2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS First Drive Review: Fun Enough?

Chevrolet has been building and selling hotter SS versions of its cars since 1961 with the Impala SS. Since then, the company has sold more than 4 million cars with the SS name. The SS stands for “Super Sport,” and obviously means that whatever bears the name will be more fun than the regular version. How much more fun, though, has varied tremendously over the years. Some have been completely transformational, such as the Cobalt SS, which went from a subpar economy car to a Nürburgring tamer. Others were a mixed bag, like the mid-2000s Malibu and Impala SS models. Now, Chevy is bringing the SS badge to electric cars for the first time with the Blazer EV SS, and the question is, what kind of SS is it?

What we learned in our short time with the Blazer is that it seems to fall somewhere in the middle of the SS pantheon. It’s unquestionably quick, and it’s actually the quickest SS model to 60 mph in history. It’s stylish and handles well. However, it’s entering a market where there are already seriously fun and capable EVs for sale, and for similar money. We’re not sure this SS transformation went far enough to fend off the competition.

First Drive events provide our initial impressions of a vehicle in a restricted environment under certain time constraints. Keep an eye on DrivingOnRoad for our comprehensive Test Drive review which will follow soon.

What Is It?

For the 2025 model year, Chevrolet has introduced a number of updates to the Blazer EV line, the most notable of which is the introduction of the SS trim. This model offers the most power in the range, along with upgrades to the suspension, brakes, steering and more. It’s the new range-topper, and comes equipped with nearly every feature offered on other Blazers, besides the performance changes.

Exterior Looks: The Most Boisterous Blazer

The Blazer EV SS isn’t especially different from the other levels. It features a new front bumper with larger faux grille panels, side skirts, rear bumper extensions, a faux diffuser, and clear taillight lenses. Yet these minor changes help the Blazer look like the big, brutish, muscle SUV the designers intended. The exaggerated sheet metal over the wheel arches, the flowing charging door panels, and chopped roof really come into their own here, rather than on the dialed-back base Blazers. The standard 22-inch wheels look just right, too, and they have great finishing with the machined edges and cast “SS” logo hidden within one of the spokes.

The only real complaints we have would apply to the whole model line. It’s still a very busy design with loads of curves, lines, and creases. It’s also bizarrely wide. At 78 inches, not including the mirrors, it’s 3.2 inches wider than a Jeep Wagoneer S, and only 1.6 inches narrower than the big three-row Chevy Traverse. This does help the Blazer achieve a squat stance, but can make it a little disconcerting on tight roads and entering narrow parking spaces.

Interior: Color Is Cool

Again, the SS interior doesn’t differ much from other Blazer EVs. Mainly, it gets a welcome dash of color, even for the more sedate color scheme. Yes, the black and gray option comes with splashes of Habanero Orange. Leather strips are added to the seat backs, and it even gets matching seatbelts and contrast stitching. Faux suede inserts add some visual interest, too, as well as a little extra grip. The other choice is red, which envelopes most surfaces in leather that gets as close to the color of a fire engine as possible. It’s offset somewhat by black dash and door panels. Either way, the SS has eye-catching interiors that work great with some of the standard stylish features, such as the translucent plastics over the air vents, and the highly detailed vent inserts.

As for comfort, the Blazer takes full advantage of its exterior size to provide a capacious interior. There’s no shortage of room in any direction for the front passengers, and the rear passengers get plenty of legroom. Though with the optional panoramic sunroof, rear headroom is a bit tight, so it may be worth skipping it and saving $1,495. And on the topic of space, the Blazer has 25.8 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat, and 59.8 with those seats folded (or 25.5 and 59.1 without the sunroof). What’s really disappointing, though, is the shape of the front seats. They’re quite wide and flat. Lumbar adjustment is good, but generally, these seats aren’t supportive, particularly when it comes to bolstering. That’s not great in a vehicle that fancies itself a sporting machine, and vigorous backroad romps could have you moving about in your seat more than you should.

Infotainment: Still No CarPlay Or Android Auto

We’ll get the main gripe out of the way now: like every other GM EV, the Blazer EV SS also lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While we wouldn’t call it a dealbreaker, there’s no question that it’s still quite annoying. It’s arguably even more so when the system is solid otherwise. As with every Blazer, the SS gets an 11-inch screen for instruments and a 17.7-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Both screens are high-resolution and bright; each screen is highly customizable as far as information and shortcut buttons, plus Chevy thoughtfully provides physical controls for volume and climate adjustment. In the SS, Chevy also includes Super Cruise, a heated steering wheel, a wireless phone charger, a head-up display, and an eight-speaker Bose sound system. It’s effectively a fully-loaded Blazer EV.

