The Chevrolet Blazer made a comeback in 2019, reviving a beloved nameplate for the modern SUV era. For those considering a 2020 Chevy Blazer, understanding its safety performance is paramount. This comprehensive guide delves into the 2020 Chevy Blazer safety ratings, providing a detailed analysis based on evaluations from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). We’ll break down the performance in various crash tests and preventative safety features, giving you a clear picture of how well the 2020 Blazer protects its occupants.
Small Overlap Front: Driver-Side Crash Test
The small overlap front crash test simulates a collision where just the front corner of the vehicle impacts another vehicle or a stationary object. This is a particularly challenging test, focusing on the vehicle’s structural integrity and how well it protects the driver in this type of severe crash.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Rating: Good
The 2020 Chevrolet Blazer achieved a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap front test, the highest possible score. Key takeaways include:
- Structure and Safety Cage: The structure of the Blazer held up exceptionally well, maintaining the crucial survival space for the driver.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the driver – head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot – were rated “Good,” indicating a low risk of significant injuries in a real-world crash of this type.
- Restraints and Kinematics: The airbags and safety belt systems performed effectively in controlling the dummy’s movement, minimizing potential injury.
Small Overlap Front: Passenger-Side Crash Test
Similar to the driver-side test, the passenger-side small overlap front test assesses protection for the front passenger in a comparable collision scenario.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Rating: Good
The 2020 Chevy Blazer also earned a “Good” overall rating for passenger-side small overlap protection. While the structure and safety cage received an “Acceptable” rating, all passenger and driver injury measures remained at “Good.” This indicates robust protection for both front occupants in a passenger-side small overlap crash.
Moderate Overlap Front: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front impacting a barrier. This test is designed to evaluate how the vehicle performs in a more common type of frontal collision.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, Left | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, Right | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
Rating: Good
In the moderate overlap front test, the 2020 Chevrolet Blazer again secured a “Good” overall rating. The structure and safety cage maintained their integrity, and injury measures were primarily “Good.” The right leg/foot injury measure was rated “Acceptable,” suggesting a slightly higher, but still generally low, risk in that specific area.
Side Impact: Original Test
The side impact test simulates a collision where another vehicle strikes the side of the tested vehicle. This evaluates the effectiveness of side airbags and the vehicle’s structure in protecting occupants in side crashes.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | G |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
Rating: Good
The 2020 Chevy Blazer excelled in the side impact test, achieving a “Good” rating across all evaluation criteria for both driver and rear passenger. This demonstrates excellent protection in side collision scenarios for all occupants.
Roof Strength Test
The roof strength test measures the roof’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. A strong roof is crucial for preventing roof crush and protecting occupants in such accidents.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,300 lbs |
| Peak force | 20,696 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.81 |
Rating: Good
The 2020 Chevrolet Blazer’s roof strength was rated “Good,” indicating a strong roof structure capable of withstanding significant force relative to its weight. This provides reassurance in rollover scenarios.
Head Restraints & Seats Evaluation
This evaluation assesses the design of head restraints and seats to protect against whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
Rating: Good
The 2020 Chevy Blazer’s head restraints and seats earned a “Good” rating, both for dynamic performance and geometry. This signifies effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Headlight Ratings: A Mixed Bag
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime driving safety. The IIHS evaluates headlight systems for visibility and glare. The 2020 Chevy Blazer has different headlight options, and their ratings vary.
LED Projector Headlights (Certain Trims: RS, Premier with packages)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | M |
Rating: Marginal
While equipped with LED projector headlights and high-beam assist, specific trims of the 2020 Blazer with these headlights received a “Marginal” overall rating. Low beams provided good straightaway visibility but were only fair on curves and created some glare. High beams were better but still had limitations on certain curves.
HID Projector Headlights (Certain Trims: RS, Premier with packages)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P |
Rating: Poor
Certain RS and Premier trims with HID projector headlights and high-beam assist received a “Poor” rating. Low beams created excessive glare, and high beams offered inadequate visibility in most scenarios.
HID Projector Headlights (All other trims)
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P |
Rating: Poor
The standard HID projector headlights on L, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, RS, and Premier trims without high-beam assist also received a “Poor” rating due to excessive glare from low beams and inadequate high beam performance.
Headlight Recommendation: When considering a 2020 Chevy Blazer, it’s important to be aware of the headlight ratings. The LED projector headlights available on certain higher trims are better than the HID options, but still only achieve a “Marginal” rating. Upgrading to trims with LED headlights will offer improved nighttime visibility compared to the standard or optional HID headlights.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
This system uses sensors to detect potential front collisions with other vehicles and can automatically brake to mitigate or avoid a crash.
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Front crash prevention system | Superior |
Rating: Superior (with optional equipment)
With optional Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, the 2020 Chevy Blazer earned a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The system successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests, and also meets forward collision warning requirements.
Front Crash Prevention: Pedestrian (Day)
This system is designed to detect pedestrians in the vehicle’s path and automatically brake to prevent or lessen the severity of pedestrian collisions.
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Pedestrian front crash prevention | Advanced |
Rating: Advanced (with optional equipment)
When equipped with optional Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking/Front Pedestrian Braking, the 2020 Chevy Blazer achieved an “Advanced” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention (daytime). The system avoided collisions in some pedestrian crossing scenarios and significantly reduced impact speed in others, demonstrating effective pedestrian protection capabilities.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
The LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) makes installing child safety seats easier and more secure. The IIHS evaluates the usability of LATCH systems.
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall LATCH evaluation | A |
Rating: Acceptable
The 2020 Chevy Blazer’s LATCH system was rated “Acceptable.” It has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor. While generally usable, there were some minor points noted, such as other hardware potentially being confused for anchors.
2020 Chevy Blazer Safety: The Verdict
The 2020 Chevy Blazer demonstrates strong safety performance in crash tests conducted by the IIHS, earning “Good” ratings in most categories. It provides excellent protection in front, side, and rollover crashes. Front crash prevention systems are also highly effective when equipped. The main area for potential improvement is headlight performance, where ratings range from “Marginal” to “Poor” depending on the headlight type.
Overall, the 2020 Chevy Blazer is a safe SUV choice, offering peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike, particularly when equipped with optional safety features like enhanced automatic emergency braking. When considering a purchase, pay attention to the trim level and headlight options to ensure you are getting the best possible safety features for your needs.
