Last month, Chevrolet announced the 2019 Blazer would begin at $29,995, undercutting the likes of Ford Edge and Nissan Murano. But Cars Direct has gone through the order guide and did some analysis. What they found out is that Blazer isn't as a good deal as Chevrolet is promoting to be.

Let's start with the base the Blazer L which begins at $29,995. CarsDirect believes this model "is likely intended mainly for advertising purposes." This is something we saw before when Buick launched the Regal TourX. The L model is also excluded from factory discounts. Most buyers will likely be pushed towards the 1LT which begins at $33,495 - $1,700 more expensive than the Murano S and $2,505 more expensive than the Edge SE. Both the Murano and Edge pack more powerful engines (Blazer uses a 2.5L four-cylinder with 193 hp and 188 lb-ft of torque) and have the option of AWD. The Blazer can only get AWD on 2LT models and above.

The 2LT begins at $34,495 and adds the 3.6L V6 engine - 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. If you want AWD, be prepared to shell out an additional $2,700. Again, AWD is cheaper on the Murano ($1,600) and Edge ($1,950). 

Another disappointment for the Blazer is how much you need to shell out for advanced driver assistance features. If you want adaptive cruise control and front collision warning, then first you need pay $41,795 for the RS and then add $3,575 for Enhanced Convenience and Driver Confidence II Package. If you want automatic emergency braking, then you'll need to step up to the top-line Premier at $43,895 and add the Driver Confidence Package II for an additional $2,165. AEB is standard on the Murano and Edge.

Based on this analysis, it does make the Blazer a bit of a tough sell. We'll have to see how things play out in the coming months.

Source: CarsDirect

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This blows as I like the looks of the Blazer, but GM seems to think they can play in the luxo price tier and not really offer any value in their Chevy line. Someone seems to have lost track of what bracket Chevy plays in especially in relation to Buick, GMC and Cadillac not to mention the competition.

So it's priced comparably to the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Highlander, etc.   Not sure if it offers anything better than those, esp. with a new Explorer and GC (NG is supposed to have a 3 row version available) coming..  is the Blazer going to be 2 and 3 row, or are they leaving the 3 row for the Traverse? 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Want an AWD Blazer RS? It'll cost more than an Edge ST. ?

7 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

So it's priced comparably to the Explorer, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Highlander, etc.   Not sure if it offers anything better than those, esp. with a new Explorer and GC (NG is supposed to have a 3 row version available) coming..  is the Blazer going to be 2 and 3 row, or are they leaving the 3 row for the Traverse? 

My understanding is a 2 row CUV. I honestly think GM is going to have to discount them heavy to move as what is in the full story and what Will has posted here shows it to be uncompetitive.

Ok, so more of an Edge competitor..right.  Above the Equinox, below the Traverse.

And it’s ugly to boot. 

New Santa Fe is priced better too for the most part.. cheapest base motor AWD is under 30K and includes active safety.

 

With that pricing, just get a three row and call it a day.  Probably much better resale value on a good three row as well.  My brother-in-law's Ascent is pretty nice and doesn't offer a chintzy base motor FWD option or require a top trim level to get active safety like it is 2015.

 

 

 

 

I know they're 3-rows, but the Highlander and Pilot both come with the active safety features at much lower prices.   On both, they are standard.... on the RAV4 they are standard, on the CR-V they're standard on the EX and above.  Ford Edge comes with Co-Pilot 360 standard. On the CX-9, it's a $1,290 option available on the base model.

With all of those heavy hitters on either side of the segment, it's odd that Chevy continues to choose to bring a knife to a gun-fight with under-equipped vehicles. 

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Want an AWD Blazer RS? It'll cost more than an Edge ST. ?

Edge ST seems like a desirable package.  I would not mind test driving one.

9 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I know they're 3-rows, but the Highlander and Pilot both come with the active safety features at much lower prices.   On both, they are standard.... on the RAV4 they are standard, on the CR-V they're standard on the EX and above.  Ford Edge comes with Co-Pilot 360 standard. On the CX-9, it's a $1,290 option available on the base model.

