2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2023 Toyota RAV4

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer presented itself as a compact yet stylish SUV, reminiscent of a smaller Chevrolet Blazer. It exuded a balanced SUV toughness without veering into exaggeration, thanks to its intricate headlight and taillight designs and dark chrome trim, which lent it an upscale appearance. 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 colours added a distinctive touch, making the Trailblazer stand out in the subcompact crossover segment. Inside, the Trailblazer's cabin was a mix of leatherette upholstery and copper-toned accents, providing a unique personality, although it didn't scream "outdoor adventure."

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 maintained its design from the 2019 model, with the Trail trim showcasing a more aggressive grille and blacked-out wheels. It featured a faux skid plate and black cladding, giving it a rugged appearance, though it was more of a visual statement than a functional one. The interior of the Trail trim included orange accents and contrast stitching, adding a touch of flair to the otherwise basic centre console. The RAV4's interior offered a frameless rearview mirror, enhancing its premium feel, while the LE and XLE trims provided fabric upholstery and heated front seats. The Limited trim offered more luxurious features, such as heated and ventilated power-adjustable seats and a heated steering wheel, catering to those seeking a more refined experience.

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 lb-ft 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 could be paired with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Trailblazer's AWD models featured a nine-speed automatic transmission, while FWD models had a continuously variable transmission. The Activ model, with its AWD and 1.3-litre engine, provided a decent amount of power and a pleasing exhaust note, though the nine-speed automatic exhibited some rough shifts. The Trailblazer's ride quality was generally good, with dampers tuned for gravel roads, but it exhibited some body roll and bouncing over road imperfections. The selectable AWD system required manual engagement, unlike competitors' automatic systems, and the Trailblazer offered Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4, with its standard AWD across all trims, featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the RAV4's performance was more "unobjectionable" than "exciting," with a noticeable engine noise. The Trail trim, with its 19-inch wheels and all-season tires, shared the same suspension setup as other RAV4s, providing a comfortable ride. The RAV4's AWD system included a Snow drive mode, enhancing its capability in adverse conditions.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, despite being one of the smallest SUVs, offered decent utility with its 716 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 1,540 litres with the seats folded. It matched the Kia Seltos in headroom and provided more rear legroom than the Hyundai Kona and Buick Encore GX. However, the flat rear seat cushions made long trips less comfortable. The Trailblazer's interior featured clever storage solutions, including a covered storage bin, deep tray, and cupholders, though the small dashboard carve-out's purpose was unclear.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4, seating five, offered 958 mm of front headroom and 1,001 mm in the rear, providing more rear headroom than the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. Legroom measured 1,039 mm in the front and 960 mm in the rear, comparable to the CR-V but less than the Forester. The RAV4's interior included convenient storage options, such as a shelf above the glove compartment and generous door pockets. Cargo space was 1,059 litres behind the second row and 1,977 litres with the seats folded, placing it ahead of the Mazda CX-5 but behind the Honda CR-V.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. An 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, Bose audio system, and wireless charging were optional. While the Trailblazer's tech features were adequate, the optional touchscreen was relatively small, and a fully digital instrument cluster was unavailable. The 8-inch screen provided clear graphics and logical menus, and the combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges conveyed information effectively.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 introduced a new infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, upgraded to a 10.5-inch screen in the Limited trim. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with voice command and connected services. The Trail trim did not receive the upgraded multimedia system, which was reserved for the Limited trim, along with an 11-speaker JBL audio system. A 7-inch driver-information display was standard, with a 12.3-inch version in the Limited trim, and both the Trail and Limited trims included a wireless charging pad.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer featured standard safety equipment, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, 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+ from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with high marks in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came with standard safety features like lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. The TSS 2.5 suite included Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. The RAV4 earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, with top scores in crash-testing and improved driver-assistance systems.