Chevy unveils new Blazer in crucial Atlanta market

Chevrolet unveiled the newest vehicle in its lineup, the Blazer, in Atlanta on Thursday night, reviving the defunct SUV with a smaller version.

Alan Batey, General Motors’ North American president, made the announcement at an event at The Fairmont in Atlanta, showing off a model of the midsize SUV, which features a slimmer, more athletic front and a body that sits closer to the ground than a full-size SUV.

“Our goal was to deliver attention-grabbing style with the versatility and convenience of an SUV,” said Mike Pevovar, a member of the Chevrolet design team that worked on the vehicle.

The Blazer name is reminiscent of the Trailblazer, the model Chevy discontinued in the U.S. in 2009.

GM chose Atlanta as the spot to debut the Blazer, Batey said, because of the metro area’s booming population, high sales of Chevrolet vehicles and growing number of younger consumers. Atlanta is also home to one of five Chevy IT centers across the country.

“This is a very, very important region for Chevrolet,” Batey said.

The Blazer lineup, he said, will feature two models, each equipped with Chevrolet’s standard 2.5-liter engine and the option of a 3.6-liter engine. The vehicle boasts both power and tech savviness. The Blazer will possess a maximum towing capacity of 4,500 pounds, while enabling users to align a hitch with a trailer using rear view cameras. The vehicle will also have Wi-Fi connectivity.

While Batey would not discuss fuel economy or pricing for the Blazer, Chevrolet executives said the vehicle targets a wealthier, younger consumer base compared to the company’s other midsize SUV models.

Chevrolet has seen increased sales in its crossover and SUV models, including the Trax, Traverse and Equinox, Batey said, and the Blazer is an extension by Chevrolet into that market. Batey also said the Atlanta area has seen high sales of crossover and SUV models.

The vehicle will be built in Mexico, and Batey stressed the need for a strong NAFTA agreement to remain in place. The trade pact is in the midst of renegotiations instigated by President Donald Trump.

“We are engaging and really encouraging everyone to continue the dialogue to get to that agreement,” Batey said.

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM The 2019 Chevrolet Blazer makes its global debut Thursday at The Fairmont in Atlanta. The midsize SUV’s name recalls the Trailblazer, discontinued by General Motors in 2009.