Compare the2021 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2020 Hyundai Kona

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Trailblazer are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Kona doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Trailblazer and the Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 8th.

The Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder produces 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (162 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Trailblazer FWD CVT 1.3 turbo 3 cyl. gets better fuel mileage than the Kona FWD with its standard 4 cyl. (29 city/33 hwy vs. 27 city/33 hwy).

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Trailblazer’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The Kona doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Trailblazer higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Kona (5). This means the Trailblazer produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Kona every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is on the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Kona.

The Trailblazer has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Kona doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better traction, the Trailblazer has larger standard tires than the Kona (215/65R16 vs. 205/60R16).

The Trailblazer has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Kona doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Trailblazer’s wheelbase is 1.5 inches longer than on the Kona (103.9 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The front grille of the Trailblazer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Kona doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Trailblazer has .4 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more rear headroom and 4.8 inches more rear legroom than the Kona.

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (54.4 vs. 45.8 cubic feet).

The Trailblazer’s cargo area is larger than the Kona’s in almost every dimension:

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS’ power liftgate can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Kona doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Trailblazer has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kona has no towing capacity.

The Trailblazer’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch. The Kona has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Trailblazer’s front and rear power windows all open fully with one touch of the switches and its driver’s window also automatically closes, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Kona SEL/Limited/Ultimate’s rear windows don’t open automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Trailblazer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Kona doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Blue Link can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Trailblazer’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kona’s passenger power window and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Kona doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.