2021 Honda Odyssey vs 2021 Chevrolet Blazer

The 2021 Honda Odyssey presented a familiar yet refreshed appearance, with subtle updates to modernize its decade-old styling theme. The new model year introduced a redesigned grille and front bumper, standard LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation across all trims, and a gloss black spear with a chrome insert stretching the width of the taillights. The Touring trim debuted a new 19-inch wheel design, enhancing the minivan's aesthetic appeal. The interior received upgrades, including perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching and piping, new dashboard ambient lighting, and tri-colour floor mats, contributing to a more upscale look and feel. The Odyssey's design changes aimed to reduce brightwork, giving it a more sophisticated appearance.

In contrast, the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer stood out with its striking exterior styling, reminiscent of a Lamborghini Urus. Its wedgy profile, slim-cut windows, and aggressive front end with thin lights and a tall, black grille with wavy textures made a bold statement. The Blazer's design borrowed elements from the Camaro, featuring a snarling face, chopped roof, and muscled body, resulting in a vehicle that exuded excitement from every angle. The Blazer offered various customization options, including different grille designs and packages like the Redline and Midnight/Sport editions, allowing buyers to tailor the SUV's appearance to their preferences. However, the interior fell short, with a low-rent feel, dark cabin, and unsupportive seats, which detracted from the overall experience.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey was equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, delivering 280 horsepower to the front wheels. This combination provided smooth and effortless power, with driving modes such as Normal, Sport, Eco, and Snow, along with paddle shifters for manual control. The Odyssey's fuel efficiency was commendable, with an average consumption of 10.8 L/100 km during testing. However, the lack of all-wheel drive (AWD) put it at a disadvantage in snowy Canadian conditions. The Odyssey's ride and handling were enjoyable, with well-weighted steering and expertly managed body motions. The Touring trim's 19-inch wheels and improved brake modulation contributed to its handling prowess, although the brakes showed signs of fade during intense use.

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 lb-ft of torque. The preferred engine was the 3.6-litre V6, delivering 308 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, providing a strong and agile performance. The Blazer's sport-tuned suspension, brakes, and steering worked harmoniously, offering a driving experience reminiscent of a BMW. However, the transmission calibration had issues, with slow responses and a convoluted manual mode. The Blazer's fuel consumption ratings were average, with the AWD V6 drivetrain achieving 10.5 L/100 km combined. Despite its sporty aspirations, the Blazer's performance was hindered by transmission shortcomings.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey offered a spacious and practical interior, with legible instrumentation, logical controls, and ample storage. The driver's seat was comfortable, with a 12-way power adjustment and inboard armrests. Heated front seats and outboard mirrors were standard, while the Touring trim added ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Odyssey's Magic Slide second-row seat layout provided versatile seating configurations, accommodating up to eight passengers. Cargo space was generous, with 929 litres behind the third row, expanding to 3,984 litres with the seats folded. However, removing the second-row seats for maximum cargo volume was cumbersome.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, as a two-row SUV, comfortably seated four passengers. The low roof height was offset by seats mounted lower into the floor, facilitating easy entry and exit. Visibility was a challenge due to poor sightlines, but large side-view mirrors and optional rear-view mirror camera improved the situation. The Blazer offered 1,818 litres of cargo space with the rear seat folded and 864 litres when raised. The trailering package, AWD, and V6 engine allowed for a towing capacity of 2,041 kilograms. The Blazer featured simple controls, including movable rings around the air vents for temperature adjustment, and standard heated front seats with available heated steering wheel and rear seats.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and more. The EX-L Navi and Touring trims added navigation, while the Touring grade included a CabinWatch interior camera and CabinTalk PA system. The Touring trim also offered an 11-speaker premium audio system, wireless smartphone charging, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. However, the lack of a tuning knob and subpar voice-recognition technology were drawbacks. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch screen, Blu-Ray player, and streaming apps, though the absence of a touchscreen disappointed some users.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer came with an 8-inch touchscreen running Chevrolet Infotainment 3, offering Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G WiFi hotspot. The RS trim with the Safety Plus package added wireless phone charging, LED headlights, 360 cameras, adaptive cruise control, and the Safety Alert Seat. The infotainment system's "Plus" version included navigation, onboard apps, and better voice recognition. Unique GM features allowed for cloud-based settings transfer and individual privacy settings for apps. The system's app store functioned like a smartphone, with easy downloads and updates.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey improved its safety features with standard Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, pedestrian braking, and road-sign recognition. The Odyssey earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with five-star ratings in most crash tests. However, the adaptive cruise control's braking could be uneven, and the lane-departure warning system's steering wheel wobble was less effective than a vibration.

The 2021 Chevrolet Blazer offered standard driver assist features, including forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available on higher trims. The Blazer received five-star ratings from the NHTSA and "Good" ratings from the IIHS, though its headlights were rated "Marginal" and "Poor." The Blazer lacked semi-automated functions and rear emergency braking, but its enhanced forward emergency braking used radar for improved accuracy.