Jeep Compass vs Chevrolet Blazer

The Chevrolet Blazer is one of the oldest SUV nameplates on the market, and while the current version might disappoint fans of the original, it’s very much on-trend with modern times.

Chevy launched the Blazer as truck-based off-roader, starting with the original K5 Blazer, and following that it up with a smaller S-10 Blazer based on its compact pickup truck. The Blazer was shelved in the early 2000s, then revived for the 2019 model year as a car-based crossover SUV, eschewing ruggedness for greater efficiency and on-road refinement in a shift that reflected the utility-vehicle market as a whole.

The General Motors decision not to go all-in on nostalgia with a new off-road Blazer might seem questionable in the wake of the revived Ford Bronco, but the market for two-row midsize crossovers like the modern Blazer is even stronger, and it's filled with rival offerings like the Ford Edge, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Murano, Toyota Venza, and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

For 2023, notable changes include a new 10-inch touchscreen display and available wireless charging for all trim levels, some styling changes, and new wheel designs and colour options. In Canada, the lineup consists of LT, True North, Premier, and RS trim levels (we checked out a Blazer RS for this review). A Chevy Blazer EV is also on the way for the 2024 model year, but this will be a completely different vehicle based on GM’s Ultium EV component set.

The 2024 Compass Sport carries over last year's major powertrain upgrade without any increase to the base price: $35,995. That's very close to the littlest Jeep, the Renegade, and more than $10,000 below the similarly sized Cherokee (and prices on those last two are from 2023 because both have been discontinued). It's also cheaper than a Ford Escape and many other compact SUVs but without the bargain-bin interior of older Compass models. While upper trims get too pricey for their britches, the base-model Compass we tested provides real value in an era where new-car prices increase every few months.

The 2024 Jeep Compass offers good tech and impressive safety features, and it arrives with a sub-$40,000 base MSRP. The Compass still lags behind some of the competition in terms of materials quality and performance. Now in its second year past a 2023 facelift, however, it’s many strides better than older iterations.