Saline has that modern township feel without many of the issues or problems that come with overcrowded urban areas. The beauty of this is that the area lends itself well to accommodating a wide variety of different vehicles, especially in the SUV segment. If you’re looking for a good all-around SUV that does a little bit of everything, then you are probably shopping for a midsize model.
There are definitely a few that might make you turn your head, but none more so than the 2024 Chevy Blazer—but how does it stack up against its nearest rival, the 2024 Ford Edge? Does it offer more features and the right kind of flair for your driving lifestyle? There are various reasons why the 2024 Blazer might be the better deal for you if you’re considering shopping at a Chevy dealer near Saline over one that favors Ford.
From price and fuel economy to towing capacity and safety features, there are a few key reasons Saline drivers may want to take a serious look at a Blazer over an Edge. So, let’s start with range and fuel economy, which are important metrics for a quality midsize daily driver.
Stronger Fuel Economy Figures With the 2024 Blazer
One of the more important things to note about an SUV is that, unless it’s a fully-featured, full-size vehicle where you’re expecting to get meager fuel economy figures, you’re still going to get something economical in some way. When you look at the 2024 Edge versus the 2024 Blazer, there is a small yet clear difference in terms of the total range that you can expect to achieve from both vehicles, as the Blazer offers the better fuel economy figures of the two.
The 2024 Blazer has a fuel economy rating of 22 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway when configured in front-wheel drive with the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder. The Edge, by comparison, manages a top-end fuel economy of 21 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway when paired with the base turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder.
You get basically one extra mile to the gallon in the city and one extra mile to the gallon on the highway with the Blazer. Even if it doesn’t seem like much, these figures definitely add up over time, whether you’re consistently traveling to Dearborn, commuting to Ann Arbor, heading to work in Sterling Heights, or visiting family in Jackson or Warren. The extra mile to the gallon comes in handy for long weekday travels. Just the same, it’s also important that you have the extra fuel economy for daily driving, where you can get to and from your destinations and save a gallon per mile, and stave off having to visit the pump as frequently as you would in a vehicle with lower fuel economy ratings.
Get Higher Towing Capacity With the 2024 Blazer
One of the more useful elements of a midsize SUV is its towing capacity. Obviously, most people won’t be towing with a midsize SUV like they would a midsize or full-size pickup truck, but a midsize SUV still has good enough towing capacity for small cargo trailers, boats, or off-road vehicles. When it comes to the Blazer and the Edge, both are capable of towing several thousand pounds worth of cargo, but you get a lot more with the Blazer compared to the Edge.
The Blazer has different towing ratings for the two different powertrains, whereas the Edge only has a single towing rating between its two powertrains. For the base four-cylinder powertrain, the Blazer delivers up to 3,250 lbs of towing, whereas with the V6, the Blazer provides you with up to 4,500 lbs of towing. By comparison, the Edge’s top towing capacity is 3,500 lbs. It’s marginally more than what you get with the base Blazer, but it’s a half-ton less than what you get with the Blazer’s V6.
For recreational towing or if you want an SUV for vacationing, you can take more and larger objects with you in the Blazer. For instance, you can hitch a small fishing boat to a Ford Edge, but with a Blazer, you can hitch all the way up to a wake boat, which gives you a lot more options for recreational towing for things like fishing or weekend vacations to Lake St. Clair or Harbor Beach. If you’re into off-roading with ATVs or motorcycles, the Blazer can handle towing multiple fully equipped ATVs, whereas you would have to limit your ATVs in size and number with a Ford Edge.
More Safety Features With the 2024 Blazer
Suppose safety is important for you—not just for solo commuting but for family members who regularly ride as passengers; in that case, both the 2024 Edge and 2024 Blazer offer some great features, but the Blazer has a few more specialty safety features that you simply won’t find on any of the other competing midsize SUVs in the segment. The Ford Co-Pilot360 is quite robust, but it’s missing a few key features found on the Blazer, especially when it comes to family safety.
You have the Buckle-to-Drive feature on the Blazer, along with Teen Driver mode, which brings together two great safety features that aren’t present on the Edge. If you have a teen driver or someone young learning how to drive, having the Teen Driver mode present enables you to keep track of their driving habits even when you aren’t in the vehicle alongside them.
Teen Driver tracks how often certain driver assistance tools are used during the trip as well as when and how they were used so that you have an idea of how well the driving session went and what sort of safety aids were applied during the trip. The safety checks in place ensure that all passengers are buckled up and secure before certain infotainment features are activated, such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Combined with the after-drive report card feature, you have a very robust and reliable way of keeping your teen safe in the Blazer.
While Ford’s Co-Pilot360 offers many of the same driver aids, the lack of a report card and checks that Teen Driver mode offers means you’re missing out on some key safety features in case you have teens or young adults that may get behind the wheel. Whether they’re heading to high school nearby or carpooling to Michigan State or Wayne State University, it’s important you have some safeguards to protect your family, whether you’re driving with them or they’re driving alone—and with the 2024 Chevy Blazer, you definitely get that extra layer of safety that you don’t get with the 2024 Ford Edge.
Shop Smart By Getting a 2024 Chevy Blazer
If fuel economy, towing, and safety are your priorities for a midsize SUV, then you’ll want to find a 2024 Blazer the next time you visit LaFontaine Chevrolet Dexter. In addition to the Blazer’s stylish and sleek looks, you also have the extra trailering strength, slightly better gas mileage, and more safety tech than other segment competitors, such as the 2024 Ford Edge. It’s definitely shopping smart if you shop for the newest Blazer.
