2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer presented itself as a compact version of the Chevrolet Blazer, exuding a balanced SUV toughness without veering into exaggeration. Its intricate headlight and taillight designs, along with dark chrome accents, lent it an upscale appearance uncommon in its price range. The Activ and RS models offered unique styling cues, with the Activ embracing a rugged aesthetic through a model-specific front fascia and standard roof rails, while the RS leaned towards a sportier look with blacked-out trim and dual exhaust outlets. The contrasting roof options in red, black, or white added a distinctive touch, especially when paired with bold exterior colors like Nitro Yellow.

Inside, the Trailblazer Activ model featured a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leatherette upholstery, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat, though the front passenger seat lacked power adjustment. The interior design, with its mix of copper-toned and sparkly black plastic trim, added personality to the otherwise black cabin. While it didn’t scream “outdoor adventure,” design elements like grab handles around the center console and a creased dashboard gave it a unique character.

The 2024 Subaru Outback maintained its familiar look, with the Wilderness trim receiving a refreshed front fascia and LED fog lights. The dark gray cladding contrasted well with the Autumn Green Metallic paint of the Touring XT model, creating an appealing aesthetic. The Outback trims varied in their use of black and chrome exterior fittings, with the Touring trim featuring tasteful chrome accents. Wheel designs also differed, with the Wilderness trim sporting matte black wheels, while the Onyx Edition and Limited trims offered larger, machine-finished options.

Inside, the top-trim Outback impressed with its Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery, offering a level of luxury unexpected from a brand known for capability. The Limited trim featured standard leather seating, while the Onyx Edition and Wilderness trims used Subaru’s StarTex synthetic leather. Base and Premium trims came with cloth seats. The interior space was generous, with more headroom and legroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, although the cargo area was slightly smaller.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer shared its platform and powertrains with the Buick Encore GX, offering a standard 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft 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 paired with either FWD or all-wheel drive (AWD). FWD models featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while AWD models came with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Trailblazer Activ test car, equipped with AWD and the 1.3-liter engine, offered a decent amount of power and a pleasing exhaust note, though the nine-speed automatic exhibited some rough shifts. The Activ model’s dampers, tuned for gravel roads, provided a good ride on pavement, though some bouncing was noted over road imperfections. The Trailblazer’s selectable AWD system required manual engagement, unlike competitors’ automatic systems. It also offered Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes, though Sport mode’s impact on steering and shifting was minimal.

The 2024 Subaru Outback, true to Subaru’s tradition, was powered by a “Boxer” horizontally opposed engine. The standard engine was a 2.5-liter flat-four, producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. XT trims, including the Wilderness, featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, and increasing towing capacity from 2,700 to 3,500 lbs. Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) were standard. The Touring XT test car, with the turbo engine, felt well-suited to the vehicle’s weight, offering a comfortable ride with a CVT that mimicked eight distinct gears. The brake pedal, aided by an electronic booster, provided good feedback, and the steering was adequate for a non-sporty vehicle. The Outback’s ground clearance was 8.7 inches, with the Wilderness trim offering 9.2 inches and all-terrain tires, along with Subaru’s advanced X-Mode for off-road conditions.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer, despite being one of the smallest SUVs available, offered substantial interior space. It was 3.4 inches wider and about an inch taller than the original 1999 Chevy S-10 Blazer, though nearly 10 inches shorter in length. The Trailblazer’s wheelbase was about three inches longer, enhancing passenger space. It matched the Kia Seltos in headroom and offered more rear legroom than the Hyundai Kona and Buick Encore GX. The rear seats were comfortable for short trips, but flat cushions made long journeys less appealing. Cargo space was 25.3 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 54.4 cubic feet with them folded, respectable for the segment but behind the Kia Seltos. The Trailblazer’s towing capacity was limited to 1,000 pounds. Up front, storage options included a covered bin, a deep tray, cupholders, and a phone storage tray, though a small dashboard carve-out’s purpose was unclear.

The 2024 Subaru Outback, despite its sleek design, did not compromise on interior space. It offered more front headroom than the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and nearly matched the RAV4 in rear headroom while surpassing the CR-V. The Outback also provided more front-row legroom and better rear-seat legroom than the RAV4. Cargo volume was 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place and 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, slightly less than the RAV4 and CR-V. Feature availability was a key consideration, with dual-zone climate control standard on all but the base trim, and heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat starting with the Premium trim. The Limited trim added a powered front passenger seat and heated rear seats. Ventilated front seats were exclusive to the Touring trim, which also included a heated steering wheel starting with the Onyx Edition. The hands-free power liftgate was optional on the Premium trim and standard on higher trims, and the Onyx Edition included a power moonroof. Raised roof rails with retractable cross bars were standard, with the cross bars easily stowed when not needed.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. An optional 8-inch touchscreen, 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen, navigation, a Bose audio system, rear-seat USB ports, and wireless phone charging were available. While the optional touchscreen was smaller than some competitors, it was well-suited to 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, aided by smart design touches like a person-shaped icon for pedestrian detection and an engine start/stop indicator.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered a mix of old-school and modern technology. The Touring trim was the only one with a CD player, and all but the base trim featured both USB-C and USB-A ports. The top-trim test car had an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen, while the base trim retained a dual-7-inch-screen system. The Subaru Starlink multimedia platform appeared dated, but standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, which became wireless starting with the Premium trim, minimized reliance on the native system. Climate controls were managed through the touchscreen, with hard buttons for defoggers and temperature adjustments. Wi-Fi capability was available on all but the base trim, and nearly every trim featured a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system, except for the base model with four speakers and the Premium trim with six speakers.

The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer came equipped with standard safety features such as 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 earned a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with top “Good” scores in all crash tests and high marks for front-crash prevention tech. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded it a five-star overall safety rating.

The 2024 Subaru Outback received a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, a step down from the 2023 model’s Top Safety Pick+ designation, though the evaluation results were unchanged. The NHTSA gave both the 2023 and 2024 models five stars overall. The 2024 Outback saw improvements in safety features, with reverse automatic braking standard from the Onyx trim level. The EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies remained standard, including adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, automatic pre-collision braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. Blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on the Onyx Edition. The Touring trim added a wide-angle camera, digital rearview mirror, and driver-attention monitor.