The Camaro Of Crossovers

Canyon-Carving In The 2019 Chevrolet Blazer

- Gary Witzenburg

There we were, pushing an all-new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS hard through miles of two-lane twists and turns on the high plateau west of San Diego on the way to Julian, California. Just ahead, another hard-driving scribe in another new Blazer RS. Ahead of it, none of the usual local traffic or revenuers filling ticket quotas. The other Blazer pulled off for photos, but whoever was piloting it was clearly enjoying this unfettered romp as much as we were.

We kept reminding ourselves that we were driving a front-wheel-drive–biased midsize CUV, not a low-slung Camaro. Its 308hp 3.6L V-6 was strong, and its ninespeed automatic selected proper ratios into, through, and out of each corner. Its Camarolike EPS steering (16:1 ratio standard, 15:1 on the RS) was precise, its brakes sure and fadefree, and its available 21-inch tires clinging to the asphalt like proverbial Velcro. It might have been the most exhilarating CUV drive we’ve tasted this side of a racetrack run. Our only disappointment was the lack of steeringwheel shift paddles, though we eventually figured out that we could manually up- and downshift for corners with a rocker switch with the console shift lever in “L.”

When we interviewed Rick Spina, this surprising new Blazer’s executive chief engineer, he confirmed that its agile on-road handling was no accident. Its mission began with aggressive styling to set it apart in the increasingly tough and competitive field of midsize CUVs and finished with a mandate for its dynamics to live up to that sporty new look.