1998 Chevrolet Blazer

Chevy Blazer was introduced as an all-new model in 1995, with a host of features that made it far more like a passenger car than its original version that was brought to market in 1983. It still has the heartbeat of a truck, but now has the flexibility to ferry your family, tug a trailer and stash your cargo, all with a more comfortable ride and a little luxury along the way. The S-designation was dropped, but the Blazer is mechanically similar to the GMC Jimmy and the all-wheel drive Oldsmobile Bravada. The Blazer comes to 1996 showrooms riding largely on its laurels from last year. It's not a surprise that it garnered recognition in the industry since GM redesigned this SUV and gave it a new outside, a new inside and new suspension packages. But its best feature is its price. Here it outpaces its chief competitors, the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, by a good margin. The original Jeep Cherokee, however, is priced less. What is new for the Blazer is a shot of adrenaline to its horsepower, improved performance and reduced emissions, new extended maintenance schedules, and an optional all-wheel drive. The Blazer comes in five models: two-wheel drive (available in two-door and four-door), four-wheel drive (available in two-door and four-door) and full-time all-wheel (available in four-door only). Trim packages are base and uplevel LS on all versions and an LT package on 4-door models only. Competitors in this ever-growing compact sport utility segment other than the Explorer and Cherokee models are the Toyota 4Runner, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Passport and Isuzu Rodeo. Not to be discounted are the recently introduced Kia Sportage and Toyota's new RAV 4.