Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 HybridVS 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Trailblazer doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Rav4 Hybrid 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rav4 Hybrid (except LE/Woodland) offers optional Parking Assist with 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Rav4 Hybrid. But it costs extra on the Trailblazer.

The Rav4 Hybrid XSE/Limited offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera 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 Rav4 Hybrid’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 Rav4 Hybrid and the Trailblazer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid weighs 421 to 791 pounds more than the Chevrolet Trailblazer. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is safer than the Chevrolet Trailblazer:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Trailblazer
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	284	401
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	340/190 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 Rav4 Hybrid is 2.4% to 3% less likely to roll over than the Trailblazer.

Warranty

The Rav4 Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Trailblazer’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid’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 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 17th.

Engine

The Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 82 more horsepower (219 vs. 137) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder. The Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 64 more horsepower (219 vs. 155) than the Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is faster than the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Trailblazer
Zero to 60 MPH	7.1 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.1 MPH	80.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Hybrid gets better mileage than the Trailblazer:

			MPG
Rav4 Hybrid
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	41 city/38 hwy
		Woodland 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	38 city/35 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

The Rav4 Hybrid can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The Trailblazer can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Rav4 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Rav4 Hybrid has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Trailblazer (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Rav4 Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Trailblazer:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Trailblazer
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.81 inches
Rear Rotors	11.1 inches	10.39 inches

The Rav4 Hybrid stops shorter than the Trailblazer:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Trailblazer
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	121 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Trailblazer (105.9 inches vs. 103.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 Hybrid is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Trailblazer.

The Rav4 Hybrid’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Trailblazer’s (60% to 40%). This gives the Rav4 Hybrid more stable handling and braking.

The Rav4 Hybrid XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Trailblazer RS AWD (27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Hybrid’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Trailblazer’s (36.1 feet vs. 36.8 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Trailblazer (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Rav4 Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Rav4 Hybrid has .1 inches more front legroom, 2 inches more front hip room, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and 2.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rav4 Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Trailblazer’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trailblazer with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Rav4 Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trailblazer with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 Hybrid easier. The Rav4 Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Trailblazer’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Rav4 Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Trailblazer’s in almost every dimension:

	Rav4 Hybrid	Trailblazer
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40”/73.4”	32”/64.5”
Max Width	59”	54”
Min Width	39.4”	41”
Height	36.6”	28.2”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4 Hybrid. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Rav4 Hybrid’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Trailblazer’s (1750 vs. 1000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 Hybrid uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Rav4 Hybrid (except LE/SE/Woodland), the optional memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Rav4 Hybrid’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 Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid XLE/SE/XSE/Limited’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Trailblazer’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Rav4 Hybrid’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Hybrid Limited offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the Rav4 Hybrid and the Trailblazer offer available heated front seats. The Rav4 Hybrid Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Trailblazer.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 Hybrid Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid’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 Rav4 Hybrid and the Trailblazer offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rav4 Hybrid 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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Chevrolet Trailblazer by almost seven to one during the 2022 model year.

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