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Chevrolet Blazer wagon packs muscle for tough off-road treks
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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DEEP GAP, North Carolina -- The sturdy 4-wheel-drive edition of Chevrolet's enhanced Blazer sport-utility wagon, on a rutted trail layered in fallen leaves and slick from the morning dew, threaded slowly down a hillside deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Rocks and roots and nature's debris on the trace failed to impede our progress because this wagon crawled across all obstacles, using nubby tires to grip with assurance and big gas-charged Bilstein shock absorbers working in the off-road suspension package to cushion the ride but also deliver sure-footed control when stair-stepping in bump-and-grind fashion down the mountain.
So we proceed into the wilderness, with Blazer instilling confidence due to the steady stance and good grip, plus healthy power flowing from a muscular engine.
You quickly realize there's perhaps no vehicular task in the off-road world that Chevy's wagon cannot tackle -- as you ride comfortably on cushy seats of a revamped edition.
Blazer looks sleek and aggressive in the revised versions of 1998, thanks to a streamlined new face designed to catch the eye with new headlamp clusters and integrated body-colored bumpers.
Look out for Blazer: It sharp and slick and sporty.
Current models follow from the generational design of 1995, which emerged shortly after the debut of a new issue of Chevrolet's S10 compact pickup. Blazer rides on the S10 truck's platform and also displays a similar prow treatment on 1998 models.
In addition, both S10 and Blazer contain updated interiors with ergonomic instrument panel for analog instruments and the next generation of airbags engineered with decreased power for added safety. New gear ranges from 4-wheel disc brakes at all trim levels to a passenger-side airbag, PassLock theft-deterrent system and improvements to front and rear seats.
Blazer's interior looks and feels like that of a fine sedan, not some hulk of a truck.
You sit high, above the traffic, in form-fitting front bucket seats or a 3-person rear bench, and you're surrounded by the perks and conveniences of a luxury car.
Both 2-door and 4-door variations apply, along with choices for rear-wheel traction mode or 4-wheel-drive.
Blazer sidesteps a truck's ride quality because of the rigid S10 chassis and a sophisticated suspension system that provides four optional and easy-to-understand qualitative settings: Base, Sport (off-road stiff), Comfort (soft) and Touring (firm). The latter two suspension settings are available strictly on a 4-door Blazer, the variation which accounts for the majority of all sales.
And Blazer presents so much playful horsepower.
The sole engine, Chevy's iron block 4.3-liter V6 with overhead valving and sequential fuel injection, produces 190 horsepower at 4400 rpm and 250 lbs/ft of torque at 2800 rpm, statistics good enough to elevate Blazer to a high rank among all mid-size SUV wagons.
Blazer's muscle shows its stuff when working a steep off-road grade like those navigated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Blazer zipped up and down slopes in 4-wheel low gear like it was simply meandering down a dusty lane.
On pavement, Blazer's plant generates plenty of strength for passing a slower vehicle without fear of pegging limits on forward velocity, and if you need to pull a trailer load, Blazer's powertrain enables the wagon to lug up to 5,000 pounds of excess baggage in the 4x4 version.
It is this trailer-toting, slope-sucking, car-passing strength that captures your attention when testing Blazer, but what ultimately wins your confidence comes from its easy handling nature and that car-like character.
Even die-hard sports and performance fans like this tester can find drivability features in Blazer to sate that road lust.
Then pull out your tape measure to figure out that Blazer creates generous space for heads, shoulders and hips of front and rear riders. Front passengers end up with 39.6 inches of head room, for instance, and almost 58 inches for shoulder space. This ultimately translates to increased comfort in transit, particularly in the rear seat.
Behind the fold-down rear seat, Blazer has a cargo bay of generous proportions.
When creating this space with an eye toward practical hauling chores, designers used the dimensions of a washing machine carton as template in defining the size of the rear hatch opening.
Blazer's back gate brings choices in function for 4-door editions. Either the window flips up for quick placement of hand packages like groceries or it drops into the liftgate via power controls, but the bottom half folds down for adding larger cargo.
An extra tire stows below deck externally so you don't sacrifice cargo space for a spare.
Blazer meets or exceeds competitors for on-board safety equipment, notably with the dual airbags and 4-wheel anti-lock brake system carried by all models. A dramatic slope of Blazer's front hood works functionally to improve driver's visibility, and the vehicle's chassis includes front and rear crush zones to dampen collision forces.
A vivid demonstration of Blazer's crumple factor was observed in suburban Detroit at the vast Milford Proving Grounds of General Motors through a 35 mph crash test involving a Blazer with computer-linked dummy substituting for a human driver. After shards and smoke settled, it became apparent that all structural damage from the collision occurred in front of Blazer's passenger compartment -- leaving dummy intact following impact with the deployed airbag.
In addition to more safety features, Blazer also wears significant sound damping systems. The complicated array of devices extends to triple seals on doors and upgraded carpeting designed not just for comfort but to absorb sounds seeping from the engine compartment.
Blazer's model ladder begins with a base unit priced below $22,000.
Both 2-door and 4-door Blazers may be equipped with the 4-wheel-drive system, and a manual 5-speed transmission can be substituted for the automatic 4-speed in 2-door Blazers.
Blazer LS increases equipment, while ultimate 4-door Blazer LT adds leather upholstery and the Insta-Trac part-time 4-wheel-drive with an electronic transfer case.
1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER WAGON
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size spot-utility wagon |
| Model Options: |
Mid-size spot-utility wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
2-door: 100.5 inches
4-door: 107.0 inches |
| Overall Length: |
2-door: 176.8 inches
4-door: 183.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
OHV 4.3-L V6
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| Transmission: |
2-door: Manual/5, Auto/4
4-door: Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Rear 2WD, 4WD |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
2WD A/4: 17/23 mpg
4WD A/4: 14/18 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 22,000 to $ 30,000 |
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