Category: SUV

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The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer Shines with Camaro Spirit

“Is that a Camaro SUV? Oh, wait, it’s the new Blazer!”

At first blush the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer’s styling, especially with the RS badging, summons the most recent iteration of the brand’s pony car. When Chevy announced the Blazer’s return the general consensus was that General Motors would recreate the iconic 4×4’s design with a futuristic twist, much like how the 2010 Camaro borrowed heavily from the original 1967 model. Instead, Chevrolet designed a sporty crossover with aggressive styling that is entirely new and now, fitting nicely within the brand’s current lineup.

Spending a week with Chevy’s mid-size SUV proved General Motor’s styling choices. Every stop at the gas station was met with a stranger asking about the crossover, specifically wanting to know if “it drove as well as it looked.”

The answer? “Yes, indeed it does.”

A Family Friendly Crossover Imbued by Pony Car Spirit

Chevy’s base model 2021 Blazer is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque (L, 1LT). A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 230 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque is also available (2LT, 3LT).

Our review vehicle was powered by a 3.6-liter V6 with 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque (standard in RS and Premier; available in 2LT and 3LT). Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is available on certain trims. All models use a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Blazer shines when it comes to fuel economy, especially with the base 2.5-liter engine. The front-wheel drive base model is rated at 22/39 mpg city/highway. Our all-wheel-drive V6-powered variant returns the worst of the lineup at 19/26 mpg city/highway, still noteworthy considering the size of the vehicle and the power.

Chevy’s sporty mid-size SUV offers better than average driving dynamics. Precise steering and a sporty suspension work with the 300 plus horsepower V6 engine to keep things interesting. It is easy to forget that you are behind the wheel of a mid-size SUV, perhaps the “crossover” term is more apt to describe the driving experience. In short, the Blazer drives like a sporty family sedan.

Take a Peek Inside

Front seat passengers will appreciate the legroom. The driver’s seat takes another page from the Camaro play book. The driver-centric controls are thoughtfully placed. The vents in the dash are adopted from the pony car. The center pair work as giant knobs to modulate the cabin’s climate control temperature. Rear seating is great for two adults or three children and adequate for three adults if the time spent is limited. Base Blazer models include fabric upholstery, higher trim levels get leather.

Cargo room measures 30.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded. Those numbers equate to decent real-world utility. Consumers looking for more space, but hoping to stay in the Chevy family, might want to entertain moving to the 3-row Traverse. Other manufacturer offerings with additional cargo space include the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Honda Pilot.

Excellent Infotainment and Standard WiFi

We’ve been fans of Chevrolet’s infotainment for a while. Standard features include an 8-inch touch screen and six-speaker audio. Standard connectivity includes Bluetooth, four USB ports, a WiFi hot spot, and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The standard WiFi hotspot and OnStar system proved helpful, especially when our cell phone decided that we had wandered a little too far off the beaten path and lost service. Our guess is that the car’s antenna was a little happier with the situation as the WiFi never skipped a beat. That said, the debate will also rage over proprietary systems versus the power of today’s smartphones. For many the power of today’s phones, the ease of use and reliability are hard to beat. Never mind the familiarity and options, many of which are already bought and paid for.

Infotainment upgrades include navigation, wireless device charging, satellite radio, and a premium eight-speaker Bose sound system.

Pricing

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer starts at $28,800 plus fees. The RS model, with the V6 engine starts at $40,800 plus fees. Our RS AWD model costs $48,700 with fees included.

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The Award-Winning 2021 Kia Telluride is an Upscale Family Friendly Flagship SUV

The first new car I ever bought wore a Kia badge. Our first child was born and we needed reliability, but on a budget. The Sephia worked out well. The tiny sedan was paid off in a few years and for us at least, was relatively trouble free.

Photos by author.

However you sliced it though, the Sephia was bare-bones transportation. No notable bells and whistles, performance was mediocre (at best) and the build quality made it feel like a “disposable” car versus one that you would repair once it was out of the long warranty period.

Fast forward twenty years. My firstborn is preparing to graduate from college. I’ve watched her grow up and she’s prepared for what lies ahead. She’s intelligent and isn’t afraid of hard work. Kia has also, somewhat ironically, matured over the same period of time into a manufacturer building vehicles ready to take on the world. Perhaps none more so than the recently-launched Telluride.

