DRIVES59As a result, the Blazer RS feels more neutral around
fast turns and slightly stiffer than the Premier, though the
dynamic improvements are incremental and not monu-
mental given that the base suspension is already very good.
There’s no head toss in either model, and the RS is not the
least bit harsh (on the unnaturally smooth SoCal roads we
traversed, at least), with noticeable compliance at turn-in.
In Sport mode, the RS holds the lower gears of the nine-
speed automatic more naturally through canyon corners.
Is the Blazer really the new Camaro? Mainstream con-
sumers who have purchased such cars to break out of mid-
size sedan/compact SUV monotony will discover enough
of the Camaro’s design aesthetic in the Blazer and will find
it more fun to drive than most utilities and some sedans.
Although it’s late to its super-hot segment (like the ’67
Camaro was), the new Blazer should easily vault toward
the front of the segment’s pack, even with the baggage of
its somewhat hallowed name and the politically sensitive
Mexican assembly plant where it’s built. These issues too
shall pass, as will the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer, either on the
road or the sales charts. AM
The midsize two-row SUV is
among the market’s fastest-
growing segments. Chevy’s
goal: design one with “sporty,
bold styling that demands
performance to match.”