Used cars are coming in handy in a big way as we deal with manufacturing shortages and issues across the globe. If you’ve been cruising your used Chevrolet dealers trying to find the best models available, you may feel like it’s impossible to figure out what vehicles are the best buy for your money. In a world of uncertainty, it would probably ease all of our minds to know what vehicles are going to still be solid and perform well, regardless of their used status. One of our absolute favorite used Chevys is the Blazer. They’re fun, they’re sporty, and they have a level of nostalgia and function that just surpasses other vehicles for us.
The Blazer Backstory
The Blazer is not considered one of Chevy’s top sellers, but in no way does that mean it’s not a great vehicle to consider. In fact, this one made it onto my top spot for a couple of reasons, but one of them has a bit of a story to tell with it. So here we go: the back story is that I was super broke at the time and needed a vehicle. So I went out and bought a beat-up, rusted-out 1984 Chevy Blazer for dirt cheap. It looked like a bag of bolts on wheels. Not because the Blazer isn’t a beautiful vehicle, but because this poor SUV looked like it hadn’t seen an oil change or car wash from the day it left the lot.
The previous owners had jacked it up to be what seemed like 5 feet higher than normal, and they obviously hadn’t done the job properly. I had to get a running start to get into this thing, which should have been a pretty good indicator that I was not getting a vehicle meant for me. Alas, it was purchased anyway.
Now to the point, we were driving down the road one day, and I kid you not, one of the axles, along with the attached wheel, just plopped right out and started to run away. But the Blazer drove like it didn’t. The Blazer was cruising down the street after its own runaway axle and tire like a star athlete rather than someone who may have just tripped over a hurdle. I couldn’t believe it.
That day was the day I decided three things:
First – Chevy’s are probably better than Fords if being an axle short didn’t slow it down.
Second – I would one day own a Blazer that was not falling to bits and pieces and held together by duct tape.
Third – I was probably going to need a new vehicle.
Anyways, the moral of the story here is that Chevy invested so much into making their Blazer strong and capable that even with a fraction of its parts, the Blazer ran like no other.
Now 1984 Blazers are hard to come by and are definitely a bit outdated, and Chevy has certainly made better versions since then, so after some serious deliberation, I’ve found that the 2020 Chevy Blazer takes us right back to the kind of vehicle quality that can keep a vehicle going through even the most unimaginable circumstances. While you’re definitely not going to be driving down the street a wheel short because manufacturing practices have changed, you can feel confident that the 2020 models have that same sort of rugged strength in them.
The 2020 Blazers
The Blazer has gone through a bit of a transformation through the years, but especially for the newer models. While they’re still packed with power and capability, they are catered more to being a high-end comfort SUV. We like this change for the Blazer because Chevy has a lot of off-road SUV options, and this gives them a solid SUV in the commute and comfort arena. They’ve managed to give the 2020 model a sleek exterior and luxurious interior without removing its ability to be an all-terrain type of vehicle.
The 2020 Blazer comes with a variety of different powertrain options. Personally, I like the 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder option best. It has the highest gas efficiency and medium levels of power. This keeps the Blazer fun to drive and sporty without sacrificing too much money in the gas department. But you can’t go wrong with either the 3.6-liter V6 or the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engines that are available.
It comes standard with an 8-inch infotainment screen, a very nice improvement to the tape deck in my 1984. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto enabled, which most manufacturers are only enabling in the higher-level trims, but the Blazer gets it across the board. This hands-free ability to utilize your phone’s playlist and navigation is great for both safety, access, and usability. You can also set the Blazer up to be a hotspot, providing all your passengers with the ability to utilize wi-fi for those long-haul drives.
When it comes to safety technology, Chevy made sure there wouldn’t be any runaway wheels, tires, axles, or even lugnuts. They’ve really upped the ante for the 2020 Blazer’s safety. It has automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. You can have blindspot monitoring, rear cross traffic alerts, parking assistance, etc. All of these features give drivers confidence that they’re safe behind the wheel.
Another reason we feel like the Blazer is a great value is its longevity. My 1984 Blazer, driving with over 200,000 miles and probably never had any maintenance, was still going strong. It was keeping up with higher speeds and more frequent stops. I know we’re in a different day and age now, but the 2020 Blazers are rated to have fewer problems, be able to handle less care, and they have a lifetime that surpasses many.
Whenever I am buying a used car now, I typically have a less than 150,000-mile requirement for it, but for the Blazers, which function a great way longer than that, you can throw that rule out the window. Their original parts have been known to go further than 220,000 miles when well cared for. That kind of vehicle duration makes the 2020 Blazers stand out from the crowd and is ultimately the main reason it is one of our top picks for a used Chevy.
Versatile and Long-Lasting: You Can’t Go Wrong With a Blazer
The 2020 Blazers are great used vehicles to purchase for a lot of different reasons. Their versatile drivetrains make picking one that fits your type of drive style easy. The infotainment and safety technology are top-notch and have been kept relevant with even the newer releases, and Blazers are ready to handle the unexpected. Chevy manufactured the Blazers to be tough from day one, and while they may be updating things with the Blazer as far as looks and technology go, the basic foundation of the Blazer has stayed the same.
The Blazer was, and continues to be, built to last. It will last as long as you ask it to; if driving down the street short a wheel isn’t proof of that, I don’t know what is. So for all those reasons and the fact that a used Chevy Blazer can last as long as a new one, we feel like the Chevy Blazer is one of the best vehicles you can buy used.
