Chevrolet Blazer K5: Which Version to Buy and Why
The Chevrolet Blazer K5 choice depends chiefly on whether the buyer wants the earliest, lighter specification, the broad engine selection of the second generation, or the stronger brakes and more advanced front suspension of the third. The catalogue contains three generations of SUV 3-doors: the first from 1968 to 1971, the second from 1972 to 1991, and the third from 1991 to 1994.
The Chevrolet Blazer K5 choice depends chiefly on whether the buyer wants the earliest, lighter specification, the broad engine selection of the second generation, or the stronger brakes and more advanced front suspension of the third. The catalogue contains three generations of SUV 3-doors: the first from 1968 to 1971, the second from 1972 to 1991, and the third from 1991 to 1994. The first generation offers Gasoline engines, Manual or Automatic transmissions, and either AWD or RWD. The second generation expands the engine range while using AWD in the listed versions. The third generation combines AWD with Gasoline or Diesel power, a 5-speed Manual or 4-speed Automatic, independent torsion front suspension, and ventilated front discs.
Which Chevrolet Blazer K5 generation should you buy?
The first generation, built from 1968 to 1971, has 12 listed versions and an SUV 3-doors body. Its choices are the 4.1 MT, 4.1 AT, 5.0 MT, 5.0 AT, 5.7 MT, and 5.7 AT, with some names repeated for AWD and RWD configurations. Every version uses a front, longitudinal, naturally aspirated Gasoline engine with a Carburetor and a 3-speed transmission. AWD versions have dependent leaf-spring suspension at both ends; RWD versions have independent spring front suspension and dependent spring rear suspension. Drum brakes are fitted front and rear. This generation is the only one in the data that combines RWD availability with a measured kerb weight of 1,845 kg, a gross weight of 2,270 kg, 203 mm of ground clearance, and an 89-litre tank.
The second generation, built from 1972 to 1991, has 24 versions in the data, of which 12 are shown, and retains the SUV 3-doors body. Listed engines include the 4.1 MT and 4.1 AT at either 105 hp or 130 hp, the 4.8 MT and 4.8 AT at 115 hp, and the 5.0 MT and 5.0 AT at 140 hp, 155 hp, or 160 hp. All shown versions are naturally aspirated Gasoline models with AWD, dependent leaf-spring suspension front and rear, front discs, and rear drums. Manual versions have 4 speeds, while Automatic versions have 3. Compared with the first generation, the listed ground clearance decreases by 43 mm, from 203 mm to 160 mm, while front braking changes from Drum to Disc.
The third generation, built from 1991 to 1994, has 8 versions and remains an SUV 3-doors. Its Gasoline choice is the 5.7 MT or 5.7 AT at 185 hp, 203 hp, or 213 hp; its Diesel choice is the 6.5 MT or 6.5 AT at 180 hp. All versions use AWD. Manual models have 5 speeds and Automatic models have 4. The chassis specification changes to independent torsion front suspension, dependent leaf-spring rear suspension, ventilated front discs, and rear drums. Where stated, ground clearance is 130 mm—30 mm below the second generation and 73 mm below the first.
Chevrolet Blazer K5 engine and specs
Repeated version names are separated by power and, where necessary, drive. “Not measured” means the supplied catalogue data contains no figure.