Kia’s mid-size SUV is everything that our humble Sephia was not. Thanks to the vehicle’s advanced technology, luxurious amenities and striking good looks, the 2021 Telluride is entirely compelling even before you get behind the wheel and experience the SUV’s refined engine and driving dynamics.

The Telluride is so good in fact that it became the first sport-utility vehicle to win the “Triple Crown” of the auto industry’s most prestigious accolades. Kia’s flagship SUV drove home with 2020’s North American Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY), MotorTrend SUV of the Year and a Car and Driver 10 Best trophy stashed behind the third-row seating.

Performance that is Ready for the Real World

Kia’s Telluride is powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine that produces 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. Paired with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, the Telluride provides plenty of power for merging into traffic and high-speed highway passing. Front-wheel-drive is standard, Kia’s advanced all-wheel-drive is available.

Kia has provided four drive modes, Smart, Eco, Sport and Comfort, allowing the driver to configure the SUV based on road conditions and preferences. Powertrain, drivetrain and steering effort are adjusted accordingly. Vehicles equipped with AWD can also be set to “Snow” and “AWD Lock” when encountering less-than-ideal driving conditions.

Fuel economy for front-wheel-drive models is rated up to 20/26/23 city/highway/combined miles per gallon. All-wheel-drive models achieve 19/24/21 city/highway/combined. It should be noted that the Telluride is happy to run on 87 octane unleaded, an important but often forgotten (or deliberately downplayed) factor when calculating real-world fuel costs.

Standard towing is rated up to 5,000 pounds. An impressive number for a mid-size SUV.

Attractive Styling and Family-Friendly Three-Row Seating

“That’s a Kia?”

A three-word question that speaks volumes. The Telluride is often compared to much more expensive British and German SUVs. The design is undoubtedly “Rover-inspired.” The wide grille with the TELLURIDE script boldly plastered across the hood is arguably a shout-out to the venerable Land Rover. The boxy cabin, marked by the upright windshield, whispers “Discovery” to passersby. Don’t take this as a complaint or that we are saying this with ill-will, we really like the design. And while it has hints of the all-time greats, Kia’s mid-size SUV holds its own visually. Where some vehicles may have a great characteristic or two, the Telluride presents as a complete package.     

At The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida

Inside the Telluride is a comfortable three-row SUV. The base model offers incredible value for families and even when fully optioned, Kia’s flagship is still a relative bargain when compared to many comparably-equipped offerings from segment competitors.

Unlike many mid-size three row vehicles, the second and third row are actually roomy enough for adults. The large greenhouse adds to the vehicle’s spaciousness, giving the driver and passengers excellent visibility.

Simulated leather seating is standard and double-stitched, quilted and extra-padded leather trim upholstery is available. Heated and ventilated first- and second-row seats can also be optioned. Additional Interior touches include simulated brushed metal and matte-finished wood trim and a leather-wrapped, tilt and telescoping steering wheel.

The 2021 Telluride offers 21 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats. Fold the third row and that number increases to 46 cubic feet and 87 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded.

Technology that Rivals the Best

Whether you opt for the base model’s 8-inch or the available 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment, Kia’s system is among the best. User friendly and responsive, even the base system includes extras like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, satellite radio, Bluetooth, and five USB ports. Audio reproduction is stellar thanks to the standard six-speaker audio.

Upgrades include navigation, wireless device charging and an intercom system that lets the driver communicate with third-row passengers without shouting. The available 10-speaker Harman Kardon audio system provides loud, clear and entirely immersive audio.

The long (very long) list of standard safety features includes a rearview camera and rear parking sensors. Blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking help the driver avoid accidents. Adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist and driver drowsiness monitoring provide an extra set of electronic eyes for the driver. The rear-seat alert senses when the back doors have been opened before you departed and sends a verbal and visual cue to help prevent kids and pets from being left inside the car.

Available advanced safety features include a surround-view camera, front parking sensors, automatic high-beam headlights and a head-up display.

Pricing

The 2021 Kia Telluride starts at $31,990 plus fees. Our new-for-2021 SX AWD Nightfall Edition costs $50,180 all in. The Nightfall Edition package adds dark Kia badges, a blacked-out front grill and black 20-inch alloy wheels. The Nightfall edition also swaps out the standard chrome for, you guessed it, black exterior trim.