With all of those heavy hitters on either side of the segment, it's odd that Chevy continues to choose to bring a knife to a gun-fight with under-equipped vehicles. 

....and yet I really like the looks of the Blazer. Hope GM is able to sell this one in enough quantity to make margins and keep it in production.

 

1 hour ago, Guest AtLeast3CharactersLong said:

And it’s ugly to boot. 

Actually I find it attractive.

25 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Edge ST seems like a desirable package.  I would not mind test driving one.

....and yet I really like the looks of the Blazer. Hope GM is able to sell this one in enough quantity to make margins and keep it in production.

Oh I think it'll sell okay. It's basically a re-body of the XT5 and Acadia, so they don't need to sell it in huge numbers. 

I'm just getting frustrated with GM's insistance on packaging their vehicles this way.  I want the extra safety equipment, particularly active cruise-control.  GM is pushing me towards Honda and Toyota as a customer. 

36 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Oh I think it'll sell okay. It's basically a re-body of the XT5 and Acadia, so they don't need to sell it in huge numbers. 

I'm just getting frustrated with GM's insistence on packaging their vehicles this way.  I want the extra safety equipment, particularly active cruise-control.  GM is pushing me towards Honda and Toyota as a customer. 

I totally agree as for the first time in my life, I might actually buy non-american and it is their own fault for shitting packaging of features and cost.

11 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I totally agree as for the first time in my life, I might actually buy non-american and it is their own fault for shitting packaging of features and cost.

Other issues persist but yes...I am with you.

I can see myself buying another FCA product..another Jeep, maybe a Challenger, Charger or 300.  Probably a CPO.   But other marques I'll probably look at in the future would include Mazda and Volvo...

24 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

I can see myself buying another FCA product..another Jeep, maybe a Challenger, Charger or 300.  Probably a CPO.   But other marques I'll probably look at in the future would include Mazda and Volvo...

The Challenger is aging fast (just had a rental), but the 300 is still on my radar. 

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

I totally agree as for the first time in my life, I might actually buy non-american and it is their own fault for $h!ting packaging of features and cost.

Who's offering a full-size EV CUV? 

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

Who's offering a full-size EV CUV? 

No one yet, but I bet Mercedes will be the first...

Just now, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

No one yet, but I bet Mercedes will be the first...

LOL if you think dfelt will drive a Mercedes. 

1 minute ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

No one yet, but I bet Mercedes will be the first...

Volvo is probably the closest today.  The XC90 PHEV can run in pure EV mode already

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

LOL if you think dfelt will drive a Mercedes. 

I don't think he will, but I bet M-B will be there first..they have their compact EV SUV coming, bigger ones are probably in the works..

I think it will be a little bit yet before there is a 3-row full size SUV that's pure EV. I think they'd want to get the volume vehicles first but that's just what my brain says.. It doesn't have any form of statistics or studies in front of it. 

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

I think it will be a little bit yet before there is a 3-row full size SUV that's pure EV. I think they'd want to get the volume vehicles first but that's just what my brain says.. It doesn't have any form of statistics or studies in front of it. 

How is a 3-row SUV not a volume vehicle?

18 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

How is a 3-row SUV not a volume vehicle?

Which sells more, 100k luxury 3 row SUVs or mainstream compact CUVs? 

43 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Who's offering a full-size EV CUV? 

As @Cubical-aka-Moltar stated no one yet, but I fit in the Bolt. The wife wants an EV that she likes. If the iPace or EQC covers her list of requirements, I very well could buy one.

EVs have far more space inside than ICE. I might be fine in a mid size CUV EV.

 

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Which sells more, 100k luxury 3 row SUVs or mainstream compact CUVs? 

Profit margins are there

Wow, talk about wandering off topic and into irrelevant territory... this thread is lost in the woods

I don't need nannies.  I can drive, thanks.  Don't give a hoot about automatic braking and all the other crap.  I am interested in hardware that delivers.

My problem with the Blazer is that RS < ST for the price.  Big time.

