It must be a slow day if the ClassicCars.com Journal is writing about an SUV but, trust me, it’s not a slow day. If anything, it’s a day to celebrate because Motor Trend has just announced the winner for its SUV of the Year: the Chevrolet Blazer EV. Yay, America!
Alright, maybe the day’s slower than I’m admitting . . .
“Chevrolet has truly nailed the design and functionality with the Blazer EV, which looks and operates just as an industry-leading all-electric SUV should,” says Motor Trend’s Ed Loh. “The Chevy Blazer EV offers an effortless driving experience, seamlessly integrates into your lifestyle and boasts user friendliness that’s hard to match.”
There used to be a certain magic with Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award even if, in retrospect, many of the winners turned out to be turkeys. The award was a moment of excitement, somewhat like a second act after all the new models started to appear in September. From my perspective, while Mom went shopping, I’d make a beeline to the magazine rack and see what the latest magazines were featuring, with a Car of the Year announcement always a welcome headline.
Starting in 1999, Motor Trend expanded COTY to SUV of the Year, recognizing the segment’s emergence as a sales leader. For 2024, the new Chevrolet Blazer EV is the winner. Built on the flexible Ultium battery structure, the Blazer EV will be offered with two battery-pack sizes and, interestingly enough, available in FWD, RWD, and AWD configurations.
I remember when the Blazer first came out for 2019, sales were somewhat slow. Magazines felt it was somewhat pricey for its class, though maybe it was due to utility being a bit less than the class leaders only because the Camaro-inspired Blazer had made several (welcome) concessions to style. Over time, the Blazer has become more popular and now, for 2024, it has been joined by the Blazer EV.
Though looking similar to each other, the Blazer EV loses the Camaro influence but clearly the family resemblance is there. Styling is slightly different between the two models, with the full-width headlight bar, taillights, and unusual front fender extractors being the most noticeable. The Blazer EV loses several of the attractive elements that made the Blazer among the most stylish of SUVs, but it also looks like a Blazer given the EV styling treatment that’s contemporary for the moment. Inside, a 17.7-inch diagonal customizable infotainment touch screen dominates the dashboard.
“We are excited and honored to receive this recognition for the Blazer EV,” says Chevrolet’s vice president, Scott Bell. “This vehicle takes convenience and customer choice to the next level, a major step in delivering on Chevrolet’s promise to provide an EV for everyone.”
The Blazer EV will be available in LT, RS, and SS trim levels. The former two use a standard dual-motor AWD system making 288 horses and 333 lb-ft of torque. The range will be 279 miles but, if that’s not enough for you, you can opt for a RWD version for the RS that will achieve 320 miles. If the SS is more your cup of tea, that will feature a dual-motor AWD system producing 557 horses and 648 lb-ft of torque. The LT starts at $56,715, while the RS starts at $60,215; the SS will become available in spring 2024 so no pricing information is currently available.
If none of the three EV trim levels are of interest to you, then should be able to find satisfaction with the conventional Blazer with four trim levels plus two special editions.
But they won’t be Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year.
Source: www.classiccars.com