2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs 2022 Chevrolet Blazer

Chevrolet's 2022 Blazer came in various trims—2LT, 3LT, Premier, and RS. With a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the option of front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), the Blazer aimed to meet various driving needs. The RS trim stood out with its V6 engine and dual-clutch AWD system designed to better navigate low-traction surfaces.

In 2022, the Blazer saw minimal changes. The Premier trim received a mild facelift with revised bumpers, body-side trim, and new standard wheels. The Enhanced Convenience Package and Trailering Package, introduced for turbo-four-equipped models, further enhanced this SUV's versatility. Two-tone paint became an option for the LT and RS trims, adding more customizability.

Pricing for the 2022 Blazer ranged from $33,400 to $41,100, minus a $1,195 destination charge from Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. Our test Blazer RS, loaded with optional AWD, premium paint, and additional packages tallied up to $49,000.

Modeled after the Camaro's design, the Blazer's exterior looked sporty and aggressive. The visual appeal was accentuated by 20-inch wheels. However, the odd black trim rising from the rear bumper into the liftgate gave an unfinished and bulky appearance, resembling a "plastic tongue" or a bruised lip.

The Blazer’s interior also shared traits with the Camaro, particularly in its infotainment and climate control layouts. The centrally placed 8-inch touchscreen had intuitive physical controls, and the round air vents featured innovative temperature adjustment rings. A strip of buttons above the vents handled climate settings, making the controls user-friendly.

However, the interior featured lots of hard plastic, even in our almost $50,000 test vehicle, where the upper door panel trim felt particularly stiff. Despite this, the Blazer RS compensated with red interior accents matching the Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior paint. This cohesive color scheme, which included the stitching, air vent trim, and seat piping, lent the vehicle a touch of sophistication.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, redesigned in 2019, moved away from its soft crossover aesthetics to adopt a more rugged, blocky appearance. The trapezoidal grille, influenced by Toyota's truck line, gave it a commanding front-end look. Angular bodywork framed the headlights, signaling a more robust design approach. While initially striking, this design trend soon caught on with competitors like the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-50.

Inside, the RAV4 Hybrid followed an angular theme. The dashboard featured a multi-tiered setup with beveled cutouts, adding depth to an otherwise straightforward surface. The layout was typical for the time, with an infotainment touchscreen perched atop the dash and ample physical buttons and knobs for primary controls.

Materials inside the RAV4 Hybrid were average for its class and price, with plenty of hard plastics but lightly padded touchpoints. Notably, the base and Woodland trims omitted the leather-wrapped steering wheel, opting for a basic urethane material that felt cheap, especially given that it's a continuous touchpoint for the driver. Fortunately, higher trims included a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The build quality remained robust, exhibiting no creaks or rattles on uneven roads.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer offered two distinct engines. The base model carried a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, it powered either the front or all four wheels, with driving modes including Tour, Sport, Slippery, and Tow/Haul. Remote engine start was an available feature.

The Blazer RS enhanced performance with a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. This engine, available with 3LT and Premier trims, shone when paired with the RS’s advanced dual-clutch AWD system. It mirrored the driving modes of the smaller engine and could tow up to 4,500 pounds—1,000 pounds more than the base engine.

During city and highway drives, the Blazer RS maintained a sporty, firm ride. The V6 provided robust acceleration, though it often sounded coarse. The 20-inch tires granted decent grip, and the steering felt well-weighted unless in Sport mode, where it became unnecessarily heavy. Brakes performed capably, ensuring quick stops.

However, spirited driving revealed the Blazer's limitations. On winding backroads, the suspension felt too loose, and the nine-speed transmission was sluggish with downshifts, particularly uphill. In Sport mode, steering felt artificially hefty and resisted the driver’s inputs in high-speed corners. The combination of sporty looks and lackluster driving dynamics created a mismatch for enthusiastic drivers.

Fuel economy ratings suggested our Blazer RS AWD should have achieved 21 mpg in mixed driving. Our tests resulted in an average of 20.5 mpg, likely hindered by heavy pre-holiday traffic.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine married to an electric motor/generator, managed by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. A secondary electric motor powered the rear wheels, providing AWD. Combined, the system delivered 219 horsepower, propelling the RAV4 Hybrid to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds—adequate for merging or overtaking on highways.

This hybrid powertrain outpaced the standard RAV4 by about half a second, with the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime trimming the 0-60 time to just 5.5 seconds. Within its class, the RAV4 Hybrid compared favorably, being slightly slower than the Kia Sportage hybrid but quicker than the Honda CR-V Hybrid, which takes around 8 seconds to reach 60 mph.

The RAV4 Hybrid’s brakes operated smoothly, with initial braking energy redirected to charge the battery through regenerative braking. Only during aggressive stops or final halts did the physical brakes engage, and the transition remained imperceptible.

