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The Chevrolet Blazer ZR2 is an over-the-top, wildly impractical four-by-four that leaves common sense in the dust. It’s the Chevy factory version of the kind of minitruck teenage boys build to show off for their pals.

The paint is red, the tires are huge, the rear visibility is lousy, and the image is excessively macho – totally appealing to young drivers.

The tricked-out Blazer is to the common run of compact sport-utility vehicles what the red-hot Chevy Camaro SS is to compact cars. Loaded with torque and sex appeal, the Blazer ZR2 should draw the same party-animal crowd.

Any pretense of sport-utility practicality is out the window. For one thing, the short-wheelbase Blazer has just two doors, and once back-seat passengers crawl in, they’ll find cramped quarters, their view outside blocked by thick side pillars.

But to a young driver’s eyes, the two-door model looks sporting, more so than the four-door sport-utility station wagon parents drive.

And those tires, they are so huge, they wouldn’t look out of place on a big ol’ Suburban. Or an earthmover. According to their specs, the tires are 31 inches in diameter and 10.5 inches wide on 15-inch rims. That’s big.

Big enough that the Blazer has to be jacked up slightly on its ZR2 “Wide Stance Suspension.” The suspension package, fat wheel-well flares and those tires help produce the desirable rough-tough, go-anywhere, do-anything image.

But what the giant donuts add to the Blazer stylistically, they take away in roadworthiness. The ZR2 feels like it’s driving on tippy toes, the tires’ huge sidewalls producing an abundance of lateral movement and bouncing over bumps.

Generally, the Blazer remains a good handler for a high-profile vehicle, its tight suspension and responsive steering producing good cornering reactions, on or off-road.

The fifth giant tire, the one hanging out behind the tailgate, also creates a problem. Being mounted high and dead center, it pretty much blocks any meaningful rearward vision. Backing up is strictly an act of faith.

Inside the Blazer is an improved interior for ’98, very livable, with good features, excellent stowage and several fine cupholders. The stereo is pretty good, too. The dashboard has been redesigned and greatly improved, with better gauges and logical controls.

The sturdy four-wheel-drive system is easily engaged electronically with dashboard switches.

On the outside, the front end has been revised with slim halogen headlamps and a sharper profile. Despite its compromises, the two-door is a sharp-looking truck.

Some styling is influenced by Japanese compact trucks, especially Nissan’s. That thick, slanted side pillar is straight from the Hardbody.

The ZR2 version is not for everybody, but there should be a Blazer version to suit most. They come in a range of two- and four-door models, rear- or four-wheel drive, in varying levels of trim and seven suspension packages.

The ZR2 is the toughest off-roa d package, naturally, and includes a specially reinforced frame for extra off-road strength.

One thing all the Blazers have in common is the excellent 4.3-liter Vortec V-6 that delivers 250 pounds-feet of torque at a low 2,800 rpm. This is plenty of oomph for acceleration, boulder climbing or trailer towing. An electronically controlled automatic transmission provides good control and appropriate downshifts. Four-wheel-disc brakes with anti-lock is standard.

Whatever Blazer you choose is a solid bargain in the realm of sport-utility vehicles, undercutting competition from Ford and Japan by thousands of dollars. Our test truck was dolled up with extras, including a $700 sunroof, the tire-and-suspension package for $1,850, and full cargo of power convenience features for $3,500.

Still, for less than $30,000, the fully equipped Blazer ZR2 offers a lot of toy for the buck, withthe right stuff for scaling a rocky trail and the right look for cruising the campus.

1998 Che vrolet Blazer ZR2

Vehicle type: Four-passenger, two-door sport utility, rear/four-wheel drive. Base price: $23,651 Price as tested: $29,281. Engine: 4.3-liter V6, 190 horsepower at 4,400 rpm, 250 pounds-feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. Transmission: Four-speed automatic. Curb weight: 3,874 pounds. Length: 176.8 inches. EPA fuel economy: 14 mpg city, 18 mpg highway. Highs: Sharp looks. Powerful engine. Nice interior. Lows: Poor rearward vision. Cramped rear seat. Degraded handling.