Chevrolet Blazer vs. Trailblazer: What’s the Difference?
Is bigger always better? Well, not necessarily when it comes to your next vehicle choice. Not all of us need the largest vehicle to get us to work, go grocery shopping, or pick up the kids from school.
Our often inflexible household budgets may not stretch to a bigger and generally pricier vehicle, so we have to settle on what we can afford, but this doesn’t have to mean that your vehicle purchase choice is a compromise.
A case in point is Chevy’s lineup of SUVs when evaluating the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer, both of which offer excellent value despite their size differences and affordability.
Key Takeaways
- The Chevrolet Blazer is a larger midsize SUV, whereas the Chevrolet Trailblazer is a smaller, budget-friendly subcompact SUV
- The Chevy Blazer offers more powerful engine options along with higher towing capacity
- The Chevrolet Trailblazer is built for city driving and high fuel efficiency
Size, Seating, and Cargo Space
Beyond affordability, buyers comparing the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer should consider other factors when shopping for their next vehicle to ensure their choice meets their family’s driving needs.
It is not uncommon for models from an automaker to overlap in equipment and feature lineups, which can help ease feelings of missing out when settling for a smaller or more affordable model.
Exterior Dimensions and Parking
To get a better idea of what separates these two popular SUVs when looking at the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer, let’s start by looking at the size difference, because size does matter.
Competing in the midsize SUV segment, the Blazer is notably longer than the Trailblazer at 191.8 inches versus 174.1 inches. The Blazer is 76.7 inches wide, while the Trailblazer measures 71.2 inches.
Naturally, the bigger Blazer stands taller at 67.0 inches versus the Trailblazer’s maximum of 65.7 inches.
Buyers should consider their garage and driveway space to ensure their vehicle choice doesn’t take up too much parking space. Parking maneuvers, however, shouldn’t cause anxiety in either of these Chevy SUVs, as both offer parking assistance technology.
The Blazer includes a standard HD rear vision camera and available HD Surround Vision, which provides an overhead, bird’s-eye view of the vehicle’s surroundings for tighter parking spaces.
Other available Blazer features include Rear Park Assist and a Rear Camera Mirror for better visibility around cabin obstacles.
The Trailblazer offers owners a standard rearview/rear vision camera.
The Trailblazer’s basic Rear Park Assist uses distance alerts, and a radar display is available with extra-cost packages like Driver Confidence, which also includes available Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Alert for reversing safety.
Unlike the Blazer, the Trailblazer does not offer a 360-degree surround-view camera option.
Passenger Room and Cargo Flexibility
The Blazer’s larger exterior dimensions translate into more passenger and cargo space.
While both SUVs seat up to five passengers in two rows of seats, the midsize Chevrolet Blazer has a passenger volume of 107.8 cubic feet, compared to the subcompact Trailblazer’s 98.2 cubic feet.
The Blazer’s extra exterior width gives front- and rear-seat passengers more shoulder and hip room, with negligible differences in legroom and headroom when compared to the smaller Trailblazer.
Your family SUV typically takes on many roles, and cargo loading space and ease of use are important buying considerations.
The Blazer offers 30.5 cubic feet of volume behind the second-row seats, expanding to 64.2 cubic feet once the 60/40-split and sliding rear seat is folded down.
A manual liftgate is standard on all trims but the RS, which features a Hands-Free Gesture liftgate. Buyers can opt for the Cargo Package that includes a retractable cargo shade and a
vertical cargo net.
Black roof-mounted side rails are standard on all Blazer trim levels aside from the 2LT.
The Trailblazer has 25.3 cubic feet of primary cargo space, which grows to 54.4 cubic feet when the rear seats are down. Handy features like the fold-flat front seat make it easy to load items up to 8.5 feet long.
Standard fare is a manual liftgate, with a Hands-Free Power Liftgate available to make loading even easier, especially when your hands are full.
Are Trailblazers Bigger Than Blazers?
No, as we’ve already learned, the Blazer’s larger exterior dimensions make it bigger than the Trailblazer.
The Blazer also weighs more than the Trailblazer at around 3,918 to 4,313 pounds versus the Trailblazer’s curb weight of roughly 3,000 to 3,500 pounds depending on front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
Engine Options and Driving Performance
When comparing performance in the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer matchup, the bigger Blazer requires larger, more powerful engines than the more city-driving-focused Trailblazer.
Blazer Turbo and V6 Engines
The base engine in the Chevrolet Blazer is a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder that produces 228 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque @ 1,500-4,000 rpm.
