THE CHEVY TRAILBLAZER VS THE CHEVY BLAZER

So you’re looking for a new SUV, and you really want a Chevy. What’s the name of that one you liked the look of–was it a Blazer or Trailblazer? Wait, they’re two different vehicles? Yes, that is right. What’s the difference, they’re both Chevy SUVs, right? You are absolutely correct, but there are quite a few significant differences that could affect which one you choose to purchase for your next vehicle. The 2021 Blazer is a midsize SUV that can take you places, while the 2021 Trailblazer is a more compact SUV that’s ready to go the distance.

THE BLAZER

This two-row midsize SUV is stylish and athletic. The Blazer offers sleek, bold design in a performance-based package. Its spacious cargo area can be reconfigured with the 60/40 split second-row seating, so you can fit all your gear for any week-long adventure trip. Its Driver Mode Selector lets you adjust your vehicle’s performance on multiple road surface conditions, at the touch of a dial with up to five different options. The Blazer’s 8-inch diagonal color-touch display with the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system comes standard in all trims, and will keep you connected and aware of your surroundings.

THE TRAILBLAZER

Just because the Trailblazer is small doesn’t mean it can’t take you on big adventures. Its bold, fresh look will catch your eye, and the two-tone roof on the ACTIV and RS models adds an extra touch of style. Its flat-folding seats let you adjust the cargo area to fit all your hauling needs. Whether you’re driving around town, or heading off on an adventure, you can adjust to your road condition needs, with Normal, All-Wheel Drive (or Snow on FWD) and Sport drive modes. There’s no road trip this little SUV isn’t up for.

PRICE

This might be a big factor in which vehicle you choose, depending on your budget or specific requirements. The 2021 Chevy Trailblazer starts at an economical $19,000. This gets you the base model with no extras, which is great if that’s all you need. Add in a few upgrades and you’re still under $25k, while if you add all the extras and get the top model you’re sitting at about $27,000, still under where the 2021 Chevy Blazer starts at $28,800. With the Blazer Premier 3.6L V6 AWD SUV top-of-the-line, you’re looking at a respectable $45k.

POWER

The Blazer is the more powerful of the two, and comes with a base 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine, with 193 horsepower at 6,300 rpm, and a nine-speed automatic transmission to get you to the far-out places you want to go. The more powerful Premier trim will give you a 3.6-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive that can handle anywhere you want to go, and maybe some places you didn’t. The laid-back Trailblazer has a base 1.2 L 3-cylinder engine with 137 hp at 5,000 rpm, and a continuous variable transmission.

SIZE

The Trailblazer is a trendy compact SUV, offering you the benefits of a sports vehicle with the desirable higher mileage of a smaller car. The midsize Blazer gives you that extra space for all those adventure trips, or packing sports equipment to the kids’ games. You might not need the extra room, but if you want to pull a trailer then you will need the larger SUV’s more powerful engine. On the other hand, if you don’t even care what a trailer hookup is for, then the Trailblazer offers you everything you need.

MILEAGE AND FUEL

The smaller of these two SUVs will get you better mileage, and this might be a consideration if you don’t need the more powerful engine and extra room the Blazer offers. The compact Trailblazer has a city miles-per-gallon of 28, while cruising on a highway gets you up to 31 mpg. Compare this to the Blazer’s 21 mpg for city driving and 27 for highway. As you can see, that bigger vehicle does burn a little more fuel which is expected with a bigger engine. It also carries a 19.4-gallon fuel tank, compared to the smaller Trailblazer’s 13.2-gallon tank.

OPTIONS AND TRIMS

Both vehicles come with a number of upgrades and additional features. The Chevy Trailblazer offers five trim versions starting with the L base model up to the sporty RS. The base 1.2 L 3-cylinder engine can be upgraded to a 1.3 L 3-cylinder engine with 155 horsepower. The Blazer has six trim options, from the L base, all the way up the Premium trim, and three engine options including the 2.0 L Turbo 4-cylinder. Both the Blazer and Trailblazer can be either front or all-wheel drive, depending on which package you choose. Both models also have several additional optional configurations.

DIMENSIONS

As mentioned, the Blazer is the bigger of the two SUVs. But let’s get into the nitty-gritty of the actual differences. At 191.4 inches the Blazer is nearly 18 inches longer than the Trailblazer that comes in at 173.5 inches in length. The Blazer is also about 1.5 inches taller, and 5 inches wider. The Trailblazer has a 103.9-inch wheelbase, compared to the Blazer’s at 112.7 inches. In the cargo area, the Trailblazer has 25.3 cubic feet, or 54.4 with seat area included. The Blazer holds an additional five cubic feet of cargo, or nearly ten with seating.

Whichever Chevy SUV you go with, you will drive with confidence knowing you have a vehicle that has it all: looks, performance, room for the whole family, safety features, and the latest in infotainment connectivity. Has this list helped you decide whether the 2021 Trailblazer or the 2021 Blazer is a better fit for your needs? Do you want something spacious yet compact for navigating city traffic? Or, does that high horsepower engine have you dreaming of riding off into the sunset? Contact us at Koons White Marsh Chevrolet today and we can answer any additional questions you might have.

*Image via Flickr by Xtra Flare
**Image via Flickr by FOTOSHO-TO

Tags: Chevy Blazer, Chevy Trailblazer
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