2022 Chevrolet Blazer vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Honda CR-V had a design that blended into the crowded compact crossover market. Its styling was nearly identical to many of its competitors, with only minor details like the grille and some chromed plastic features setting it apart. Despite offering eight color options, the palette was dominated by shades of gray, black, and white, with vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic being rare finds on dealer lots. Inside, the CR-V offered a modern look with angular seats and trim options that included wood panels and chrome, but it still faced stiff competition from more distinctively styled rivals like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.

In contrast, the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer featured a more striking design inspired by the Camaro, especially when equipped with 20-inch wheels. The RS trim, in particular, stood out with its sporty appearance, although the black trim on the rear bumper gave it an unfinished look. Inside, the Blazer continued the Camaro theme with an 8-inch touchscreen, large round air vents, and a mix of hard plastics and sporty red accents in the RS trim. While the interior looked good, the quality of materials, especially the hard upper door panels, left something to be desired.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not built for thrilling acceleration or high-speed cornering. Its 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine provided smooth and steady acceleration, taking about 7.8 seconds to reach 60 mph. All trims came with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which, while efficient, lacked the engagement of conventional automatic transmissions found in competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. The CR-V offered front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Its suspension setup, featuring MacPherson struts in the front and a multi-link rear, provided decent handling and ride quality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer offered more power and driving modes. The standard 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produced 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The RS trim came with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, along with a sophisticated dual-clutch all-wheel-drive system. The V6 engine provided satisfying acceleration but was often loud and unrefined. The Blazer RS felt firm and sporty in city and highway driving, but its performance on winding roads was less impressive, with a suspension that bounced too much and a nine-speed automatic that was slow to downshift. The Blazer RS averaged 20.5 mpg in combined driving, slightly below its EPA rating of 21 mpg.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in practicality, offering 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. Accessing the cargo area varied by trim, with higher trims offering power and hands-free tailgate options. However, only the top Touring trim came with standard roof rails. The CR-V's interior was designed to comfortably fit five people and their gear, making it a strong contender in its class.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer also provided a comfortable and useful interior. The RS trim featured black leather upholstery with red perforations, power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, and a power tilt and telescopic steering wheel. The rear seats were wide and flat, offering plenty of legroom and the ability to slide forward and back for added cargo space. The Blazer's storage options included a large glove compartment, a spacious center bin, and various door bins and seatback pockets. The cargo area measured 30.5 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, which was smaller than the CR-V's capacity.

The 2021 Honda CR-V's base LX trim had a basic 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity. Higher trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The audio system ranged from a 180-watt system with six speakers in the Special Edition and EX trims to a 300-watt system with a subwoofer in the Touring trim. Charging ports were plentiful, with USB ports in the front and second rows, and the Touring trim added a wireless phone charger.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer came with an 8-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an upgraded infotainment system with satellite radio and connected navigation. The system was user-friendly, with separate stereo volume and tuning controls and effective voice recognition. The Blazer also offered wireless smartphone charging, an 8-speaker Bose audio system, and advanced safety features like rear parking sensors, a 360-degree camera, and a rear camera mirror.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety features, including a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. The only feature not standard on the base LX trim was blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer also offered a comprehensive suite of safety features. Standard equipment included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam headlights, a rear-seat reminder system, and Teen Driver technology. Available upgrades included a vibrating Safety Alert Seat, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and LED headlights. The Blazer's advanced driving assistance systems were effective and user-friendly, but the SUV did not earn an IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to its headlight performance.