The available 3.6L V6 produces 308 hp @ 6,700 rpm and 270 pound-feet of torque @ 5,000 rpm, giving the Blazer effortless towing and performance.
Trailblazer Turbo Engines
The Trailblazer’s two engine options include a base 1.2-liter Turbo 3-Cylinder that makes 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, while an available 1.3-liter Turbo 3-Cylinder produces 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque.
Front-Wheel Drive and Available All-Wheel Drive
The Blazer’s three trim levels are available with either FWD or a Selectable AWD system.
An advanced twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system is exclusive to the RS trim, optimizing traction on slippery roads and improving sporty dry-road handling by delivering torque independently to either rear wheel.
This system lets drivers activate or deactivate AWD depending on weather conditions or needs, helping them stay in control in low-traction situations like rain, sleet, and snow.
Fuel Economy and Towing Capability
Needless to say, the heavier and more powerful Blazer is the thirstier model. That extra performance does come at the expense of fuel economy.
FWD models fitted with the 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder offer estimated fuel economy values of
around 22/29/25 mpg for city/highway/combined, and AWD-equipped versions with a 3.6-liter V6 drop to around 19/26/21 mpg city/highway/combined.
The smaller-capacity turbocharged engines in the Trailblazer offer great fuel efficiency for city and suburban travel.
FWD trim levels with the 1.3-liter turbo engine offer up to 29/33/31 mpg city/highway/combined, while the smaller 1.2-liter engine returns around 30/31/31 mpg city/highway/combined.
Opting for AWD on the 1.3-liter turbo engine drops these figures to 26/29/27 mpg city/highway/combined.
Both models are rated for towing. The larger Blazer equipped with the optional V6 engine and proper trailering package can tow up to 4,500 pounds, while those Blazers fitted with the base 2.0-liter turbo engine can handle up to 1,500 pounds, perfect for towing small boats, campers, and utility trailers.
The smaller, city-oriented Trailblazer is rated to tow up to 1,000 pounds when properly equipped with the more powerful 1.3-liter turbo engine.
Interior Technology and Safety Features
Befitting its position in the Chevrolet SUV family, the Chevrolet Blazer offers more premium, driver-focused technology, including a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen and an available Bose audio system.
Some of the standard features include:
- Wireless Apple CarPlay/Wireless Android Auto capability for compatible phones
- Digital compass
- Wi-Fi® Hotspot capable
As a city crossover SUV, the Chevrolet Trailblazer features a slightly larger standard 11-inch touchscreen display and features that include:
- 8-inch diagonal color Driver Information Center
- Compass display
- Wireless Apple CarPlay/Wireless Android Auto capability for compatible phones
- USB data ports
- Wi-Fi® Hotspot capable
Both these Chevy models offer the latest safety technologies of the standard Chevy Safety Assist package that includes features such as:
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Forward Collision Alert
- Front Pedestrian Braking
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Following Distance Indicator
- IntelliBeam
- Automatic High Beams
The Blazer ups its safety technology arsenal with a standard Driver Confidence Package that adds:
- Side Blind Zone Alert
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Rear Park Assist
Trim Levels, Pricing, and Value
Plenty of trim choices mean these two model lineups meet most household budgets and transport needs. Here’s how the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer compare in this critical category.
Is a Blazer More Expensive Than a Trailblazer?
Yes, the Blazer’s three trim levels with FWD or AWD are more expensive than the Trailblazer.
- 2LT in FWD starts at $36,295 and $38,995 for AWD
- 3LT with FWD is available from $41,695, and AWD for $44,395
- RS in FWD starts at $45,595 and $48,495 for AWD
The Trailblazer’s four-strong range comprising LS, LT, RS and ACTIV trims is more affordable, with prices starting at $25,095 for the LS in FWD and rising to $31,295 for the range-topping ACTIV trim in AWD.
Which Chevy SUV Fits Your Lifestyle?
Prospective Chevy Blazer buyers will appreciate its performance and cargo-hauling capabilities.
The Blazer will appeal to drivers who want a sporty, aggressive midsize SUV with bold styling and responsive handling that makes weekend adventures and hauling gear a breeze.
The smaller Chevy Trailblazer is perfect for those buyers whose lives revolve around suburban environments, with its admirable fuel efficiency and smaller footprint for easy parking in busy city traffic.
Compare the Blazer vs. Trailblazer at Betley Chevrolet
Visit our expert sales team at Betley Chevrolet in Derry, NH, to learn more about the Chevy Blazer vs. Trailblazer and compare the latest models in person.
You’ll get expert advice to help you make your best Chevy purchase decision that meets both your budget and driving needs, plus you will get to experience great customer service.