Blaze of Glory: The New Chevy Blazer RS Rules the Electric SUV Market

Earlier this month, MotorTrend set out to crown a winner amongst three of the biggest electric SUVs on the market. The competitors were the immensely popular Tesla Model Y, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and the eventual winner – the all-new, 2024 Chevrolet Blazer RS. 

The magazine had previously named the Blazer EV their 2024 MotorTrend SUV of the Year. But in engaging in direct competition with the Model Y and Mach-E, the Blazer had to prove that it belonged in the upper echelon on aesthetic, performance, and fuel economy levels. To say that it passed with flying colors is an understatement. 

Today, we review MotorTrend’s comparison of the three electric SUV titans and break down how and why the Blazer emerged victorious. 

The Weigh-In 

The Blazer is both larger and heavier than the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E – which might help explain why it has the shortest estimated range of the three, at 279 miles. That the Blazer was able to prevail despite lagging in range, arguably the most crucial number for EVs, tells you all you need to know. 

Chevy’s entrant also boasts the boldest design of the three: a futuristic, fiery styling that invokes its name and exhumes swagger. Its tapering window line and rippling creases suggest forward momentum, and its backlit badge breaks into an LED light show whenever the Blazer is plugged in.  

As MotorTrend puts it, “the Blazer RS looks like what we thought we’d be driving in 2023 20 years ago,” adding “it looks like something you might drive from colony to colony once we all move to Mars.” While all three vehicles are vying for the title of SUV of the Future, the Chevy Blazer RS is the only one that truly nails the look. 

The Judging Process 

Admittedly, the Blazer’s triumph was aided by faults found in its two competitors. MotorTrend was unequivocally against Ford’s decision to expand the Mustang line with the Mach-E. The result is an awkward blend of its future-facing electric design and last-gen Mustang flourishes. Meanwhile, the magazine was not enamored with the Model Y’s hunchback Model 3 design language, nor its poorly disguised, cost-cutting interior work. 

But the Blazer RS ultimately prevailed on the strength of its innumerable merits – particularly ride quality. In driving over a bumpy tarmac as part of their test, MotorTrend found the Blazer RS vastly superior in both comfort and dealing with the uneven terrain. Although Chevy’s EV lagged behind the Mach-E and Model Y in terms of conventional performance figures such as zero-to-sixty speed, the consensus was that while the Blazer was lacking in sporty performance and steering, it more than made up for it in comfort and efficiency. 

(Plus, as MotorTrend points out, Chevrolet might very well be saving its flashier specs for its upcoming sport variant, the Blazer SS). 

Most of all, the Blazer RS was the clear winner when it came to spaciousness and interior design. It boasts a well-implemented 17.7-inch central screen, and MotorTrend was particularly enamored with its implementation of old-school knobs and buttons to complement the screen features. 

The Verdict 

While MotorTrend fully concedes that the Blazer RS would have finished in third place in terms of pure numbers – be it price, range, performance, or efficiency – there’s something to be said for a vehicle that’s able to overcome these inherent disadvantages and still comfortably take the crown. The magazine chose to value the SUV that drove best in real world, consumer-inspired scenarios. On that front, the sleek, charming Blazer RS stood out as the pinnacle of electric SUV refinement. 

You can check out the 2024 Chevy Blazer, as well as our other available electric vehicles, when you stop by Community Chevrolet today. Make 2024 the year you make the switch to electric. With a huge inventory of new and used vehicles ready to be driven off our lot, we’ll help you blaze a trail into the new year and beyond. 

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