Wow, when the new 2019 Chevrolet Blazer was first announced, we didn’t think it would get here so fast. All sorts of facts about this new crossover from Chevrolet came out before the Blazer debuted at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, and will soon be a popular vehicle in city streets and on the highway. Once a favorite off-road vehicle, now a crossover, the Chevrolet Blazer has a lot to prove. Now, as if to up the ante, with the international rollout of the 2019 Blazer model already on sale in North America, General Motors and Chevrolet are actually working out the kinks for a three-row variant of the Chevrolet mid-size SUV – the Chevrolet Blazer XL.

Chevrolet Blazer XL

Official sales figures for the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer aren’t even out yet, having gone on sale in January 2019, and GM and Chevy are already planning to debut this new bird in China early next year, 2020? It’s a crazy concept, but apparently, the Blazer XL is going to be in a class of its own. Turned into a three-row SUV is 5.5 inches longer than the two-row Blazer, but sharing the same platform, the Blazer XL will be based on the on the Camaro-inspired FNR-CarryAll concept SUV it showed in November at Auto Guangzhou 2018.

Camaro-inspired? Interesting choice of words for a three-row crossover. Although the vehicle will first be made available in China, the three-row Blazer XL could also be sold in other global markets, including South Korea, Brazil, and most countries in South America. It isn’t clear if a North American release is in the future or on the table. Right now, the specs are the most information currently available.

There are only two powertrains known thus far. The new Chevrolet Blazer XL will most likely come standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine capable of generating 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. If consumers go to higher trim levels, they’ll find the other known engine option, a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 engine capable of generating 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. These aren’t very different from the current powertrain options of the two-row Blazer, a 193hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a 305hp 3.6-liter V6 engine.

Aside from the three-row Blazer Xl being a little longer, there are some notable aesthetics and styling that stand out. The roofline tapers less than its aggressive counterpart and opts in for a more traditional design, possibly giving leeway to a more family passenger vehicle. The rear of the XL will also be redesigned with larger rear doors, a larger third window, and a more vertical tailgate. All of these modifications are intended to make the three-row XL more appealing to a wide consumer base.

We’ll follow along and find out if the Chevrolet Blazer XL will be coming to the states, but we’ll know more once sales figures for the Blazer are released and we see how popular the two-row crossover really is. Production for the Chevrolet Blazer XL won’t go into production until February 2020 at the SAIC-GM Jinqiao Cadillac plant in the city of Shanghai. There’s still plenty of time for this concept to go global.

Interested in what the fuss is about? Check out the Chevrolet Blazer and shop for a car online with NowCar.

Photo Source/Copyright: GMAuthority