Compare the2023 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2023 Mazda CX-30

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Trailblazer are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Trailblazer and the CX-30 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, 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, rear parking sensors 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 Chevrolet Trailblazer is safer than the Mazda CX-30:

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, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trailblazer is safer than the Mazda CX-30:

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

The Trailblazer’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the CX-30’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Trailblazer’s reliability 24 points higher than the CX-30.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 15th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mazda is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Trailblazer gets better mileage than the CX-30:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Trailblazer’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Trailblazer uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-30 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Trailblazer higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-30 (5 to 7). This means the Trailblazer produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-30 every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder AWD, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-30.

The Trailblazer has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Trailblazer’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-30:

The Trailblazer stops shorter than the CX-30:

For better traction, the Trailblazer has larger tires than the CX-30 (225/60R17 vs. 215/65R16).

The Trailblazer LS/LT/ACTIV’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-30 2.5 S’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Trailblazer LS/LT/ACTIV has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the CX-30 2.5 S.

The Trailblazer has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The CX-30 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trailblazer RS AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the CX-30 Premium pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 400 pounds less than the Mazda CX-30.

The front grille of the Trailblazer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-30 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Trailblazer AWD uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CX-30 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Trailblazer has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-30.

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-30 with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 20.2 cubic feet). The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-30 with its rear seat folded (54.4 vs. 45.2 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Trailblazer’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Trailblazer has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The CX-30 has no towing capacity.

The Trailblazer AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Trailblazer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The CX-30 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The power windows standard on both the Trailblazer and the CX-30 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Trailblazer is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-30 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Trailblazer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Trailblazer has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the CX-30 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Trailblazer’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the CX-30’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Trailblazer is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Trailblazer, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mazda CX-30 isn't recommended.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer outsold the Mazda CX-30 by 15% during 2022.