2021 Chevrolet Blazer vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda's fifth generation of compact crossovers, was a familiar sight on the roads since its 2017 debut. Its design was characterized by soft, curvy lines that gave it a car-like appearance, closely resembling Honda's sedan lineup. The CR-V's exterior styling leaned more towards a station wagon than an SUV, setting a standard for modern family transportation. However, the interior told a different story, with a mix of textures and materials that didn't always harmonize. While higher trims boasted wood-look trim and leather upholstery, these upscale touches clashed with some low-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the pricier CR-V versions were upgrades of a commodity car rather than true premium products.

In contrast, the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer made a bold statement with its exterior styling, often mistaken for a luxury vehicle like the Lamborghini Urus. Its aggressive design featured a wedgy profile, slim-cut windows, and a striking front end with thin lights and a tall, black grille. The Blazer's design borrowed elements from the Camaro, with a muscled body and a chopped roof, creating a memorable and eye-catching appearance. However, the interior didn't quite match the exterior's allure, with a low-rent feel and dark, unsatisfying cabin materials. Despite its stylish exterior, the Blazer's interior left much to be desired, especially considering its price point.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came equipped with a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine across all trims, delivering 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), this powertrain provided a well-matched driving experience. While CVTs often had a reputation for sluggishness, Honda's engineers managed to create a responsive and fuel-efficient system. The CR-V's road manners were commendable, offering a car-like driving experience with nimble handling and minimal body roll. Its lightweight design contributed to its excellent fuel efficiency, with FWD models rated at 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres combined and AWD models at 8.1.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer offered two engine options in Canada, with the base engine being a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder producing 227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. However, the preferred choice was the 3.6-litre V6 engine, delivering 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided a strong and dynamic driving experience, especially in the RS trim with its sport-tuned suspension and mechanical torque-vectoring rear axle. Despite its impressive performance, the Blazer's transmission calibration had some issues, with slow responses and a convoluted manual mode. Fuel consumption ratings for the AWD V6 drivetrain were average, at 12.0 litres per 100 kilometres city, 8.7 highway, and 10.5 combined.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and practicality, offering a roomy cabin comparable to the class giant, the Volkswagen Tiguan. Its clever packaging included a deep centre console and a smart two-position load floor in the rear, providing ample cargo space. With the rear seats folded, the CR-V offered up to 1,110 litres of cargo space, making it easy to accommodate various needs. The CR-V's thoughtful design extended to its door pockets, which provided extra room for storage.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, as a two-row SUV, comfortably seated four passengers. Its low roof height didn't compromise interior space, thanks to seats mounted lower into the floor. However, visibility was a challenge due to poor sightlines, although large side-view mirrors and optional rear-view mirror cameras helped mitigate this issue. The Blazer offered 1,818 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 864 litres when raised. It also boasted a towing capacity of up to 2,041 kilograms with the right configuration. The Blazer's interior featured simple and handy controls, with innovative features like movable rings around the air vents serving as temperature dials.

The 2020 Honda CR-V's infotainment system showed its age, with a standard 7-inch touchscreen that felt small compared to competitors. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration felt tacked on. However, the CR-V offered plenty of USB ports, including high-powered ones in the backseat, and a wireless phone charger in higher trims.

In contrast, the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer featured an 8-inch touchscreen with the latest Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system. It offered Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto compatibility, and a subscription-based 4G WiFi hotspot as standard. The RS trim with the Safety Plus package added wireless phone charging, LED headlights, 360 cameras, adaptive cruise control, and the innovative Safety Alert Seat. The infotainment system's "Plus" version included navigation, onboard apps, and the ability to pair two phones simultaneously. GM's forward-thinking features, such as cloud account uploads and individual privacy settings, added to the Blazer's technological appeal.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came equipped with the "Honda Sensing" suite of safety features as standard, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. It earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with caveats for trims below Touring due to headlight performance.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer also offered a comprehensive set of safety features, including forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. It received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and top "Good" ratings from the IIHS in crash tests. However, its headlights received "Marginal" and "Poor" ratings. The Blazer included a driver's knee airbag but lacked some advanced features like rear emergency braking.