Compare the2023 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Chevrolet Trailblazer doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Trailblazer’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CR-V has a standard Low-Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CR-V EX-L has standard Parking Sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The CR-V 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 CR-V has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Trailblazer.

The CR-V’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 CR-V 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 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 and available all wheel drive.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Trailblazer has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Trailblazer.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CR-V’s 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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 53 more horsepower (190 vs. 137) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 162) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The CR-V’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (190 vs. 155) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (179 vs. 174) than the Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda CR-V is faster than the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

	CR-V	Trailblazer
Zero to 60 MPH	8.8 sec	9.5 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.5 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	17.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the Trailblazer:

			MPG
CR-V
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/32 hwy
Trailblazer
	FWD	1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/30 hwy

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Trailblazer:

	CR-V	Trailblazer
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	10.39 inches

The CR-V stops shorter than the Trailblazer:

	CR-V	Trailblazer
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the Trailblazer (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Trailblazer LS/LT/ACTIV.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Trailblazer has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V flat and controlled during cornering. The Trailblazer’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the Trailblazer (106.3 inches vs. 103.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Trailblazer.

The CR-V’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57.6% to 42.4%) than the Trailblazer’s (60% to 40%). This gives the CR-V more stable handling and braking.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Trailblazer RS AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The CR-V has .4 inches more front legroom, 3.3 inches more front hip room, 2.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear legroom, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V’s rear seats recline. The Trailblazer’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trailblazer with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trailblazer with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V easier. The CR-V’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Trailblazer’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the Trailblazer’s in almost every dimension:

	CR-V	Trailblazer
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/71”	32”/64.5”
Max Width	54”	54”
Min Width	41.5”	41”
Height	41”	28.2”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The CR-V’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Trailblazer’s (1500 vs. 1000 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Trailblazer uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CR-V EX-L, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer memory seats.

The CR-V EX-L’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The CR-V’s standard 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. The CR-V EX-L’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches.

On a hot day the CR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. The driver of the Trailblazer can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Trailblazer’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CR-V’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Trailblazer’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The CR-V’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet only offers heated mirrors on the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS.

The CR-V has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Trailblazer LS doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The CR-V’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CR-V and the Trailblazer offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Trailblazer has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Chevrolet Trailblazer by almost four to one during 2022.