2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2023 Toyota Sequoia

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was a striking presence on the road, with its bold design inspired by the Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The SUV's newly creased and kinked body gave it a more commanding appearance than its predecessor. Inside, the Sequoia shared many design elements with the Tundra, featuring an industrial theme with luxurious touches in the Capstone trim, such as leather, wood, and metallic finishes. The 14-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system was a standout feature, although some interior materials reminded drivers of its pickup truck origins. The Sequoia lineup included various trims, with prices starting at $79,335 for the TRD Off-road and reaching $95,335 for the Capstone. While the TRD Pro trim offered enhanced off-road capabilities, the Sequoia's overall off-road performance was less impressive than the previous generation.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer resembled a smaller version of the Chevrolet Blazer, offering a balanced mix of SUV toughness and upscale details like intricate lighting elements and dark chrome trim. The Activ and RS models featured unique styling cues, with the Activ boasting a rugged look and the RS adopting a sportier appearance. The Trailblazer's interior was characterized by a mix of materials and colours, providing a touch of personality. Despite its compact size, the Trailblazer offered decent utility, with ample headroom and respectable cargo space. However, its towing capacity was limited to 454 kilograms. The Trailblazer's design and features made it a practical choice for those seeking a stylish and functional subcompact SUV.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with a powerful hybrid powertrain, featuring a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and a 36-kilowatt electric motor/generator. This setup delivered an impressive 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. The Sequoia's towing capacity increased to 4,137 kilograms, making it more capable than its predecessor. Fuel efficiency improved, with a rating of 11.7 L/100 km in combined driving. The Sequoia offered various driving modes, including Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, allowing drivers to tailor the driving experience. However, the suspension could be harsh in certain modes, and the steering was slow, requiring effort in tight spaces. The regenerative braking system also felt unresponsive at times.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer shared its platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX. It offered a choice between a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and a 1.3-litre turbo-three with 155 horsepower. The Trailblazer's AWD models featured a nine-speed automatic transmission, while FWD models had a CVT. The Trailblazer Activ, with its AWD and 1.3-litre engine, provided a pleasant driving experience, although the nine-speed automatic occasionally exhibited rough shifts. The Trailblazer's ride quality was generally good, with dampers tuned for gravel roads. However, the AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some competitors' automatic systems. The Trailblazer offered Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes, but the differences between them were subtle.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia excelled on highways, offering a comfortable cabin with soft leather upholstery, a JBL premium audio system, and a triple-zone climate control system. The Sequoia's interior featured power-deploying running boards and a panoramic glass moonroof, although the latter reduced second-row headroom. The third-row seat was less comfortable due to its high floor and low roof, and cargo space was limited compared to previous models. With the third-row seat in place, the Sequoia offered 325 litres of cargo space, expandable to 631 litres by sliding the seat forward. Folding the third-row seats increased capacity to 1,387 litres, while folding the second-row seats provided 2,460 litres. Despite the hybrid powertrain's benefits, the Sequoia's overall utility was compromised.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, though compact, offered decent utility with generous headroom and mid-pack legroom. The Trailblazer's cargo space measured 716 litres with the second-row seats in place and 1,540 litres with them folded. While these figures were respectable, they fell short of some competitors. The Trailblazer's towing capacity was limited to 454 kilograms. Up front, the Trailblazer featured smart storage solutions, including a covered storage bin, a deep tray, and cupholders. However, the small carve-out above the dashboard lacked a clear purpose. Overall, the Trailblazer provided a practical and comfortable interior for its size.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia featured a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system, with an 8-inch touchscreen on the base TRD Off-road trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system was intuitive and included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Capstone trim offered additional features like a 10-inch head-up display and a surround-view camera system. However, the infotainment system's glare and occasional bugs were drawbacks. The Sequoia's tech package included multiple driver accounts and an Intelligent Assistant for navigation, although it occasionally provided incomplete information.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. An 8-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a Bose audio system were optional. While the Trailblazer's tech offerings were adequate for most buyers, they might not satisfy tech-savvy consumers. The 8-inch touchscreen was well-sized for the dashboard, with clear graphics and logical menus. The combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges effectively conveyed information, aided by smart design touches.

The 2023 Toyota Sequoia came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and road sign recognition. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safety Connect services. While the Sequoia had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, the Tundra, on which it was based, received high ratings from the IIHS.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer offered standard safety features such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and a Teen Driver system. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring 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 scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech.