8
0
Midsize SUV; Built in USA
  • 2-door wagon
  • 4-door wagon
  • longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $1,000 – $2,000*


1993 Chevrolet S10 Blazer LT 4-door wagon


1994 Chevrolet S10 Blazer 2-door wagon


1991 Chevrolet S10 Blazer 4-door wagon


1992 Chevrolet S10 Blazer interior


1992 Chevrolet S10 Blazer V-6 engine

Pros:
  • Acceleration
  • Antilock brakes
  • 4WD traction
  • Passenger and cargo room
  • Ride (4-door)
Cons:
  • Fuel economy
  • Noise
  • Rear-seat comfort
  • Ride (2-door models)

By 1993, when Jeep launched its Grand Cherokee with a driver-side airbag and available V8, the Blazer was showing its age. Grand Cherokee and Explorers beat the Blazer in refinement, but the S10 Blazer still is a good choice in a smaller sport utility.

Overview

Launched way back in 1983, the S10 Blazer and its GMC S15 Jimmy counterparts were two of the first compact carlike sport-utility vehicles. Engines were underpowered in the 1980s. That changed for the better by 1988, when Chevy offered its potent 4.3-liter V6 as an option. That engine has been standard since 1990. Initially, only a 2-door model was available, with either 2- or 4-wheel drive (the latter GM’s Insta-Trac part-time system) and manual or automatic transmission. Base models came with a full-size spare tire, dual outside mirrors, and halogen headlamps. 2WD models added fog lamps; 4WD, front tow hooks. Antilock braking operated only on rear wheels.

Yearly Updates

1991 S10 Blazer
Early in the 1991 model year came 4-door versions on a longer wheelbase. The 4.3-liter engine and 4-door body finally made Blazer competitive with the wildly successful Jeep Cherokee. A Sport trim option (including 2-tone paint and alloy wheels) became available for 4-doors as well as 2-doors, but other changes were few. Antilock braking operated on all wheels on 4-doors, but only at the rear on 2-doors.
1992 S10 Blazer
Four-wheel-drive Blazers could now be ordered with an electronic-shift transfer case, which engaged or disengaged 4WD via a dashboard button instead of a floor lever. Antilock brakes now operated on all four wheels, in 2- and 4WD, on all models.
1993 S10 Blazer
Two-door S10s could get Tahoe LT trim this year. All models adopted a new chrome grille. Standard engines gained five horsepower when equipped with manual shift. A new “enhanced” version put out 200 horsepower. That one worked only with an automatic transmission. Both V6s gained an internal balance shaft to reduce vibration.
1994 S10 Blazer
New safety features included side door-guard beams and a center high-mounted stoplamp. A 60/40 split front bench seat became standard on 5-doors. A redesigned Blazer was ready to debut, as a ’95 model.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive

All S10 Blazers carried a 4.3-liter V6, which began the decade with 160 horsepower. Either a 5-speed manual gearbox or 4-speed automatic might be installed. Revised fuel injection for ’91 was supposed to improve engine starting. The base engine edged up to 165 horsepower in 1993 (5-speed manual shift only), while a new “enhanced” edition cranked up 200 horses, sending its output to 4-speed automatic only.

ohv V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.3/262
Engine HP 160-165
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 230-235
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
5-speed manual
4-speed automatic 		16/21
17/22 		16.2
ohv V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 4.3/262
Engine HP 200
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 260
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 16/22

 15.3

Road Test

The 4.3-liter engine develops considerable torque at low engine speeds, yielding strong acceleration around town, plus plenty of towing power. Sadly, it’s also noisy.

Suspensions are among the least compliant in their class, but the 4-door’s longer wheelbase improves ride quality. With a 2-door, you can expect to bounce and bang over bumpy roads.

Body lean in turns isn’t bad, but Blazers don’t match the smaller Jeep Cherokee in urban nimbleness. Interior room is good, but not as spacious as an Explorer or Grand Cherokee. Dashboard layout also is pleasing on the whole, but some controls are a long reach, and radio buttons are small. Interior noise gets bothersome on the highway.

Back seats are hard to get at in 2-doors. Four-door models, with their extra 6.5 inches of wheelbase, boast vastly improved access. Rear leg room is identical in each body style, but the 4-door’s longer wheelbase allowed the back seat to be fitted ahead of rear wheelwells, for 15 inches more hip room than the 2-door.

Shift-on-the-fly 4WD and 4-wheel ABS are particularly appealing features.

Ratings

Model Tested: 1994 Chevrolet S10 Blazer

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 5
50%
Fuel Economy - 3
30%
Ride Quality - 4
40%
Steering/Handling - 4
40%
Quietness - 3
30%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 4
40%
Room/Comfort Front - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Rear - 4
40%
Cargo Room - 7
70%

Other

Value - 5
50%

Total: 44

Specifications

2-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
100.5 170.3 65.4 64.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
67.3 20.0 4
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 38.7 42.5 35.5
4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
107.0 176.8 65.4 64.3
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
74.3 20.0 6
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 38.8 42.5 36.5
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 1994 S-10 Blazer 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Front Passenger Injury - 2
40%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision 91
Injury 106
Theft 71

Trouble Spots

Automatic transmission
Description: TH-700-R4 automatic transmissions may shift late or not upshift at all. The problem is a stuck throttle valve inside the transmission. (1990-94)
Engine knock
Description: Knock in the 4.3-liter engine is usually eliminated by using an oil filter with a check valve. If this does not fix it, GM has revised PROMs for the computers and will even replace the main bearings. (1990-94)

Recall History

1990-91
Description: Fuel-tank sender seal may be out of position, which could result in fuel leakage.
1990-92 w/2.5-liter engine and no air conditioning
Description: Fan blades could break off while engine is running.
1991
Description: Rear seatbelt-buckle release button can stick in unlatched position, under certain conditions.
1991-94 w/4WD and ABS
Description: Increased stopping distances can occur during ABS stops while in 2WD mode.
1993
Description: Rear seatbelts may not meet government requirements.
1994 w/weight-distribution trailer-hitch option
Description: Trailer-hitch attaching bolts were not tightened adequately.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on June 19, 2014.
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