| Generation and version | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders and layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First: 4.1 MT, AWD | 125 hp | 292 Nm | 4,093 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Manual | AWD |
| First: 5.0 MT, AWD | 200 hp | 407 Nm | 5,031 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Manual | AWD |
| First: 5.7 MT, AWD | 300 hp | 366 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Manual | AWD |
| First: 4.1 AT, AWD | 125 hp | 292 Nm | 4,093 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| First: 5.0 AT, AWD | 200 hp | 407 Nm | 5,031 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| First: 5.7 AT, AWD | 300 hp | 366 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| First: 4.1 AT, RWD | 125 hp | 292 Nm | 4,093 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| First: 4.1 MT, RWD | 125 hp | 292 Nm | 4,093 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Manual | RWD |
| First: 5.0 AT, RWD | 200 hp | 407 Nm | 5,031 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| First: 5.0 MT, RWD | 200 hp | 407 Nm | 5,031 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Manual | RWD |
| First: 5.7 AT, RWD | 300 hp | 366 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | RWD |
| First: 5.7 MT, RWD | 300 hp | 366 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Manual | RWD |
| Second: 4.1 MT, 105 hp | 105 hp | 251 Nm | 4,100 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 4.1 AT, 105 hp | 105 hp | 251 Nm | 4,100 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Second: 4.1 MT, 130 hp | 130 hp | 285 Nm | 4,100 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 4.1 AT, 130 hp | 130 hp | 285 Nm | 4,100 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Second: 4.8 MT | 115 hp | Not measured | 4,800 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 4.8 AT | 115 hp | Not measured | 4,800 cc | Gasoline | 6, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 MT, 140 hp | 140 hp | Not measured | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 AT, 140 hp | 140 hp | Not measured | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 MT, 155 hp | 155 hp | 325 Nm | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 AT, 155 hp | 155 hp | 325 Nm | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 MT, 160 hp | 160 hp | 319 Nm | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Manual | AWD |
| Second: 5.0 AT, 160 hp | 160 hp | 319 Nm | 5,000 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 MT, 185 hp | 185 hp | Not measured | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 AT, 185 hp | 185 hp | Not measured | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 MT, 203 hp | 203 hp | 420 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 AT, 203 hp | 203 hp | 420 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 MT, 213 hp | 213 hp | 407 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| Third: 5.7 AT, 213 hp | 213 hp | 407 Nm | 5,733 cc | Gasoline | 8, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Automatic | AWD |
| Third: 6.5 MT | 180 hp | 366 Nm | 6,500 cc | Diesel | 8, V-shaped | Turbo | 5-speed Manual | AWD |
| Third: 6.5 AT | 180 hp | 366 Nm | 6,500 cc | Diesel | 8, V-shaped | Turbo | 4-speed Automatic | AWD |
Power per litre and weight per horsepower
The first-generation 5.7 MT and 5.7 AT lead the entire supplied range with approximately 52.3 hp per litre. At the stated 1,845 kg kerb weight, each has about 6.15 kg per hp. The first-generation 5.0 MT and 5.0 AT produce approximately 39.8 hp per litre and carry about 9.23 kg per hp, while the 4.1 MT and 4.1 AT produce approximately 30.5 hp per litre and carry about 14.76 kg per hp. Thus, moving from the 4.1 to the 5.7 adds 175 hp, although the 5.7’s 366 Nm is 41 Nm below the 5.0’s 407 Nm.
Within the shown second-generation range, the 5.0 MT and 5.0 AT at 160 hp have the highest specific output, at 32 hp per litre. The 4.1 MT and 4.1 AT at 130 hp follow at approximately 31.7 hp per litre. The 5.0 versions at 155 hp provide 15 hp and 325 Nm instead of the 140 hp variants whose torque is not measured. The 160 hp alternatives add another 5 hp, but their 319 Nm figure is 6 Nm lower than that of the 155 hp versions.
For the third generation, the 5.7 MT and 5.7 AT at 213 hp deliver approximately 37.2 hp per litre; the 203 hp versions deliver approximately 35.4 hp per litre; and the 185 hp versions deliver approximately 32.3 hp per litre. The 6.5 MT and 6.5 AT Diesel versions produce approximately 27.7 hp per litre. The 203 hp Gasoline versions make 420 Nm, which is 13 Nm more than the 213 hp versions and 54 Nm more than the 6.5 Diesel versions.
Weight data makes the third-generation Manual-versus-Automatic comparison especially clear. At 2,090 kg, the 203 hp 5.7 MT has approximately 10.30 kg per hp, while the 2,121 kg 5.7 AT has approximately 10.45 kg per hp. At 213 hp, those ratios improve to approximately 9.81 and 9.96 kg per hp. In each power pairing, the Automatic is 31 kg heavier than the Manual.