Powertrain & Driving: Legitimately Fun

This is where the Blazer EV SS is made or broken. The numbers are pretty impressive. The dual motors make more than 600 horsepower. Up front are Brembo six-piston calipers and rotors that are 2.8 inches larger in diameter. The springs are about 30% stiffer than the regular Blazer EV’s with the shocks retuned to match, and the anti-roll bars are about 60% stiffer. The steering ratio was shortened down to 15.8:1, and even the single-speed transmissions have revised ratios. They’ve been lengthened a bit to offer a bit more top-end speed, since there’s so much power on tap. And although it retains open differentials front and rear, Chevy adjusted the stability control systems to apply brakes to be able to redirect some power between wheels. There’s even a low-intervention “Competitive Mode” for when you really want to be frisky with the SS.

In practice, the power is as prodigious as the numbers state. All the power is only accessible in Wide Open Watts mode, but the mode remains on and all the power is always available. The launch control sure makes the claimed 3.4-second run to 60 mph highly believable. It’s also easily tamed, thanks to smooth, progressive throttle tuning. Even with maximum regeneration, the changes are smooth, but still feel responsive.

Ride and handling are great, too. The passive suspension lets the Blazer EV SS take corners on the street with hardly any noticeable body roll, and only a bit when we took it on a small track. It would change direction quite willingly, even quickly transitioning from left to right, which is a difficult task considering the 5,730-pound curb weight. And all this is done while preserving ride quality. It’s easily the firmest of the Blazer variants, but it doesn’t kick hard, even over large bumps, and it stays composed and controlled no matter what.

But there are limits to the Blazer’s abilities. Even Chevy’s engineers said right up front that it’s designed to be more fun on the street than on the track, and that it’s tuned to be relatively safe and predictable at the limit. So pushed especially hard, it does push wide in corners. Also, despite having the more powerful motor in the rear, the Blazer never wants to step the tail out. The steering is a let-down. The quicker ratio does help the SS feel sportier, but it still suffers some of the vagueness and lack of precision of other Blazers. Feel is absent, too, whether you go with the light standard steering or the heavier sport steering settings. So, although the SS is quite capable, a lack of playfulness and communication hold back the SUV from true greatness.

What About Range?

The SS does have solid range for a high-horsepower EV. It gets 303 miles of range, which is partly due to using the largest 102-kWh pack that’s available in other Blazer EVs. That ties the Jeep Wagoneer S, and tops all variety of other powerful EVs such as the Kia EV6 GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, and even high-end models such as the BMW iX M70 and i4 M50. Charging isn’t amazing, though, with a peak DC fast charging rate of 190 kW. Though with a compatible charger, the Blazer EV can provide vehicle-to-home power.

Verdict & Pricing: The Competition Is Too Tough

The Blazer EV SS starts at $60,600, and with the destination charge of $1,495, it comes to $62,095. That likely won’t change too much, since the only major option is the previously mentioned sunroof. Most of the other options are cargo organizers and a package with summer tires and slightly more aggressive brake pads. All of them are just a few hundred dollars a piece. It’s also pretty much neck-and-neck with the Kia EV6 GT and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. It’s a few thousand cheaper than the Jeep Wagoneer S, and a few thousand more than the Mustang Mach-E GT.

Chevy did deliver on a legitimately fun Blazer EV. The suspension tuning and raw power are superb, and it’s a striking-looking thing. The range is compelling, too, if that’s something you need. If you don’t mind the strong styling, it makes a strong case against its closest competitor, the Wagoneer S. However, if you’re looking at performance electric crossovers, you’ll likely be willing to make some sacrifices in the areas of range or even some space. In those cases, the options from Hyundai, Kia, and Ford offer far more driving engagement and fun, at the expense of some range. The Hyundai and Kia also offer faster charging to make up for the lower range, and the Ford is far cheaper than any of these choices. The Hyundai is even close to the Chevy in cargo space. The Blazer EV SS is good at being fun and practical, it’s just that others do that better.