2024 Toyota Grand Highlander vs 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a standout in Toyota's lineup of crossovers and SUVs, offering a range of options from all-gas to hybrid-powered models. Built on the TNGA-K platform, it shared its underpinnings with the regular Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry, distinguishing itself from the body-on-frame Sequoia. With a length of 5,115 millimetres and a wheelbase of 2,950 mm, it was larger than competitors like the Kia Telluride, providing a spacious interior. Its design, inspired by rugged vehicles, featured a blockier style with a trapezoidal grille and narrow headlights, reminiscent of the 4Runner. The Grand Highlander was available in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with interior options ranging from black Softex synthetic leather to real leather in higher trims. It offered a comfortable and well-built interior, making it an excellent choice for road trips.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV marked a significant evolution for the Blazer nameplate, transitioning from a truck-based off-roader to a car-based crossover. Built on the General Motors Ultium platform, it featured a battery-centric design with a long 3,093-millimetre wheelbase. The Blazer EV's styling drew from its gasoline counterpart, with a tall hood, scowling front end, and boomerang-shaped taillights, giving it a bold presence. It was longer and wider than rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6. The Blazer EV launched in LT and RS trims, with a forthcoming SS model offering unique styling and performance features. Inside, it featured large round air vents, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and optional red leather upholstery, creating a fun and stylish cabin. While some interior elements felt flimsy, it mostly avoided the overuse of piano-black plastic seen in other brands.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option delivered 245 combined net horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. At the top, the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max powertrain combined a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid engine, generating 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with all-wheel drive in Canada. While not a sports car, the Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration, with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander excelled in road manners, though its size made it less maneuverable than the smaller Highlander. It offered three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional off-road modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV offered a single-motor rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain in the LT and RS trims. RWD models boasted 340 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, while AWD models had 288 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. A forthcoming Blazer EV SS performance model promised 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque, with a Wide Open Watts (WOW) launch mode for rapid acceleration. The Blazer EV excelled in handling, with precise steering and a stiff suspension, though it sacrificed some comfort. It featured a steering-wheel paddle for adjusting regenerative braking, enhancing driver involvement. The Blazer EV's performance was impressive, but the RWD model felt traction-limited compared to the AWD version.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its primary rivals, with a length of over 5 metres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase. This extra length translated to ample storage space, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, surpassing competitors like the Kia Telluride. Even with all seats in place, it offered 583 litres of cargo space. The Grand Highlander provided a comfortable and spacious interior, with good visibility and ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in all rows. It was a practical choice for families seeking a roomy and comfortable vehicle.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV offered a spacious interior, though its headroom and legroom were comparable to the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6. It lacked the commanding driving position of a traditional SUV, with high side sills and a deep dashboard. Cargo space measured 722 litres with the second row in place and 1,673 litres with seats folded, less than the gasoline Blazer. However, it featured a "presence activated" liftgate for convenience. The Blazer EV's interior included small-item storage, though some controls were moved to the touchscreen, requiring adjustment.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a significant improvement over previous Toyota interfaces. An intelligent assistant, activated by saying "Hey Toyota," was available via a connected-services subscription, handling tasks like temperature adjustment and radio changes. The subscription also included cloud-based navigation and live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum trims came with an 11-speaker JBL stereo, offering good sound quality. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were available, though subscription options required careful consideration.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV debuted a new Google-based infotainment system, featuring built-in Google apps like Google Maps and Google Assistant. It eliminated standalone Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, offering deeper functionality for Android users but limited options for iOS users. The system included a 17.7-inch touchscreen and an 11-inch digital instrument cluster, both with sharp graphics. Built-in route planning and over-the-air software updates were notable features. The user experience was mostly positive, though the touchscreen's angle and placement of controls required adjustment. The Blazer EV introduced a hands-free start sequence, enhancing its high-tech feel.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) as standard. This suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The updated lane-departure alert could identify three-dimensional objects, reducing false warnings. Traffic jam assist and a head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum grade. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV had not yet received crash-test ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA. It featured standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, a following-distance indicator, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, reverse automatic braking, and park assist. The Super Cruise hands-free driver assist system was standard on the SS and optional on the RS, offering speed and distance maintenance while keeping the vehicle centred in its lane.