2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2023 Chevrolet Blazer

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar appearance to the lower-level model and the smaller 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. It featured traditional SUV styling with a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly, with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel centre caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. Underneath, it boasted a new body-on-frame architecture with independent front and rear suspension, an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate to save weight. Inside, it shared styling features with the Wagoneer but offered more convenience features and higher-quality materials, including 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests, along with Nappa leather upholstery and optional higher-grade Palermo leather.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer took a different approach, opting for styling cues more akin to road cars. It featured a low roofline with front and rear pillars leaned back for a sleek profile, complemented by a big grille framed by stacked headlights. Despite its road car aesthetics, the Blazer maintained the visual weight of an SUV with its tall ride height and body sides. The Blazer RS test vehicle stood out with blackout trim, Red Hot paint, and 21-inch wheels. For 2023, the Blazer received subtle styling updates, including new taillights with twisted, filament-like elements, tweaked grille and LED headlight designs, and new wheel designs. The interior sported a Camaro-inspired aesthetic with an upright dashboard and large round air vents. Cloth seats were standard, but leather upholstery was available on higher trims. The Blazer RS featured blue trim, chrome accents, and a two-tone upholstery scheme. The material quality impressed, especially on the high-end Blazer model.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. It featured cylinder deactivation for improved fuel efficiency and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup allowed the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in approximately six seconds, despite its hefty weight of around 2,900 kilograms. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with a Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system, including a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. It also featured Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system with five drive modes: Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Sand/Mud. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system was standard, offering height adjustability for off-roading, highway driving, and easier ingress and egress. With the suspension raised, it provided 25.4 centimetres of ground clearance, enabling impressive approach, departure, and breakover angles. The Grand Wagoneer excelled in providing a quiet cabin and a smooth ride, although its size and weight made it feel ungainly at higher speeds.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer offered two powertrain options. The base LT model featured a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. A 3.6-litre V6 engine, delivering 308 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, was optional on the LT and standard on other trims. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, all-wheel drive was standard, while front-wheel drive was available in the United States. The Blazer’s AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some rivals that automatically switched between FWD and AWD. The V6-powered Blazer RS impressed with its quick acceleration and sporty exhaust note, although it wasn’t a performance SUV. Its weight and top-heavy design affected handling, but the Blazer provided a pleasant highway experience with Active Noise Cancellation and a well-tuned suspension. The Blazer’s 2,041-kilogram maximum towing capacity was competitive for its class, but its off-road capabilities were limited by its car-based crossover design.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offered seating for seven with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It provided more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80. However, space in the front row was more limited compared to the Escalade and Navigator. The Grand Wagoneer boasted 775 litres of cargo space with all three rows in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. Folding all rear seats provided 2,667 litres of cargo space, slightly less than its rivals. It had a maximum towing capacity of 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. The Grand Wagoneer featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins. Forward visibility was somewhat limited by the hood, but the standard 360-degree camera system helped mitigate this issue.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat vehicle, offering a spacious feel without being cumbersome to maneuver. Front-seat headroom was comparable to rivals like the Ford Edge, Honda Passport, and Nissan Murano, while rear-seat headroom was slightly below average. The Blazer provided 864 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 1,818 litres with the rear seats folded, trailing behind most competitors. Despite the numbers, the Blazer felt spacious from the driver’s seat, with short overhangs aiding maneuverability. The interior featured functional details like USB ports between large round air vents, and the temperature could be adjusted by twisting the outer rings of the vents. A heated steering wheel was standard on the RS grade but unavailable on lower models, which was an unusual oversight for the Canadian market.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot supporting up to eight devices. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen for climate control, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer featured a larger touchscreen than the standard Wagoneer, with a second screen for functions like seat massagers. A separate 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger was available, allowing control of navigation and rear-seat entertainment. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, based on an Android operating system, offered over-the-air software updates. While the screen was occasionally slow to respond, the head-up display was clear and legible.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer received tech upgrades for 2023, including a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen and available wireless device charging. The RS and Premier trims featured an 8-inch digital instrument cluster display, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio were standard across all models. RS and Premier trims also included built-in navigation and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. The infotainment system’s layout was intuitive, with easy access to functions. However, a dedicated button for the optional 360-degree camera system would have been appreciated. The Blazer’s tech presentation was competitive, with the new touchscreen among the largest in its segment.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet received crash-test ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of its launch. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, traffic-sign recognition, and two levels of driver-assistance systems. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, requiring drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. A hands-free version was planned for future release.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer expanded its safety feature availability for 2023. The standard Chevy Safety Assist Package included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian-braking function, a following distance indicator, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system. Adaptive cruise control was now available on all trims, and optional features included blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist, a 360-degree camera system, rear camera mirror, and a Safety Alert vibrating driver seat. The Blazer received a “Good” rating in all six IIHS crash-test categories and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.