SUVs have seen such a dramatic rise in popularity over the past 5-7 years that many brands are completely changing up their product line to mass produce these innovative and fun-to-drive vehicles. The staff at Motor Trend has tested the Chevy Blazer quite a bit since it was released in 2019 and were highly impressed with the RS trim's high-quality interior and handling during their SUV of the Year competition. Recently they had another lengthy go in the Blazer RS, and instead of stacking it up against its direct competition, looked within our lineup and saw how it compared to the 2019 Chevy Traverse Premier FWD.
We enjoyed the first-take analysis of the Traverse, as the group claimed it “is like a pair of Chuck Taylors – easy to live with and use every day, but maybe not for hard exercise.” We stand proudly behind every single make and model here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis, but still, understand that models made for practicality aren't always known for their aggressive stance. The Blazer, on the other hand, is more akin to a purpose-built pair of trainers.
Even though they are both different, one similarity is that they reside very close to each other in price. The interiors have a few major differences. The Traverse has three rows and seating for up to eight, so it’s the one to have your eye on if your family or business has been growing. The Blazer has two rows and seating for five, and for this reason, will always flaunt a much sportier stance. Drawing heavy influence from the Camaro, the Blazer's interior feels quite a bit more modern immediately. The climate controls in the Blazer are perhaps a bit easier to get the hang of, and punch and pizzazz work to replace practicality and routine-seeming essence.
Both SUVs are powered by a 3.6-liter V6 paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the Blazer cranks out 308 horsepower while the Traverse produces 310. They are neck and neck in the torque department, with the Blazer seeing 270 lb-ft, and the Traverse ranked at 266 lb-ft. Once you hit the open road, it's not a surprise that the Blazer is overall much easier to control, and behind the wheel it feels as though the “car will do whatever you tell it to.” At a fair amount of speed, it's more responsive and easier to drive.
What these skilled-and-seasoned test drivers concluded was that as you are sizing up both of these SUVs, it mostly depends on how you want to drive, and how big your family is. The Blazer has a sense of being compact and competent that you just can’t quite get behind the wheel of the Traverse, but it’s a suitable and commanding drive if you have more people in tow. If you’re a recent grad or otherwise just beginning your path and career, the aggressive edge of the Blazer could suit you to perfection!