Compare the2023 Toyota Corolla HatchbackVS 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Corolla Hatchback has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats (WIL), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WIL system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Corolla Hatchback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Trailblazer 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.

The Corolla Hatchback’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 Corolla Hatchback and the Trailblazer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver 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 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Chevrolet Trailblazer:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trailblazer
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	356	401
Neck Injury Risk	27%	29%
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/156 lbs.	409/383 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 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is safer than the Chevrolet Trailblazer:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trailblazer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	199 lbs.
Hip Force	330 lbs.	459 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	137	185
Hip Force	367 lbs.	517 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	239	337
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	38 G’s

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 Corolla Hatchback is 7.4% to 8% less likely to roll over than the Trailblazer.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Corolla Hatchback the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Trailblazer has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Hatchback for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota 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 Corolla Hatchback’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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Chevrolet is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 20th.

Engine

The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 32 more horsepower (169 vs. 137) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Corolla Hatchback’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (169 vs. 155) than the Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is faster than the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trailblazer
Zero to 30 MPH	3.4 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	9.5 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.8 sec	17.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Hatchback gets better mileage than the Trailblazer:

			MPG
Corolla Hatchback
	FWD	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	32 city/41 hwy
		XSE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/38 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 Corolla Hatchback stops shorter than the Trailblazer:

	Corolla Hatchback	Trailblazer
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	133 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Corolla Hatchback SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Trailblazer LS/LT/ACTIV’s standard 60 series tires. The Corolla Hatchback’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Trailblazer’s optional 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Corolla Hatchback flat and controlled during cornering. The Trailblazer’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback XSE handles at .85 G’s, while the Trailblazer RS AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Chassis

The Corolla Hatchback is 8.1 inches shorter in height than the Trailblazer, making the Corolla Hatchback much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Passenger Space

The Corolla Hatchback has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

Ergonomics

The Corolla Hatchback’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 Trailblazer’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Hatchback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Trailblazer can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Hatchback’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 Corolla Hatchback’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 Corolla Hatchback 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 Corolla Hatchback XSE’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 Corolla Hatchback and the Trailblazer offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Corolla Hatchback XSE 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.

Model Availability

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Chevrolet Trailblazer isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Corolla Hatchback and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Chevrolet Trailblazer by almost five to one during 2022.

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