2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2023 Volkswagen ID.4

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer resembled a mini version of the Chevrolet Blazer midsize crossover, striking a balance between SUV toughness and upscale appearance. Intricate headlight and taillight elements, along with dark chrome trim, added a touch of sophistication. The Activ and RS models featured unique styling elements, with the Activ aiming for a rugged look and the RS adopting a sportier, boy-racer aesthetic. Contrasting roofs in red, black, or white further enhanced the Trailblazer's distinctive and retro look.

Inside, the Trailblazer Activ test car boasted a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. The mix of copper-toned and sparkly black plastic trim with gray seat inserts added personality to the otherwise black interior. Design touches like grab handles around the center console and a creased dashboard and air vents made the cabin distinctive, even if it didn’t scream “outdoor adventure.”

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received subtle styling updates, including gloss black trim on the front bumper and a more squared-off rear bumper design. New wheel designs and colors, along with a rear VW logo that lit up, were also introduced. While the ID.4 was easily distinguishable as an EV, it lacked the upright profile and added ground clearance of traditional SUVs, which might have been a drawback for some buyers.

The ID.4's interior carried over the best qualities from recent VW gasoline-car interiors, featuring a minimalist design and an overall feeling of quality. The base ID.4 Standard model, despite having a manual driver’s seat, didn’t feel like a significant downgrade from the higher-level ID.4 Pro S. Leatherette upholstery with seat and door-panel inserts made partly from recycled fibers were standard for 2023, adding a touch of eco-friendliness to the interior.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer shared its platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX. It came with a standard 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. An optional 1.3-liter turbo-three increased output to 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. The 1.2-liter engine was available only with front-wheel drive (FWD), while the 1.3-liter engine could be had with either FWD or all-wheel drive (AWD). FWD models had a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while AWD models had a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Our Trailblazer Activ test car had AWD, the nine-speed automatic, and the 1.3-liter engine. The throttle response was more pleasant in the Trailblazer compared to the Buick Encore GX, providing a decent amount of shove and a pleasing exhaust note. However, the nine-speed automatic’s lack of refinement was noticeable with a few rough shifts. The Activ model’s dampers, tuned for better performance on gravel roads, worked well on pavement, although some uncomfortable bouncing was observed over certain road imperfections. The Trailblazer also had a selectable AWD system and Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes, although Sport mode didn’t make a significant difference.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered a new 62-kWh battery pack for the base Standard and S models, available only with RWD. The Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus models retained the 82-kWh pack and were available with RWD or AWD. Single-motor RWD models were rated at 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while dual-motor AWD models upped output to 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, allowing for zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

The smaller battery pack reduced curb weight by 240 pounds, improving acceleration and handling. The 62-kWh ID.4 Standard felt spritely during a short drive, but more seat time was needed for a proper comparison with the larger-battery RWD version. The AWD ID.4 had impressive acceleration but allowed too much body roll to be truly entertaining on twisty roads. Regenerative braking was present but didn’t allow for one-pedal driving, providing a more familiar experience for EV first-timers.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, despite being one of the smallest SUVs on sale, offered decent utility. It was 3.4 inches wider and about an inch taller than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer four-door, with a wheelbase about three inches longer. The Trailblazer matched the Kia Seltos on front and rear headroom and offered more rear legroom than the Hyundai Kona and Buick Encore GX. However, the rear seats’ flat cushions made long road trips less comfortable.

The Trailblazer’s cargo space was respectable, with 25.3 cubic feet with the second-row seats in place and 54.4 cubic feet with the seats folded. However, it fell behind the Kia Seltos and Honda HR-V in cargo capacity. The Trailblazer was rated to tow only 1,000 pounds, limiting its utility for towing. Up front, designers included a covered storage bin, a deep tray, cupholders, and a phone storage tray, making the most of the limited space.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered more interior space than other affordable EVs, with more front-seat and rear-seat legroom than the Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the 2023 Kia Niro EV. It had 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with the seats folded, making it more practical than most entry-level EVs. However, it fell short of gasoline crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 in interior space.

The ID.4 also offered some towing capability, with a quoted towing capacity of 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models. VW made small changes to the interior for 2023, including a conventional lid for the center console, a better spot for a phone, and three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Optional features included an 8-inch touchscreen, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen, navigation, a Bose audio system, rear-seat USB ports, and wireless phone charging. Despite these options, the Trailblazer’s tech might not satisfy the most tech-savvy buyers, as the optional touchscreen was still relatively small, and a fully digital instrument cluster wasn’t available.

The 8-inch touchscreen was well-sized for the Trailblazer’s dashboard, with large, easy-to-read graphics and logical menus. The combination of a smaller instrument cluster screen and analog gauges effectively conveyed information. Smart touches like a person-shaped icon for the pedestrian-detection system and an indicator for the engine start/stop system aided comprehension.

For 2023, the Volkswagen ID.4 made the formerly optional 12.0-inch touchscreen standard on all models, replacing the 10.0-inch screen on lower trim levels. The infotainment system received software updates to improve responsiveness, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remained standard, along with the ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster. The infotainment system offered sharp graphics, a choice of smartphone-like icons or a traditional automotive split-screen view, and natural-language voice recognition.

However, the ID.4’s user interface still included haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel, which replaced conventional buttons. These touchpads didn’t provide physical feedback, making them distracting to use. The voice recognition system was more effective for adjusting settings like audio volume or temperature. The ID.Light feature, which changed color depending on the drive mode and indicated navigation directions, was a clever but easily overlooked feature.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and a Teen Driver system. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The Trailblazer received a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. The 2022 model received the IIHS’ highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating, with top scores in all crash tests and high ratings for front crash prevention. The ID.4 also came with a good complement of standard driver-assist features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear park distance control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and VW’s Travel Assist 2.0. For 2023, the ID.4 added standard Park Assist Plus, an automated lane-change feature, and a 360-degree camera system.