Compare the2021 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2021 Volvo XC40

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 XC40 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Trailblazer and the XC40 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Trailblazer 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 10 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 69 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

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 Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 89 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 29th.

On the EPA test cycle the Trailblazer gets better fuel mileage than the XC40:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Trailblazer uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XC40 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Trailblazer higher (7 out of 10) than the Volvo XC40 (5). This means the Trailblazer produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the XC40 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 an eight-speed automatic is available for the XC40.

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 XC40 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Trailblazer stops shorter than the XC40:

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 XC40 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trailblazer RS 4x4 handles at .80 G’s, while the XC40 T5 R-Design AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 700 pounds less than the Volvo XC40.

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 XC40 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Trailblazer has 1 inch more front headroom and 3.3 inches more rear legroom than the XC40.

The front step up height for the Trailblazer is 1 inches lower than the XC40 (16.7” vs. 17.7”). The Trailblazer’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the XC40’s (17” vs. 18.2”).

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 20.4 cubic feet). The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 with its rear seat folded (54.4 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

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 XC40 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Volvo On Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 XC40 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.