Once Build & Price is up, I am going to spec a 2LT with AWD, V6 and big black wheels to see if it suits.  RS is and has always been a trim package at Chevy... only meaningful thing RS and Premiere offer is the better AWD system, as far as I can tell with prelim specs.

Value of the product offering is exactly what this topic is about. 

If the customer has a different idea of what "value" entails?

I guess they are charging a premium for the Camaro-inspired styling. 

GM needs to get out of this rut of lofty MSRP v. competition.  It seems they're pricing everything to ensure a 20% off sale every damn month.  Whacked.

3 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

GM needs to get out of this rut of lofty MSRP v. competition.  It seems they're pricing everything to ensure a 20% off sale every damn month.  Whacked.

Maybe that is their strategy...advertising 'sale prices' and perception of getting a deal gets butts in the showroom...

The Blazer pricing strategy, to me, is pure and simple "bait and switch", one of the oldest con games in industry.

Wow.  So all the desirable features are in the higher-end, pricier trims.  This is pathetic.  The Blazer needs about a $5000 discount off the top right now. . . or at least ditch the base model and have all other trims come down by at least $3000. . . . or they could improve the value and keep the price by replacing that turbo four with the V6.  Trucks aside, why does Chevy think it can wade into Buick pricing?!

33 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

GM needs to get out of this rut of lofty MSRP v. competition.  It seems they're pricing everything to ensure a 20% off sale every damn month.  Whacked.

Quoted for absolute truth.

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

Wow, talk about wandering off topic and into irrelevant territory... this thread is lost in the woods

I don't need nannies.  I can drive, thanks.  Don't give a hoot about automatic braking and all the other crap.  I am interested in hardware that delivers.

My problem with the Blazer is that RS < ST for the price.  Big time.

Once Build & Price is up, I am going to spec a 2LT with AWD, V6 and big black wheels to see if it suits.  RS is and has always been a trim package at Chevy... only meaningful thing RS and Premiere offer is the better AWD system, as far as I can tell with prelim specs.

The ST us an apoealing SUV. Still luke the Blazer styling better though. 

8 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I know they're 3-rows, but the Highlander and Pilot both come with the active safety features at much lower prices.   On both, they are standard.... on the RAV4 they are standard, on the CR-V they're standard on the EX and above.  Ford Edge comes with Co-Pilot 360 standard. On the CX-9, it's a $1,290 option available on the base model.

With all of those heavy hitters on either side of the segment, it's odd that Chevy continues to choose to bring a knife to a gun-fight with under-equipped vehicles. 

What a waste...might as well get a Tahoe then...

Welp, this one is getting rebated....

15 hours ago, dfelt said:

EVs have far more space inside than ICE. I might be fine in a mid size CUV EV.

Do they though?

Tesla 3 interior

BMW 3 interior

Bolt interior volume: 94 cubic ft.

HR-V interior volume 100 cubic ft. 

14 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Profit margins are there

Well I know that.. That's why they sell them in the first place. 

But if they're trying to get the technology out to people it just feels like something that would start smaller with much larger volumes before a much larger 3-rower.

13 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Maybe that is their strategy...advertising 'sale prices' and perception of getting a deal gets butts in the showroom...

GM with their fckn Kohls sales model. ?

Not sure I understand the logic of FWD proliferation on these vehicles. The whole idea of SUVs is to give you the option of AWD. That's find, don't make it standard. But even the most basic Honda CR-V offers AWD as an option. It's not just the packaging that's the problem (forcing you to get a higher dollar model just to get the surety of AWD) but dealers are as guilty as can be stocking SO MANY FWD models. It was very frustrating when we were looking for our 2018 Traverse. GM and the dealer network are equipping these like they're run of the mill station wagons! 

 I can see the FWD models being the bigger sellers in the SunBelt...places like Florida, Texas, AZ... 

3 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

 I can see the FWD models being the bigger sellers in the SunBelt...places like Florida, Texas, AZ... 

Yeah if I lived somewhere that got zero inches of snow I wouldn't want AWD either. Getting snow I would just feel like a huge jackass getting stuck in an SUV. 

10 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Yeah if I lived somewhere that got zero inches of snow I wouldn't want AWD either. Getting snow I would just feel like a huge jackass getting stuck in an SUV. 

