Chevrolet introduced the K5 Blazer in 1969.
The K5 Blazer was Chevrolet’s first full-size sport utility vehicle. It was based on the company’s C/K pickup-truck platform and was designed to provide more passenger space and weather protection than a conventional pickup while retaining serious off-road capability.
Early K5 Blazers used a short wheelbase and were available with removable tops. Four-wheel drive was central to the model’s identity, although two-wheel-drive versions were also offered. Its direct competitors included the Ford Bronco and International Harvester Scout.
The name is often shortened simply to “Blazer,” but “K5” distinguishes this full-size truck-based model from the later compact S-10 Blazer and the modern midsize Blazer. The K5 name continued through the 1991 model year before the full-size line was renamed Tahoe.