Compare the2023 Volkswagen Atlas Cross SportVS 2023 Chevrolet Blazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Atlas Cross Sport has standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Blazer doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Atlas Cross Sport offers optional Maneuver Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Blazer doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Atlas Cross Sport 4Motion’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The Blazer doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Blazer’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Atlas Cross Sport has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Blazer.

Both the Atlas Cross Sport and the Blazer 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Chevrolet Blazer:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Blazer
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	277	313
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	39%	43%
Neck Compression	117 lbs.	140 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is safer than the Chevrolet Blazer:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Blazer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	48	93
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	64 lbs.	157 lbs.
Hip Force	215 lbs.	369 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	251
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	529 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Hip Force	594 lbs.	695 lbs.

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

Warranty

The Atlas Cross Sport comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Blazer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Blazer’s (7/100,000 vs. 6/100,000).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas Cross Sport for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Blazer.

Reliability

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport’s engines use a cast iron block for durability, while the Blazer’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

Engine

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (235 vs. 228) than the Blazer’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Atlas Cross Sport’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Blazer:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Blazer
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	12.64 inches

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Blazer are solid, not vented.

The Atlas Cross Sport stops shorter than the Blazer:

	Atlas Cross Sport	Blazer
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Atlas Cross Sport has larger standard tires than the Blazer (245/60R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Atlas Cross Sport SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Blazer’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Atlas Cross Sport’s wheelbase is 4.6 inches longer than on the Blazer (117.3 inches vs. 112.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas Cross Sport is .6 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Blazer.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the Blazer’s (60.1% to 39.9%). This gives the Atlas Cross Sport more stable handling and braking.

Passenger Space

The Atlas Cross Sport has 4.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Blazer (112.1 vs. 107.8).

The Atlas Cross Sport has .7 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear legroom, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Blazer.

Cargo Capacity

The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Blazer with its rear seat up (40.3 vs. 30.5 cubic feet). The Atlas Cross Sport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Blazer with its rear seat folded (77.8 vs. 64.2 cubic feet).

Towing

The Atlas Cross Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Blazer’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Chevrolet Blazer is only 4500 pounds. The Atlas Cross Sport offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Atlas Cross Sport’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Blazer’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Atlas Cross Sport the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Blazer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Atlas Cross Sport has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Blazer doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Atlas Cross Sport’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Blazer’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas Cross Sport SEL to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Blazer doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Atlas Cross Sport’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Blazer’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Atlas Cross Sport offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Blazer doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Atlas Cross Sport to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Blazer doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Blazer doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport and the Chevrolet Blazer, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Chevrolet Blazer by 69% during the 2021 model year.