Compare the2025 Nissan KicksVS 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer

The Kicks SR offers an optional front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View Monitor 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 Kicks has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Trailblazer’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Trailblazer.

The Kicks’ 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 Kicks and the Trailblazer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 all wheel drive.

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

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kicks for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Trailblazer.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Kicks’ 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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 3 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

The Kicks’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 4 more horsepower (141 vs. 137) than the Trailblazer’s standard 1.2 turbo 3-cylinder.

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

The Kicks has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Trailblazer doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Kicks has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. 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.

For superior ride and handling, the Kicks AWD 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 solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Kicks has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Kicks flat and controlled during cornering. The Trailblazer’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Kicks 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.

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

For greater off-road capability the Kicks has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Trailblazer (8.4 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Kicks to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Kicks has 1.8 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more rear headroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Trailblazer.

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Trailblazer with its rear seat up (30 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Trailblazer with its rear seat folded (60 vs. 54.4 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kicks easier. The Kicks’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches, while the Trailblazer’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The Kicks’ standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Trailblazer’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Kicks’ optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Kicks’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet only offers heated mirrors on the Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS.