2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer presented itself as a compact yet stylish SUV, reminiscent of a smaller Chevrolet Blazer. It managed to strike a balance between ruggedness and sophistication, with intricate lighting elements and dark chrome trim enhancing its 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 among its competitors. Inside, the Trailblazer's cabin was a mix of leatherette upholstery and copper-toned accents, providing a unique personality despite its predominantly black interior.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, showcasing a robust design with hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The Capstone model, with its chrome accents and Celestial Silver colour, appeared somewhat dated, reminiscent of a "cop car." Inside, the Sequoia mirrored the Tundra's blocky dashboard layout, featuring physical dials and buttons for climate control. The Capstone trim offered semi-aniline leather upholstery, while other trims provided SofTex leatherette or standard leather. The Sequoia's interior was spacious, with power-adjustable front seats and a power-tilt moonroof, enhancing comfort and convenience.

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 AWD models featured a nine-speed automatic transmission, while FWD models had a CVT. The Trailblazer Activ model, equipped with AWD and the 1.3-litre engine, provided a decent amount of power and a pleasing exhaust note, although the nine-speed automatic exhibited some rough shifts. The Activ model's dampers were tuned for gravel roads but performed well on pavement, offering a composed and nimble ride despite some body roll.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively available as a hybrid, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This system combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, significantly more than its V8 predecessor. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved to 11.7 L/100 km combined with 4WD. In Canada, the Sequoia came standard with 4WD, featuring a part-time system with selectable 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD modes. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate for its class. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, off-road suspension, and driver-assist features like Crawl Control and hill-descent control. The Sequoia's maximum towing capacity was 4,137 kilograms, with available towing upgrades for enhanced capability.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, despite being one of the smallest SUVs, offered substantial interior space. It was wider and taller than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer, with a longer wheelbase that improved passenger space. The Trailblazer provided generous headroom and mid-pack legroom compared to its rivals, surpassing the Hyundai Kona and Buick Encore GX in rear legroom. The rear seats were comfortable for short trips, but the flat cushions made long journeys less appealing. The Trailblazer's cargo space was respectable, with 716 litres behind the second row and 1,540 litres with the seats folded, although it lagged behind the Kia Seltos. The Trailblazer's towing capacity was limited to 454 kilograms. Up front, the Trailblazer featured clever storage solutions, including a covered bin and deep tray, although the dashboard carve-out's purpose remained unclear.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. Behind the second row, it provided 1,387 litres, and behind the third row, it ranged from 325 to 631 litres, depending on seat position. The second-row seats were easy to move for third-row access, but folding the third-row seats did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. This design reduced headroom and brought rear-seat passengers' knees closer to their chins. Legroom varied across rows, with the Sequoia trailing rivals like the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon but surpassing the Jeep Wagoneer in front-row legroom. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, offering width but lacking bolstering for passenger stability.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer featured a standard infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Optional upgrades included an 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, a Bose audio system, rear-seat USB ports, 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 provided clear graphics and logical menus, while the combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges effectively conveyed information.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia's Capstone trim was equipped with a 14-inch centre touchscreen, standard on all but the SR5 trim, which featured an 8-inch screen. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system prioritized functionality over flashy design, offering ease of use. The Sequoia's driver information display was a full-colour 12.3-inch unit with attractive graphics. The Panoramic View monitor was standard on higher trims, aiding in parking and maneuvering. A 10-inch colour head-up display was standard on Capstone, and the 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on Limited and standard on Platinum and Capstone trims.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came 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 and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with high marks in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia featured the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite as standard, including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on higher trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the similar 2024 Toyota Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.