Chevrolet Blazer K5 performance and mpg
For the first-generation 4.1 MT, 4.1 AT, 5.0 MT, and 5.0 AT, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is 16.3 seconds and top speed is 138 km/h. The corresponding figures for the first-generation 5.7 MT and 5.7 AT are not measured.
Fuel consumption is measured only for the first-generation 4.1 MT and 4.1 AT: 20.5 l/100 km in the city, 13.8 l/100 km on the highway, and 17.9 l/100 km combined. Consumption for the first-generation 5.0 MT, 5.0 AT, 5.7 MT, and 5.7 AT is not measured. Performance and consumption figures for every shown second-generation version are also not measured.
Among third-generation 5.7 models with measured economy, every listed combined figure is 16.8 l/100 km. The 203 hp 5.7 MT records 18.1 city and 14.7 highway, while the 203 hp 5.7 AT records 19.6 city and 14.7 highway. Choosing the Manual therefore reduces the stated city figure by 1.5 l/100 km without changing the highway or combined result. The 213 hp 5.7 MT and 5.7 AT both record 18.1 city and 13.8 highway. Relative to the 203 hp Automatic, the 213 hp Automatic adds 10 hp while reducing the stated city result by 1.5 l/100 km and the highway result by 0.9 l/100 km. Acceleration and top speed for all third-generation versions are not measured. Consumption for the 185 hp 5.7 MT, 185 hp 5.7 AT, 6.5 MT, and 6.5 AT is not measured.
Chevrolet Blazer K5 dimensions and weight
Overall exterior dimensions and wheel sizes are not measured for any supplied version. The first generation has the most complete load-related specification: 1,845 kg kerb weight, 2,270 kg gross weight, 203 mm ground clearance, and an 89-litre tank across all listed versions.
Kerb weight, gross weight, and tank capacity are not measured for the shown second-generation versions. Their ground clearance is 160 mm, and their wheel sizes are not measured.
For the third generation, the 203 hp and 213 hp 5.7 MT versions weigh 2,090 kg, while the matching Automatic versions weigh 2,121 kg; all have a 2,835 kg gross weight. This leaves a 745 kg difference between gross and kerb weight for the Manual and a 714 kg difference for the Automatic. Kerb and gross weights for the 185 hp 5.7 MT, 185 hp 5.7 AT, 6.5 MT, and 6.5 AT are not measured. Ground clearance is 130 mm where stated, while tank capacity and wheel sizes are not measured throughout the third generation.
Which Chevrolet Blazer K5 version should you buy?
Choose a first-generation 5.7 MT or 5.7 AT if the priority is the strongest power-to-weight result in the supplied data: 300 hp, approximately 52.3 hp per litre, and about 6.15 kg per hp. Choose between Manual and Automatic by transmission preference; both have 3 speeds, and the supplied power, torque, weight, suspension, braking, and clearance figures are otherwise the same within a given drive layout. Select AWD for dependent leaf-spring suspension at both ends, or RWD for independent spring front and dependent spring rear suspension.
Choose a second-generation 4.1 MT or 4.1 AT at 130 hp if an Inline 6 is preferred: it gains 25 hp and 34 Nm over the 105 hp 4.1. Among the shown V-shaped 8-cylinder choices, the 5.0 MT or 5.0 AT at 155 hp offers the highest measured torque at 325 Nm, whereas the 160 hp versions add 5 hp but provide 319 Nm. The Manual gives 4 speeds rather than the Automatic’s 3.
Choose the third-generation 5.7 MT at 213 hp for the best measured weight-per-power result in that generation, approximately 9.81 kg per hp, together with 18.1 city, 13.8 highway, and 16.8 combined fuel consumption. Choose the 5.7 MT at 203 hp if measured torque matters more: its 420 Nm exceeds the 213 hp version by 13 Nm. The 6.5 MT and 6.5 AT are the only Diesel and Turbo alternatives, producing 180 hp and 366 Nm; their performance, consumption, kerb weight, gross weight, and tank capacity are not measured.