2023 Chevrolet Blazer vs 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and striking profile, diverging from the rugged appearance typical of crossovers. Its design incorporated styling cues reminiscent of road cars, such as a low roofline and leaned-back pillars, complemented by a prominent grille and stacked headlights. Despite its road-oriented aesthetics, the Blazer maintained the visual heft of an SUV, thanks to its tall ride height and robust body sides. The Blazer RS test vehicle stood out with its blackout trim, vibrant Red Hot paint, and 21-inch wheels, creating a remarkable presence for a mainstream crossover. The 2023 updates included subtle styling changes, such as new taillights with twisted elements, revised grille and LED headlight designs, and additional wheel and colour options, enhancing the Blazer's fresh appeal.

Inside, the Blazer's interior exuded a sportier vibe compared to other Chevy crossovers, featuring an upright dashboard and large round air vents reminiscent of the Camaro muscle car. Standard cloth seats could be upgraded to leather upholstery on higher trims, and all models boasted dual-zone automatic climate control. The Blazer RS interior was particularly impressive, with blue trim, chrome accents, and a dark blue and black two-tone upholstery scheme. The material quality in this high-end model was commendable, adding to the overall appeal of the Blazer's interior.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ showcased Cadillac's flair for exterior styling, with a design that commanded street presence. Although classified as an SUV, its long hood and low ground clearance gave it the appearance of a long sedan, drawing inspiration from the classic Seville. The Lyriq featured a long wheelbase, short tail, and wide track, creating a unique style. Its front end boasted vertical light bars with nine LED headlights, surrounded by arrow-shaped molding and a solid grille with lighting effects. The Sport trim, tested in all black with 22-inch wheels, exuded a striking presence, although the effect was diminished with standard 20-inch wheels. The Lyriq's design was further enhanced by thin, deployable door handles and wraparound taillights that defined its shoulder line.

Inside, the Lyriq's attention to detail was evident, with C-shaped headrests, leather-wrapped seat backs, and polished window switches and door-mounted seat controls. The armrest featured leather padding and aluminum trim, forming a speaker grille at the driver's knee. The unique shifter and turn signal stalks on the steering wheel column, along with the three-spoke wheel and retro air vents, added to the Lyriq's distinctive interior. However, the floating centre console, while visually appealing, lacked usable space underneath the cupholders. The 33-inch OLED display was a standout feature, seamlessly integrated into the interior without dominating the space.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer retained its powertrain options from the previous model year. The base LT model came equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. An optional 3.6-litre V6 engine, standard on higher trims, produced 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive (AWD) was standard in Canada. The Blazer's AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some rivals with automatic switching. The V6-powered Blazer RS test car was primarily driven in AWD mode to manage the engine's power effectively. The Blazer's V6 engine provided impressive acceleration and a sporty exhaust note, although it wasn't a performance SUV. Its weight and top-heavy design affected handling, but the Blazer offered a comfortable highway ride with standard Active Noise Cancellation and a well-tuned suspension. The Blazer's 2,041-kilogram towing capacity was competitive for midsize SUVs, but its off-road capabilities were limited.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty exterior, prioritized highway comfort over sportiness. With over 800 kilometres driven, the Lyriq excelled on the highway, offering a calm and poised ride. Its dual-motor powertrain, optional on all trims, delivered 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque for continuous AWD. The standard setup featured a single rear motor with 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. Both powertrains utilized a 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack, providing an estimated range of 505 kilometres with RWD and 494 kilometres with AWD. However, real-world testing showed a range closer to 420 kilometres. The Lyriq's handling was hindered by its weight, at 2,630 kilograms, affecting agility and causing understeer. The steering feel was uninspiring, and the braking system, while strong, faced challenges due to the vehicle's weight. Regenerative braking options helped alleviate stress on the friction brakes.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat midsize SUV, offering a spacious interior without the bulk of a three-row configuration. Front-seat headroom was comparable to rivals like the Ford Edge and Honda Passport, while rear-seat headroom was slightly below average but better than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Blazer provided ample legroom in both rows, with slightly more space in the front. Cargo capacity measured 864 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,818 litres with the seats folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda Passport and Nissan Murano. Despite these figures, the Blazer felt spacious from the driver's seat, with short overhangs aiding maneuverability. Functional details, such as USB port placement and temperature control via air vent rings, added to the Blazer's appeal. However, the lack of a heated steering wheel on lower trims was a notable oversight for Canadian buyers.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges in functionality and build quality. Misaligned rear fenders, a loose motorized charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray in the dash were notable issues. The glovebox was inconvenient to access while driving, and the floating console lacked versatility, leaving valuables exposed. The centre cubby was small, and the rotary selector for the touchscreen proved cumbersome. Drive mode selection required navigating multiple menus, and the metal door handles, while integrated into the armrests, could be mistaken for window switches. Despite these drawbacks, the Lyriq offered generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat typical of EVs. However, its cargo space was limited, measuring 793 litres behind the seats and 1,722 litres when folded, smaller than most compact SUVs.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer received tech upgrades for 2023, including a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen and available wireless device charging on all trims. The RS and Premier trims featured an 8-inch digital instrument cluster display, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio were standard across all models. The infotainment system's intuitive layout and large touchscreen were highlights, although 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 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ excelled in technology, featuring a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections. The leftmost portion was touch-enabled for lighting and gauge cluster customization. While lacking augmented reality video feed, the instrument cluster was large and legible. The main touchscreen infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with simple menus and high-quality graphics. The available Super Cruise system offered hands-free driving, with a helpful coloured bar on the steering wheel indicating system status. The 19-speaker AKG stereo provided excellent sound quality, enhancing the Lyriq's tech appeal.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer offered a standard Chevy Safety Assist Package, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Adaptive cruise control was now available on all trims, and optional features included blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree camera system. The Blazer received high safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with a five-star overall safety rating from the latter.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ came standard with forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system. However, the Lyriq received a poor rating for its headlights from the IIHS and an acceptable mark for its front pedestrian collision avoidance system. It had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA.