2023 Chevrolet Blazer vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and road-car-inspired design, with a low roofline and leaned-back pillars, giving it a striking profile. Despite its crossover nature, it maintained the visual weight of an SUV, thanks to its tall ride height and body sides. The Blazer RS model, with its blackout trim, Red Hot paint, and 21-inch wheels, stood out as particularly eye-catching. For 2023, the Blazer received subtle styling updates, including new taillights with twisted elements, refreshed grille and LED headlights, and new wheel designs. The interior boasted a sportier aesthetic, reminiscent of the Camaro, with an upright dashboard and large round air vents. Higher trims offered leather upholstery and dual-zone automatic climate control, with the RS model featuring blue trim and a two-tone upholstery scheme.

The 2023 Ford Escape, in contrast, moved away from its previous blocky design to adopt a more European aesthetic. The 2023 refresh introduced a traditional front end with a Ford blue oval logo and a stylish LED light bar. As one of the smallest vehicles in Ford’s lineup, the Escape offered a range of trims, with the ST-Line Elite being the top-tier option. The Escape's design was sleek, with 19-inch wheels and body-colour mirror caps, giving it an upscale appearance. Inside, the ST-Line Elite featured diamond-stitched leather upholstery, though it felt hard and plasticky. The seats were comfortable, and the 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat allowed for easy customization. However, the interior was dominated by plastic, which felt cost-cutting in some areas.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer carried over its powertrain options from the previous year, with a base 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. A 3.6-litre V6 engine, standard on higher trims, delivered 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive was standard in Canada. The Blazer's AWD system required manual engagement, which was less convenient than some competitors' automatic systems. The V6-powered Blazer RS felt quick and had a sporty exhaust note, but its handling was impacted by its weight and top-heavy design. The Blazer's 2,041-kilogram towing capacity was competitive for its class.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options, including a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite trims featured a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, also with an eight-speed transmission and AWD. While the Escape's four-cylinder engine provided impressive output, it was not a performance crossover, with a soft suspension and no paddle shifters. The Escape's brakes offered predictable stopping power, and its steering was well-weighted, avoiding the twitchiness of some competitors.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat vehicle, offering front-seat headroom comparable to rivals like the Ford Edge and Honda Passport. Rear-seat headroom was slightly below average, but better than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Blazer provided 864 litres of cargo space with rear seats up and 1,818 litres with seats folded, which was less than competitors like the Honda Passport. Despite this, the Blazer felt spacious and easy to maneuver, with functional interior details like USB port placement and temperature controls integrated into air vents.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered comfortable seating and excellent ergonomics, with well-positioned armrests and convenient cupholders. The head-up display was adjustable for different drivers. The Escape's cargo space was 1,061 litres behind the second row and 1,851 litres with seats folded, similar to the Chevrolet Equinox and Mazda CX-5, but less than the Honda CR-V. Passenger space was slightly less than competitors, but rear-seat headroom was impressive, and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for tall passengers.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer featured a 10.2-inch touchscreen as standard, with wireless device charging available on all trims. The RS and Premier trims included an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. The infotainment system was intuitive, with a large touchscreen and optional 360-degree camera system. The Blazer's tech presentation was modern, with a new-for-2023 touchscreen among the largest in its segment.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 system, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen on lower trims and a 13.2-inch screen on higher trims. The larger screen enhanced the cabin's look, and Sync 4 was well-organized, with easy navigation between features. A wi-fi hotspot was available with a subscription, and the system included a static "Home" button for easy access. While Sync 4 was occasionally slow to respond, its feature set and layout were impressive. A six-speaker sound system was standard, with a Bang & Olufsen system optional on higher trims.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer offered the standard Chevy Safety Assist Package, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane keep assist. Adaptive cruise control was newly available on all trims, and optional features included blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system. The Blazer received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and high ratings from the IIHS, though it lacked GM's Super Cruise system.

The 2023 Ford Escape received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but did not earn a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to a Marginal side-impact test score. The Escape came standard with Ford's Co-Pilot360 suite, including forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control and lane-centring technology, offering a semi-autonomous driving experience.