Compare the2024 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2024 Porsche Macan

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 Macan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Trailblazer’s optional Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Macan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Trailblazer and the Macan 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 and rear parking sensors.

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 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Macan has not been tested, yet.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Trailblazer 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Porsche covers the Macan. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Macan ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 15 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

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 Porsche vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles, Porsche is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Trailblazer gets better mileage than the Macan:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Trailblazer uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Macan requires premium, 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 Porsche Macan (5). This means the Trailblazer produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Macan 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 seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

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 Macan doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 Macan doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Trailblazer’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Macan’s (37.3 feet vs. 39.2 feet). The Trailblazer RS’ turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Macan’s (38.3 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Trailblazer has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Trailblazer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 pounds less than the Porsche Macan.

The Trailblazer is 1 foot shorter than the Macan, making the Trailblazer easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 Macan doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Macan with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The Trailblazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Macan with its rear seat folded (54.4 vs. 53 cubic feet).

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

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 Macan can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Trailblazer offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Macan doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Porsche Connect can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

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 Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Macan only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Macan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Trailblazer owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Trailblazer will cost $2775 to $6750 less than the Macan over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Trailblazer will be $30533 to $52561 less than for the Porsche Macan.

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 Macan isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer outsold the Porsche Macan by over four to one during 2023.