1 month still trying to get a service appointment, was fixed with a new SD card.
The discovered good:
Gas mileage for me was better than sticker using adaptive cruise control on the highway. Engine changes to 4 cylinders when 6 are not needed. The twin clutch with torque vectoring pulls you through corners on the highway is so extremely satisfying, making you feel like you are driving on a banked turn. The rear head rests have tilt buttons on them, so that they don't hit the front seat when folding the rear seats down. All windows can be lowered from the remote ( just not raised). This helps as you approach the car on hot days. The wireless android auto and wireless charger are musts for my wife that hates wires and mess. Tested with iphone XR, and Samsung S21. Room for charging 2 phones would be nice though.
The Vehicle's Amazon Echo is functional via cell phone without an OnStar data plan. This is handy.
I have not had to clean the rear camera often. The automatic cleaner does the job perfectly. The headlight beam pattern is interesting. On my garage door this shows that light is projected in the most intelligent way with a hard horizontal line. I suspect these will perform well in fog and reduce light into the eyes of oncoming traffic. The seat cooling works but fan can be a bit noisy on high. Sun Visor vanity lights are soft-start, giving your eyes time to adjust.
The awesome must-have features once you try them:
Adaptive cruise control is amazing, its faster reacting than me, but controls speed much like I would.
The must have haptic seat for alert warnings is so much better than beeping, especially when having conversations. It alerts you to the direction of the hazard. I want one of those for my XBOX.
Rear Cross Traffic alert, sees things before I do.
Hotspot access - I can connect the Blazer to my homes WIFI network, or to my cellphones hot spot.
Bose Speakers - excellent HQ sound for streaming from phone. Sirius radio sounds flat and unappealing to me.
Additional items after 8 months of ownership:
The 4 wheel drive and handling in deep snow, 4 inches with a few 16 " snow banks to cross, was great with no notice pull to either side when accelerating or braking.
Automatic braking works well, my wife has tested it 3 times!
USB MP3 play back works great and saves some bandwidth
The electronic parking brake works well, the main advantage is that no pedal or hand-lever needed, making more space available for your feet or console.
Zero issues with the wireless phone charger, unlike my Chevy Cruze, which never worked with anything.
Garage door open buttons do no light up, making them hard to find in the dark.
More testing needed:
Tire Fill Alert: did not beep when adjusting tire pressure resulting in over inflation. More testing needed, perhaps the pressure has to be lower first.
Small issue with music streaming from my cell phone, with music pausing ever other second. This needs more testing and was cleared by turning the phone's WIFI on and off.
Features Desired:
Auto Tilt mirrors for parking. The car is wide parking spaces are not.
2 more loops at rear hatch to hang cargo net with 4 tie points.
hooks that attach to cargo organizer bar to hold shopping bags.
Cheap 21" winter rims.
Brighter day time running lights.
Paddle shifter or equivalent for downshifting before passing.
Ejection seat on wife's side.
All Killer No Filler
5 out of 5 stars
Dennis H. , 02/13/2021
2021 Chevrolet Blazer Premier 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
Power is excellent with the 3.6 V6. The transmission shifts perfect. I would like to have seen the console have a built in phone holder but it’s not a necessity. The interior is sporty and there is head room for taller guys. Just a solid car all the way around.
Love my premier
5 out of 5 stars
Stef, 11/27/2020
2021 Chevrolet Blazer Premier 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
Sporty looks and handling, comfy seats, lots of power with the v6, lack of head room? Give me a break, im 6ft tall and have never had so much head room! Plus tons of leg room front and rear. Great fuel economy if you drive like [non-permissible content removed] but not so great if you like to have fun. Overall love it.
Pirates Pearl
5 out of 5 stars
Pirates Pearl , 11/18/2020
2021 Chevrolet Blazer RS 4dr SUV (3.6L 6cyl 9A)
2021 Chevy Blazer RS...has all of the bells and whistles. My vehicle is iridescent Pearl with 21” rims. A true head turner. All of the features are easy to use and I especially like the lane assist. The Blazer has made a huge comeback!!! It’s a very comfortable ride with power and the Bose sound system makes this a stellar ride.