The midcycle refresh is a tool that has been used by carmakers for eons, giving them the opportunity to inject new interest into a machine that’s been on the market for a few years. Chevrolet has taken this step with the 2023 Blazer and, in the process, made it a great candidate for those old Spot The Difference games which used to appear in the Sunday paper.
Without altering expensive components such as the shape of the fenders and other hardpoints, GM has imbued the Blazer with new LED head- and taillamps, binning the old peepers which had sort of a dot-matrix effect. The comparo shot above shows more meaningful changes to its front fascia below the centreline, with different buckets for the foglamps and some extra jewelry. Viewed in a vacuum, however, it may be tough to tell the difference.
Changes are more visible inside – a place in which customers will spend the majority of their time, anyway. A new 10-inch infotainment touchscreen is now standard across the board, binning the sad-sack base unit and bringing a modern level of tech to all trims, along with the option of adaptive cruise control. Wireless device charging will be available from base to top-tier, and a natty Nightshift Blue interior color will be offered on the RS trim. Let’s celebrate the gradual return of interesting upholstery choices, shall we?
There isn’t much to be done about the shape of Blazer itself, a bone of contention in some circles. More than a few people have pointed out since the model’s introduction that the Blazer itself is a decent all-wheel-drive crossover – incorporating elements from the Camaro, for better or worse – but is hardly an appropriate use of the vaunted Blazer nameplate. They have a point.
And before any yahoo squawks that it’s impossible to graft a Squarebody-style visage onto a car-based crossover that uses a front-wheel-drive platform, we’ll remind all hands of the Mitsuoka Buddy. This machine is crafted from the bones of a RAV4, of all things, and proves Chevy probably could have evoked the K5 with their new Blazer if they really wanted to.
Powertrain choices on the 2023 Chevrolet Blazer remain familiar, starting with a 228 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four and working its way up to a 308 pony, 3.6L V6. Both are equipped with a nine-speed automatic. It’ll go on sale this summer.
[Images: Chevrolet / Mitsuoka]
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