Compare the2023 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2022 Lexus UX

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 UX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Trailblazer and the UX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trailblazer is safer than the Lexus UX:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Trailblazer its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 81 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The UX is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

There are almost 12 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Trailblazer’s reliability 40 points higher than the UX.

The Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder produces 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (162 vs. 151) than the UX 200’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Trailblazer’s 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder produces 162 lbs.-ft. more torque (162 vs. ) than the UX 250h’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder produces 174 lbs.-ft. more torque (174 vs. ) than the UX 250h’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

Regardless of its engine, the Trailblazer’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Lexus only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the UX Hybrid, and doesn’t offer a disable button.

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

The Trailblazer has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the UX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Trailblazer higher (7 out of 10) than the Lexus UX (6 to 7). This means the Trailblazer produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the UX every 15,000 miles.

The Trailblazer stops shorter than the UX:

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 UX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trailblazer has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the UX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Trailblazer RS AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the UX 200 pulls only .78 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 300 pounds less than the Lexus UX.

The Trailblazer LS/LT is 3.5 inches shorter than the UX, making the Trailblazer easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 UX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Trailblazer AWD uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The UX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Trailblazer has 2.8 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 6.3 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the UX.

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the UX (25.3 vs. 17.1 cubic feet).

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

The Trailblazer AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Trailblazer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The UX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The power windows standard on both the Trailblazer and the UX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Trailblazer is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The UX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 UX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Consumer Reports rated the Trailblazer’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the UX’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

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

Insurance will cost less for the Trailblazer owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Trailblazer will cost $155 to $1765 less than the UX over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Trailblazer will be $8565 to $9748 less than for the Lexus UX.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Lexus UX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer outsold the Lexus UX by almost five to one during the 2021 model year.