Review Car

2011 Chevy Blazer

2011 Chevy Blazer’s interior is conservatively styled but everything is logical and easy to use. Controls on the center dash are conveniently backlit for night driving. The seats are comfortable. The front seat cleverly folds flat for carrying long objects such as skis. The rear seat is a 60/40 split folding one.

Lots of nooks and crannies are available for storage, including a center console with a roomy bin, four cupholders, a storage tray and a clip pad. It further has requisite power outlets. The biggest problem with the interior is its inconsistency. Some interior parts used extremely high quality materials, such as the soft rubber door handles, which reminded us of Volkswagens, the benchmark for interiors.

Yet, other parts, such as the plastic surrounding the audio and climate controls, appeared cheap. The ceiling area above the visors was lumpy, the edges of the ceiling fabric where it was supposed to tuck into the trim was ragged, the handle for the lumbar support flimsy and the seat fabric puckered.

A neat feature is the remote starter system, useful for starting the car from inside the house when it’s very cold or very hot outside. To start The 2011 Chevy Blazer, press the lock button on the remote key fob, then press and hold the remote start button for one and one-half seconds. The two-step process is designed to prevent accidental activation. It also ensures the vehicle is locked (it can be unlocked by pushing the lock button again on the key fob) and the anti-theft system engages.

The remote start system receives an ever-changing radio frequency code, intended to thwart thieves, from the key fob. The vehicle turn signals flash once and the parking lights turn on when the vehicle engine begins running. To drive away after a remote start, the vehicle’s ignition key must be placed in the switch.

The 2011 Chevy Blazer is built on GM’s new global platform it calls Epsilon, a front-wheel-drive architecture developed by a team of American, German and Swedish engineers. 2011 Chevy Blazer body structure is rock solid to make it quiet and responsive as well as safe, presumably. Its steering is an electronic system to boost fuel economy, reduce noise and require less maintenance. It provides the driver with assistance at low speeds, such as in parking lots, and less at highway speeds for better feel. Engineers have deliberately tuned the steering, handling and ride to be smack dab in between. Both engines deliver plenty of power as well as good fuel economy within their segments.

GM’s global Ecotec engine, a 2.2-liter dual overhead cam four cylinder, serves as the base engine. It delivers 145 horsepower and good fuel economy. GM’s newly developed 3.5-liter V6 is the other choice, providing 200 horsepower and decent fuel economy. We were especially impressed with the extra kick the V6 gave us in highway passing maneuvers. The new 3.5-liter V6 offers a big improvement over the previous Malibu’s 170-horsepower 3.1-liter V6.