Compare the2023 Volkswagen TiguanVS 2023 Chevrolet Blazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tiguan has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies 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 Tiguan SE R-Line Black/SEL R-Line has standard 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 Tiguan’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Blazer doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Tiguan 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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan 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 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 Tiguan is safer than the Chevrolet Blazer:

	Tiguan	Blazer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	49	93
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	82 lbs.	157 lbs.
Hip Force	337 lbs.	369 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	156	251
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	510 lbs.	673 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tiguan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 92 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Blazer last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The Tiguan 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 Tiguan’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 Tiguan 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 Tiguan’s engine uses 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.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Tiguan gets better mileage than the Blazer:

			MPG
Tiguan
	FWD	S 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/30 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
		R-Line 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Blazer
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Tiguan uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Blazer with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Tiguan	Blazer
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	12.64 inches

The Tiguan stops shorter than the Blazer:

	Tiguan	Blazer
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Tiguan SEL R-Line’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Blazer RS/Premier’s optional 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Tiguan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55.9% to 44.1%) than the Blazer’s (60.1% to 39.9%). This gives the Tiguan more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Tiguan’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Blazer’s (37.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Tiguan has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Blazer LT (7.6 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Tiguan to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Tiguan is 5.7 inches shorter than the Blazer, making the Tiguan easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Tiguan 4Motion® is quieter than the Blazer RS 4x4 (73 vs. 74 dB).

Passenger Space

The Tiguan offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Blazer can only carry 5.

The Tiguan has 16.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Blazer (123.9 vs. 107.8).

The front step up height for the Tiguan is 1 inches lower than the Blazer (17.4” vs. 18.4”). The Tiguan’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Blazer’s (17.5” vs. 19”).

Cargo Capacity

The Tiguan’s cargo area provides more volume than the Blazer.

	Tiguan	Blazer
Third Seat Folded	33 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	37.6 cubic feet	30.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	65.3 cubic feet	64.2 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	73.4 cubic feet	64.2 cubic feet

Ergonomics

The Tiguan’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 Tiguan SE/SEL/SEL Premium the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Blazer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tiguan 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 Tiguan’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Blazer’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Tiguan SE/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 Tiguan’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Blazer’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

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

The Tiguan SEL 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.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Tiguan is less expensive to operate than the Blazer because it costs $154 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Tiguan than the Blazer, including $122 less for front brake pads, $557 less for a timing belt/chain and $579 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Volkswagen Tiguan outsold the Chevrolet Blazer by 50% during the 2021 model year.