Compare the2023 Nissan KicksVS 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Trailblazer only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Kicks 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 Trailblazer’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks 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 Trailblazer.

The Kicks SV/SR’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kicks and the Trailblazer 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available daytime running lights.

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

	Kicks	Trailblazer
	Passenger
STARS	3 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	326	401
Leg Forces (l/r)	370/209 lbs.	409/383 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kicks is 2.4% to 3% less likely to roll over than the Trailblazer.

Warranty

The Kicks’ corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Trailblazer’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Kicks’ engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Trailblazer’s camshafts. If the Trailblazer’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 4 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks gets better mileage than the Trailblazer:

			MPG
Kicks
	FWD	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/36 hwy
Trailblazer
	FWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/33 hwy
		1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/30 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The Kicks SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Trailblazer are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops shorter than the Trailblazer:

	Kicks	Trailblazer
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	121 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The Kicks has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks SR handles at .82 G’s, while the Trailblazer RS AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Trailblazer’s (34.1 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

The Kicks is 4.4 inches shorter than the Trailblazer LS/LT, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Kicks has .4 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more rear headroom and 3.4 inches more rear hip room than the Trailblazer.

The front step up height for the Kicks is 1.5 inches lower than the Trailblazer (15.5” vs. 17”). The Kicks’ rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Trailblazer’s (15.9” vs. 17.4”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kicks easier. The Kicks’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.6 inches, while the Trailblazer’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

Ergonomics

The Kicks’ front power windows 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 Trailblazer’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Kicks third among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Trailblazer isn’t in the top three.

The Nissan Kicks outsold the Chevrolet Trailblazer by 72% during 2020.