Chevrolet Trailblazer vs Hyundai Venue

The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer had a distinctive presence in the subcompact SUV segment, characterized by its aggressive styling and sharp body creases reminiscent of the sporty Camaro. This model year saw a minor styling refresh that further accentuated its sporty theme, with thinner accent lights and a reshaped grille that suggested a need for more air intake. The lower headlights were smaller and set deeper, giving the Trailblazer a more athletic and serious appearance. Inside, the dashboard received a modern makeover with a new digital instrument panel and an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen, although the digital panel didn't fully occupy its enclosure, giving a slightly downmarket feel. The materials used were typical for non-luxury subcompact crossovers, with harder plastics but adequately padded touchpoints.

In contrast, the 2024 Hyundai Venue offered a more mature and subdued appearance, especially in the Ecotronic Grey paint of the test vehicle. Despite its affordable price range, the Venue's design was appealing and stylish. Inside, the Venue featured plenty of hard plastic, but it didn't look cheap, with unexpected style elements like stripes and piping on the seats and white trim around the dashboard air vents. The digital instrumentation was a pleasant surprise, and the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display was well-sized for the Venue. Overall, the Venue came across as a thoughtfully designed, stylishly detailed, and high-quality small SUV.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer offered two powertrain options. The base model featured a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that powered the front wheels. This setup resulted in slow responses and a droning engine under sustained acceleration. The Activ-trim test vehicle came with a more powerful turbocharged 1.3-litre three-cylinder engine, delivering 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Despite the increased power, the Trailblazer's performance was not impressive, with a zero to 100 km/h acceleration time exceeding nine seconds. Handling was average, but the ride was comfortable, smoothing over road imperfections and keeping noise levels low.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue was equipped with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine producing 121 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. Although not powerful, the Venue's lightweight design and agreeable CVT maximized available power, making it suitable for city and suburban driving. The Venue's suspension struggled on rough pavement, resulting in a busy ride quality. On the highway, the Venue could maintain traffic pace, but the engine and CVT became noisy under hard acceleration. The Venue lacked all-wheel drive, but its 17 centimetres of ground clearance allowed it to handle snow better than typical cars. The Venue's fuel economy was rated at 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, with a slightly higher average during testing.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer offered ample space and good outward visibility, enhancing the sense of roominess. The front seats were firm yet comfortable, with heated options available on most trims. The rear seats provided sufficient legroom and headroom for adult passengers, making it suitable for families. Cargo space was generous, with up to 716 litres available behind the rear seats, and an optional hands-free power liftgate added convenience.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue, with its increased ground clearance, made entry and exit easier. The front seats featured manual height adjustment and tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel adjustment, with appealing fabric inserts and heated cushions. The rear seat was better suited for two passengers, with limited storage space and no air conditioning vents. Cargo capacity was 528 litres, expanding to 902 litres with the rear seats folded.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer featured an 11-inch infotainment touchscreen standard on all trims, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system had a slight delay in response, but the digital instrument panel was easy to read. A native navigation system was not available, relying on smartphone connectivity. The base audio system was adequate, with an optional Bose upgrade for better sound quality.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue's 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display offered modern graphics and simple operation. Standard features included Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a six-speaker sound system. The Venue's technology was user-friendly, though the sound system could benefit from better speakers.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer received five-star ratings from the NHTSA in overall, frontal, and side crash evaluations, with four stars for rollover protection. The IIHS awarded it "good" ratings in all crashworthiness tests. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. Optional features included a blind-spot monitor and adaptive cruise control.

The 2024 Hyundai Venue came with standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver monitoring system. Blind-spot monitoring was added on the Preferred trim. The Venue received "Good" ratings in three IIHS crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for its LED headlights. The NHTSA gave it an overall rating of four stars.