The suspension managed moderate bumps and potholes without difficulty while maintaining cornering stability. Not designed for sporty driving, the RAV4 Hybrid struck a balance, doing the fundamentals well without standing out. It was calm and easy to drive, similar to its competitors in the hybrid SUV segment.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer felt suitably comfortable and practical for everyday use. Our RS test model’s black leather with red perforations offered a sporty interior aesthetic. The steering wheel, adjustable for tilt and telescopic reach, included a heating function for cold weather convenience. Both front seats provided power adjustments, heating, and ventilation, making them comfortable for a range of body types. However, the short bottom cushions lacked sufficient thigh support.

Dual-zone climate control, paired with effective air conditioning and rear vents, ensured a pleasant cabin environment. The rear seats were spacious, flat, and adjustable, allowing extra room for passengers or cargo as needed.

Storage solutions in the Blazer impressed. The glove compartment was sizable, and the center armrest bin offered ample storage. Front door bins included shelves and additional pockets, further increasing utility. Rear passengers benefited from seatback pockets, small trays, door bins, and a center armrest with cupholders.

Most Blazer models featured a power rear liftgate, with hands-free operation available on RS and Premier trims. However, the feature’s reliability was hit-or-miss. When functional, it exposed a 30.5 cubic-foot cargo space, expandable to 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Both figures were on the smaller side for a midsize SUV.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offered ample space for front seat passengers and easily accommodated average-sized adults in the rear. While it provided slightly more rear headroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage, it fell short on legroom. In practical terms, these differences were negligible. However, fitting a rear-facing infant seat might require adjusting the front seat.

Cargo capacity in the RAV4 Hybrid was a strong suit, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats—almost identical to the non-hybrid model. This avoided the common trade-off where battery placement compromises storage space. In comparison to rivals, the Honda CR-V (39.5 cubic feet) and Kia Sportage (39.3 cubic feet) had similar capacities, making the storage differences minor.

The rear seatbacks in the RAV4 folded flat with the cargo floor for maximum utility, although shorter users might find it challenging to reach the seatbacks. Interior storage was thoughtfully planned, with a wide dashboard shelf for the front passenger and a phone tray in front of the center console. While a wireless charging pad was an option, it was not practically available due to the ongoing chip shortage. Large cupholders, a spacious center armrest bin, and average-sized door pockets enhanced its usability.

Even tech-averse drivers found the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer’s infotainment system intuitive. Featuring an 8-inch touchscreen with clear graphics, it offered tactile controls like a power/volume knob, tuning buttons, and easy-to-navigate Home and Back buttons. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a range of connected services and a Wi-Fi hotspot through OnStar, albeit with short trial periods.

Enhanced versions of the infotainment system included satellite radio, navigation with voice recognition, and wireless smartphone charging. The test vehicle also boasted a "premium" 8-speaker Bose audio system, although its sound quality might not impress audiophiles. Additionally, helpful tech features included rear parking sensors, a high-resolution reversing camera, a 360-degree camera, and a rear camera mirror for enhanced rear visibility.

For 2023, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid received a significant tech upgrade. The new infotainment system featured modern graphics and logically arranged menus. The base display was an 8.0-inch touchscreen, while higher trims upgraded to a 10.5-inch version. Although the smaller display's on-screen buttons were fiddly, the overall layout reduced driving distractions.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came standard, with an optional wireless charging pad. Over-the-air software updates kept features current, and connectivity options included a Wi-Fi hotspot and remote vehicle monitoring/control. High-end models featured a fully digital instrument panel. While the standard six-speaker audio delivered satisfactory sound, the top Limited trim upgraded to an 11-speaker JBL system, enhancing audio quality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Blazer featured the Chevy Safety Assist suite, standard across all trims. This included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, low-speed automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features included a rear-seat reminder system and Teen Driver technology, which monitored teen driving habits and generated report cards for parents.

Optional safety upgrades included a vibrating Safety Alert Seat that indicated approaching threats, adaptive cruise control with enhanced emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and LED headlights. The IIHS, however, did not award the Blazer a Top Safety Pick due to its headlights' subpar performance. Despite this, the Blazer's safety tech, especially the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance, was effective and user-friendly.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid excelled in safety. The NHTSA gave it a five-star rating for overall and side crash protection, with four stars for frontal and rollover crash tests. The IIHS awarded it its highest score of "Good" in most categories, except for an "Acceptable" rating in recent moderate overlap frontal and side-impact tests. It was also named a Top Safety Pick.

Toyota's Safety Sense 2.5 suite came standard, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and traffic sign reader. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, parking sensors, and options for surround-view cameras and a digital rearview mirror. In practical tests, these systems functioned reliably without false alarms, with smooth operation notably in the adaptive cruise control.