The 2021 Chevy Blazer is a midsize SUV that features style and performance at an affordable price tag, with a drive mode for your off-road experience. The all-new Ford Bronco is back with a vengeance and is at its best on the off-road. Let’s see how they both compare.
Design/Price
The 2021 Chevy Blazer offers spacious seating and cargo room, with 2 rows of comfortable seating up front and enough room for up to five people. The seats are supportive and it is easy to enter and exit the SUV, but it’s Camaro-like styling slopes the roofline making it harder for taller passengers to sit in the rear. Cloth upholstery is standard, and leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, and heated rear seats are available. An additional option is a heated or power adjustment steering wheel. Cargo capacity is 30.5 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 64.2 cubic feet behind the front seats. The Chevy Blazer features six trim levels: L 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, RS, and Premier, with a starting price of $28,800 for the L trim and ranging to $43,000 for the Premier trim.
The 2021 Ford Bronco has returned with innovative features, retro-styling, and impressive off-road capabilities. It offers a convertible style, along with two-and four-door body styles, soft tops or hard tops, and removable body panels. Its cabin features durable, waterproof surfaces to protect your interior when your doors or roof are removed. You can design your adventure with Ford’s off-roading trims, from the Base Essential trim that comes with the absolute essentials and standard 4X4 to the fully loaded First Edition that combines the best of all Bronco’s trims. Trims in between include Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Badlands, and the Wildtrak that takes thrills head-on with the standard Sasquatch Package. This package features 35-inch tires wrapped around 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, and front and rear-locking differentials. Depending on the trim, the Bronco has up to 35.6 cubic feet of cargo space with its rear seats up and up to 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The Base Essential Bronco starts at $28,500 and ranges to $59,305 for the fully loaded First Edition.
Safety and Technology
The Blazer features plenty of available advanced safety features, including lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane change alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, high-speed automatic emergency braking, rear camera mirror, adaptive cruise control, safety alert seat, and a surround-view parking camera system. A rearview camera and Teen Driver come standard. Chevrolet offers an easy-to-use Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system and 8-inch touch screen, with graphics that are crisp and easy to see. It also has a handy shortcut bar and responsive touch controls. It comes standard with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, four USB ports, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and a six-speaker audio system.
The Bronco is available with a suite of driver-assistance technology, including automatic high-beams, parking sensors, forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It also has equipment that makes low-speed rock crawling and trail driving easier. Ford’s all new Sync 4 software will power an 8.0- or 12.0-inch touchscreen. This new setup will allow over-the-air updates and will also connect to the cloud and user’s smartphone wirelessly. It supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. Upgraded options include built-in navigation and a more powerful B&O stereo.
Power
The Blazer will give you the choice of three engines. Its base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 193 hp; but if you want more power, there’s a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 230 horsepower or a top-of-the-line 3.6-liter V6 with 308-horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Both engines are paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This 3.6-liter V6 engine will be powerful enough for most driving situations and can tow up to 4,500 pounds. There are several drive modes available, including Tour, Sport, and Snow/Ice, as well as available Off-Road and Tow/Haul. Front-wheel drive is standard, and Chevy’s twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system is available. It delivers a 21/27 mpg city and highway rating with its base engine.
The Bronco will give you the choice of two powerful engines that are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual on the 2.3-liter engine. The standard engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four that makes 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque and an optional 2.7-liter V-6 engine that will give you 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed manual transmission is also available with the smaller engine, and it comes in handy for taking obstacles at low speeds. It can take on rough terrain with its hardy suspension, multiple skid plates, and standard all-wheel-drive system. Each engine sends power through either a standard four-wheel or an available all-wheel-drive system, and is rated to tow 3,500 pounds. The Base Essential Bronco starts at $28,500 and ranges to $59,305 for the fully loaded First Edition.
Conclusion
The 2021 Chevy Blazer and Ford Bronco are built with plenty of class-leading designs and capable off-road abilities. The Chevy Blazer is designed for your drive around town, with more towing capabilities and an off-road drive-mode for your adventures, and the Ford Bronco has most of its fun on the off-road.
