2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2023 Lincoln Navigator

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer presented itself as a compact yet stylish SUV, reminiscent of a smaller Chevrolet Blazer. It managed to balance SUV ruggedness with a touch of sophistication, thanks to its intricate lighting elements and dark chrome trim. The Activ and RS models offered unique styling cues, with the Activ model featuring a rugged front fascia and roof rails, while the RS model boasted a sportier look with blacked-out trim and dual exhaust outlets. The contrasting roof options added a distinctive flair, making the Trailblazer stand out among its competitors. Inside, the Activ model's interior combined leatherette upholstery with a mix of copper-toned and sparkly black plastic trim, giving it a unique personality despite its predominantly black cabin.

In contrast, the 2023 Lincoln Navigator exuded luxury and functionality, with its spacious interior and high-end materials. The Navigator Reserve model, with its triple-black exterior and Monochromatic Package, offered a sleek and sophisticated appearance. The cabin featured real wood trim and chrome accents, with ambient lighting adding character at night. The Navigator's interior was upscale, but some chrome plastic switchgear detracted from the overall luxury feel. Despite its size, the Navigator's design aimed to provide comfort and utility, with power-deploying running boards and 30-way adjustable front seats ensuring a comfortable ride for all passengers.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer shared its platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX, offering a standard 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. An optional 1.3-litre turbo-three engine increased output to 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. The 1.2-litre engine was available only with front-wheel drive, while the 1.3-litre engine offered both FWD and AWD options. The Trailblazer Activ test car featured AWD, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the 1.3-litre engine, providing a decent amount of power and a pleasing exhaust note. The Trailblazer's ride quality was generally good, with dampers tuned for better performance on gravel roads, although some bouncing was noticed over road imperfections. The selectable AWD system required manual engagement, unlike competitor systems that switched automatically.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator, on the other hand, was powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and 4WD drivetrain, the Navigator offered a fuel economy rating of 13.2 L/100 km in combined driving. The Navigator featured five Lincoln Drive Modes, including Conserve, Normal, Excite, Slippery, and Deep Conditions, with an adaptive damping suspension standard. However, the ride quality was inconsistent, with the Navigator feeling like a truck over smaller bumps and floating over larger dips. Excite mode improved the ride but negatively impacted fuel efficiency. The Navigator's size proved challenging in urban environments, with its large wheels and weight affecting braking performance.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, despite being one of the smallest SUVs on the market, offered decent utility and passenger space. It was wider and taller than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer, with a longer wheelbase that benefited passenger space. The Trailblazer matched the Kia Seltos in headroom and offered more rear legroom than the Buick Encore GX. However, the rear seats' flat cushions made long trips less comfortable. The Trailblazer's cargo space was respectable, with 716 litres with the second-row seats in place and 1,540 litres with them folded, although it lagged behind the Kia Seltos. The Trailblazer's towing capacity was limited to 454 kilograms. Upfront, storage was maximized with a covered storage bin, deep tray, and cupholders, although a small dashboard carve-out's function remained unclear.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator excelled in functionality, offering roomy seats in all three rows and a cavernous cargo area. Power-deploying running boards facilitated easy access to the cabin, while the 30-way Perfect Position front seats provided heating, ventilation, and massage features. The second-row captain's chairs were spacious, with a pass-through to the third-row seat, which offered ample headroom and legroom for adults. Storage space was generous, with large trays and covered cupholders maintaining a clean interior look. The Navigator L model provided even more cargo space, with 971 litres behind the third-row seat, 2,075 litres behind the second row, and 3,403 litres behind the front seats.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came equipped with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Optional features included an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a Bose audio system, and wireless phone charging. While the Trailblazer's tech offerings were adequate for most buyers, the optional touchscreen was relatively small, and a fully digital instrument cluster was unavailable. The 8-inch touchscreen was well-sized for the dashboard, with easy-to-read graphics and logical menus. The combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges effectively conveyed information.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator featured a 12-inch digital instrumentation display, a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and an available widescreen head-up display. The Sync 4 infotainment system included Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, Lincoln Connect services, and Alexa Built-in. The digital assistant performed excellently, understanding and responding to commands accurately. The Navigator's 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D Audio System provided lush sound, while the Lincoln Way app and Phone As A Key technology allowed for digital key access. The Lincoln Play infotainment system offered dual touchscreens for rear-seat passengers, although teenagers preferred using their smartphones.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer was equipped with standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Trailblazer received a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, with top scores in crash tests and high marks for front-crash prevention tech. The NHTSA awarded the Trailblazer a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover testing.

The 2023 Lincoln Navigator came with a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems as part of the Co-Pilot360 suite, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. Unique features included Evasive Steering Assist, Intersection Assist, and BlueCruise, a hands-free driving assist system for designated Hands-Free Blue Zones. However, BlueCruise required regular driver intervention, struggling with curves, mixed surfaces, and construction zones. The Navigator received a 5-star side-impact protection rating and a 4-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA, but a full crashworthiness assessment was unavailable.