By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(May 8, 2022) MIAMI — Usually, I refrain from commenting on the color of vehicles I review, figuring that it is such a matter of personal taste and preference it is not something for me to judge. But the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer that recently showed up in my driveway calls for an exception to that rule.

The color, which Chevy dubs Nitro Yellow Metallic (I was way off in my guess of some sort of pea green), was pretty much always the first comment I heard from friends and neighbors, and they were not complimentary.

Admittedly, the sampling size is small, but not one of them — male,, female, old, middle-aged, young, — had kind words for it. (OK, I was fudging about the “young.”) Fortunately, Chevy offers the 2022 Blazer in other, more traditional, shades and, unlike the Nitrous Yellow, at no extra cost.

With Chevy eliminating the LT and 1LT trims that served as the base model when it revived the Blazer name after a 14-year production hiatus, the Blazer comes in four trims for 2022. The 2LT now serves as the base, bumping up the standard equipment a bit, followed by the 3LT, RS, and Premier trims. This review is based on the RS trim with all-wheel drive.

Standard features included the 3.6-liter V6 engine that is rated at 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. It is mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission and delivers EPA fuel ratings of 19 miles-per-gallon city, 26 highway, and 21 combined.


Photos by Paul Borden

To get the 4-cylinder engine of earlier Blazers, you have to upgrade to the Premier model, but you lose a lot of horsepower and torque and don’t get enough in return if you do.

No longer built on the Silverado pickup platform as in pre-2019 Blazer versions, the 2022 Chevy Blazer RS provides a pleasant driving experience with good pickup and handling. It’s a workhorse as well with towing capacity up to 4,500 pounds with the V6 engine and trailering equipment.

It’s roomy for passengers with up to 41 inches of legroom in the front and 39.6 in the second row. There is 30.5 cubic feet of cargo area behind the second row and 64.2 with those seats folded, which is short of 3-row midsize SUVs but competitive with other 2-row SUVs.

Heated and cooled leather seats are optional, but a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel and power adjustable 8-way driver and 6-way passenger seats are standard.

Convenience features on the 2022 Chevy Blazer RS  include a hands-free power liftgate, a rear-seat reminder (don’t forget the baby!), OnStar services, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, WiFi hotspot and Chevy’s 3-Plus infotainment system with navigation, and an 8-inch touchscreen that responds to voice commands.

Starting MSRP for the 2022 Chevy Blazer RS with AWD is $44,000. The base 2LT trim is about $10,000 less.



My test vehicle added an Enhanced Convenience Package (power tilt and telescoping steering column, Bose premium audio, and memory settings for the front seats), a Driver’s Convenience Package (rear camera mirror with washer, wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control, and more), and stand-along options (the most expensive $1,000 for 21-inch wheels) that ran the final bottom line to $50,585 with the $1,195 destination charge is included.

My suggestion: save yourself $395 and skip the Nitro Yellow Metallic color. Maybe even save another $500 by eliminating the black two-tone roof. Your neighbors not doubt will appreciate it.

What I liked about the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD: The Blazer is well-equipped with numerous standard features plus providing an opportunity to add some nice features like adaptive cruise control at a reasonable cost. It’s a rather agile performer for its class as well with the 3.6L engine delivering nice get-away power. Infotainment functions are user-friendly.

What I didn’t like about the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD: Fuel economy from the V6 engine is only so-so. Some reviewers have criticized it for torque steer, but I didn’t have an issue with that. Certainly not like some earlier vehicles I have driven. Road and wind noise can be annoying. Did I mention the color?

Would I buy the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWD? Not in this color. Overall, the new Blazer is a pretty good effort that the Bow Tie guys revived in 2019 after a 14-year production hiatus but in four-door rather than two-door form. But there are other midsize SUVs I would put before it.