Compare the2025 Kia SoulVS 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Soul and Trailblazer offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Soul with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning also has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Trailblazer’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Soul’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 Soul and the Trailblazer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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 and available blind spot warning systems.

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

	Soul	Trailblazer
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	168 lbs.	190 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	49/286 lbs.	83/261 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	324	401
Leg Forces (l/r)	237/154 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, results indicate that the Kia Soul is safer than the Chevrolet Trailblazer:

	Soul	Trailblazer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.1 inches

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 Soul is 3.2% to 3.8% less likely to roll over than the Trailblazer.

Warranty

The Soul comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Trailblazer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Soul 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Trailblazer. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Trailblazer ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Soul’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 rated the Soul third among small suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Trailblazer isn’t in the top three.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 10 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Soul’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (147 vs. 137) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

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

	Soul	Trailblazer
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	17 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.3 MPH	80.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Soul
	FWD	EX 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
Trailblazer
	FWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	29 city/33 hwy
		1.2 turbo 3-cyl.	30 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/29 hwy

The Soul has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Trailblazer (14.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Soul has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Trailblazer. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

The Soul stops much shorter than the Trailblazer:

	Soul	Trailblazer
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	166 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Soul 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 Soul handles at .86 G’s, while the Trailblazer RS AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Soul executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Trailblazer RS AWD (26.8 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Soul’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Trailblazer’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.3 feet). The Soul’s turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the Trailblazer RS’ (34.8 feet vs. 38.3 feet).

Chassis

The Soul is 8.8 inches shorter than the Trailblazer, making the Soul easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Soul has 4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Trailblazer (102.2 vs. 98.2).

The Soul has .2 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear hip room and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

Cargo Capacity

The Soul has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trailblazer with its rear seat folded (62.1 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

The Soul uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Trailblazer uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Soul Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Soul S/EX/GT-Line’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.

Compared to the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Kia Soul eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Economic Advantages

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Kia Soul will be $1953 to $2884 less than for the Chevrolet Trailblazer.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Soul, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Trailblazer isn't recommended.

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