Car Reviews: 1996 Chevrolet S10

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 '96 showrooms riding largely on its laurels from last year which

included Consumer's Digest's "Best Buy" award, Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award,

as well as winning the 1995 North American Truck of the Year award. 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's Grand Cherokee--by a good margin. The original Jeep Cherokee, however, is

priced less.

What's 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.

earlier, more rugged appearance at the same time. From the outside, it bears a family

resemblance to the attractive S-Series Pickups. Grille and bumper are rounded and

windshield glass is raked with aero exterior mirrors that smooth air and appearance.

Standard Solar-Ray tinted glass helps keep ultraviolet and infrared rays out.

New for '96 is the Vortec 4300 V6 engine, designed to produce more power and decrease

noise. It delivers 190 horsepower at 4400 rpm and 250 lb. ft. torque at 2800 rpm.

Engine block redesign, and additional bolts to join transmission bellhousing to a new

cast-aluminum oil pan increases powertrain bending and stiffness and also makes things

quieter in-cabin. On-Board Diagnostics (OBD II) are more sophisticated and the

Blazer's Vehicle Control Module (VCM) is more powerful in its job of

emissions-monitoring. Coolant life is extended to 100,000 miles or five years.

A new, easy-shifting five-speed manual transmission with a new concentric design slave

clutch is optional on 2WD models. All automatic transmissions now benefit from the

brake/transmission shift interlock safety upgrade that requires the driver to apply

the brake pedal to shift from Park.

Blazer's ladder-type frame with box rails is the base for a hefty variety of chassis

packages to meet a wide range of driving needs and driver personalities. For example:

Z83, standard on 2-door models, gives a smooth ride and is for light-duty trailering

while ZQ1 is standard on 4-door models (same attributes). The Z 85 Touring package is

optional and is designed for a firm ride and heavy-duty trailering while ZM6 is an

optional Off-Road package for 2-door, 4WD that provides a very firm ride and

heavy-duty trailering applications. The ZW7 Premium package is engineered for a

premium smooth ride and heavy-duty trailering for 4-door, 4WD. Tires are P205/75 R15

all-season steel-belted radials, P235/70R15 AS/SBR and P235/75R15 AS/SBR depending on

the model.

Front suspension is independent coil springs (2WD) and independent torsion bars (4WD)

while the rear is suspended by semi-elliptic, two-stage multi-leaf springs and

semi-floating rear axle. A stiffened frame improves the ride and handling

characteristics, plus helps with squeaks and rattles and diminishes pavement and

powertrain noise.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the two-door model and a four-speed

electronic transmission is an option. Automatic transmission is standard on four-door

models. The enhanced 4.3 liter V6CPI is standard on all models. Chevy's four-wheel

drive system, called "Insta-Trac," can be engaged by means of a floor-mounted shifter

or a push button on the dash. Full-time all-wheel drive is available on four-door

models. GM's AWD system normally puts 65 percent torque to rear wheels and 35 percent

to front, but when road conditions cause reduced traction at one set of wheels, the

transfer case automatically sends engine power to the wheels with better traction.

Also new for '96 are five exterior paint colors and one new interior color.

lower and wider. This means you'll find front seat shoulder room is increased by more

than three inches, and even though there is a lower step-in height, ground clearance

remains unchanged. And, because the spare wheel and tire is now stowed under the

floor on four-door models, cargo capacity is increased by 1.6 cubic feet. Chevy

boasts that you can carry a washing machine in its box.

Our testers found ingress/-egress easy and accomodating for all drivers, especially

those who wear skirts. We were particularly impressed by front seat room and

ergonomics with dash, dials and controls, but found the rear seat leg room to be too

small. Accessibility to the rear in two-door models is somewhat compromised.

The Blazer/Jimmy/Bravada was redesigned from the inside out and it shows. Depending

on the model, the upscale interior is full of many comforts and comes with a cache of

the latest car luxuries. There are sophisticated sound systems with CD players,

adjustable reading lamps, built-in stowage bins, compass and outside thermometers, and

options such as cellular phone hook-ups. One of our favorite features is the center

console which sets the stage for eating, drinking, writing and stowing with cupholders

(front and rear) and nifty spaces for storage. Seats come as bench, bucket and

split/folding in the rear. We like the optional plush leather power bucket seats with

power lumbar adjusters.

Vortec 4300 V6. It performed smoothly with sharp throttle response and pairs well

with the automatic transmission that shifted in the right places. It falls short in

braking feel, although in the final analysis, the four-wheel anti-lock system works

well. Disconcerting is considerable "brake travel" (a feeling of sponginess) when

applying pressure to the brake pedal, before the brakes engage.

We also found the variable ratio steering feels "soft" rather than "crisp" but it

handles well overall and is easy to park. The ride is smooth and visibility is good.

Sound dampening efforts have paid off as the ride is relatively quiet with the

exception of the early throttle range when engine noise is evident. Off-highway

capability is enhanced by a laudable ground clearance that beats both the Explorer's

and the Cherokee's underbelly clearance.

Safety features are aimed at "accident avoidance" to minimize the effects of a

collision. Standard are four-wheel anti-lock brakes, center high-mounted stop lamp,

child safety locks on rear doors, driver side airbag, three-point seatbelts for

outboard passengers, side guard beams on all doors and an energy-absorbing steering

column and standard daytime running lights on all '96 models. A lock-out switch on

rear windows (w/power windows) and keyless entry are optional.

They give a comfortable ride with some road poise and improved engine performance.

There are many upgrades that make these models strong players. For instance, Blazer

now has 24 hour roadside assistance, courtesy transportation, and a 3 year/36,000 mile

bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Although GM has updated the Blazer to provide many important active and passive safety

features, the lack of a passenger side airbag is a liability. With a motorcar world

full of new SUV models and many that are nipping at Blazer's wheels, this competent

compact needs to keep heads up.