We have a lot of such jack-asses around me. AWD and bald tires.

My Issue with the Blazer is that it doesn't feel very "off-roady".  I'm fine with the idea of a sports SUV like the Edge ST or QX70, but the Blazer conjures an image of an off-road SUV like a Grand Cherokee or Bronco.

I'm glad they didn't call it TrailBlazer. 

9 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

We have a lot of such jack-asses around me. AWD and bald tires.

My Issue with the Blazer is that it doesn't feel very "off-roady".  I'm fine with the idea of a sports SUV like the Edge ST or QX70, but the Blazer conjures an image of an off-road SUV like a Grand Cherokee or Bronco.

I'm glad they didn't call it TrailBlazer. 

Yeah, personally I think they should have used the Blazer name on something with strong off-road creds...like an SUV version of the Colorado ZR2. 

This one could have been named 'Camaro Cross' or 'Captiva'...

Edited October 18, 20186 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

6 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

We have a lot of such jack-asses around me. AWD and bald tires.

My Issue with the Blazer is that it doesn't feel very "off-roady".  I'm fine with the idea of a sports SUV like the Edge ST or QX70, but the Blazer conjures an image of an off-road SUV like a Grand Cherokee or Bronco.

I'm glad they didn't call it TrailBlazer. 

My god do I hate that people think AWD is some crazy miracle worker. It's great to have but it still needs to have adequate traction to the ground. 

3 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Yeah, personally I think they should have used the Blazer name on something with strong off-road creds...like an SUV version of the Colorado ZR2. 

I don't think it would be bad if they gave it some on-road nuts like an SS version or Z#####. Just a basic CUV seems pretty lame.. It seems like a good vehicle just a little boring. 

24 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Yeah, personally I think they should have used the Blazer name on something with strong off-road creds...like an SUV version of the Colorado ZR2. 

This one could have been named 'Camaro Cross' or 'Captiva'...

Camcross.... Crossmaro..... Camtiva....XMaro.....  Murano.... no... wait....

 TrailBlazer would be good to see on something w/ off-road chops...like a Colorado ZR2 based SUV.   Or a name like TrailBlaster Defecator Extreme for an over-the-top Hummer style SUV. 

16 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

 TrailBlazer would be good to see on something w/ off-road chops...like a Colorado ZR2 based SUV.   Or a name like TrailBlaster Defecator Extreme for an over-the-top Hummer style SUV. 

IIRC to defecate means to take a dump. Is that the Montezumas revenge edition for southern export south of the border only?

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

We have a lot of such jack-asses around me. AWD and bald tires.

My Issue with the Blazer is that it doesn't feel very "off-roady".  I'm fine with the idea of a sports SUV like the Edge ST or QX70, but the Blazer conjures an image of an off-road SUV like a Grand Cherokee or Bronco.

I'm glad they didn't call it TrailBlazer. 

Our Ohio Jack Asses are Jack Assier...lifted powerstrokes running bald tires and rolling coal.

Very few will ever be used off road.

7 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

IIRC to defecate means to take a dump. Is that the Montezumas revenge edition for southern export south of the border only?

 

Nah, I've always thought it would be a cool name for an  powerful off roader (or muscle car).   Or a metal band.

Edited October 18, 20186 yr by Cubical-aka-Moltar

Rare footage of a lower trim Blazer.  Looks decent, I do like the looks of it.  I'd rather have a machined finish wheel though, instead of basic silver painted alloys.  Cameradude is sort of goofy.

Edited October 20, 20186 yr by ocnblu

Oh, this one, I'm guessing, is a Premiere, with the body color lower trim.  Looks good in gray over tan.

 

 

Edited October 20, 20186 yr by ocnblu

16 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Oh, this one, I'm guessing, is a Premiere, with the body color lower trim.  Looks good in gray over tan.

 

 

@ocnblu Thank you for posting, this is great to see.

WTF is the name on the door so high up. Not liking that at all. Major rear blind spots, but then what CUV does not have them. Getting mixed on this. ?