Compare the2024 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2022 Kia Niro

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

Safety

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The Chevrolet Trailblazer has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Niro doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Trailblazer offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Trailblazer has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Niro doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Trailblazer and the Niro have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front 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, daytime running lights, 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 Kia Niro:

	Trailblazer	Niro
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	27%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	291 lbs.
Neck Compression	15 lbs.	37 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29%	80%
Neck Stress	153 lbs.	207 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 Chevrolet Trailblazer is safer than the Kia Niro:

	Trailblazer	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	91	138
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	517 lbs.	993 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	591 lbs.	712 lbs.

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 “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Trailblazer its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Niro has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Trailblazer’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Niro’s (6/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is rated lower.

Engine

The Trailblazer’s optional 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (155 vs. 139) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Trailblazer 1.3 turbo 3-cylinder is faster than the Kia Niro:

	Trailblazer	Niro
Zero to 60 MPH	9.3 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.5 MPH	80.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the Trailblazer and Niro have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Trailblazer has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Trailblazer has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (13.2 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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 Niro.

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 Niro doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Trailblazer	Niro
Front Rotors	11.81 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.39 inches	10.3 inches

The Trailblazer stops much shorter than the Niro:

	Trailblazer	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Trailblazer has larger standard tires than the Niro (225/60R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Trailblazer RS’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (245/45R19 vs. 225/45R18).

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 Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The Trailblazer RS’ 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

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 Niro doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trailblazer has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The Trailblazer RS AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Niro LXS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Chassis

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 Niro 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 Niro doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Trailblazer has 2 inches more rear legroom and 2.1 inches more rear hip room than the Niro.

Cargo Capacity

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 19.4 cubic feet).

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

	Trailblazer	Niro
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	32”/64.5”	31.8”/64”
Max Width	54”	48.2”
Min Width	41”	41”
Height	28.2”	36”

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the Trailblazer ACTIV/RS, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Niro doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The Trailblazer has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Niro 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 Niro can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Trailblazer’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Niro’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The Trailblazer’s front and rear power windows all lower 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 Niro’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

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 Niro doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Trailblazer’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Niro’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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

Consumer Reports rated the Trailblazer’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Niro’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 Niro doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Kia Niro, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trailblazer second among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Niro isn’t in the top three.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer outsold the Kia Niro by over two to one during 2022.