Chevrolet Blazer vs Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and striking appearance, diverging from the rugged look typical of crossovers. It featured a low roofline with leaned-back front and rear pillars, a large grille framed by stacked headlights, and a tall ride height that maintained the visual weight of an SUV. The Blazer RS test vehicle stood out with its blackout trim, Red Hot paint, and 21-inch wheels, creating a remarkable presence for a mainstream crossover. The 2023 updates included new taillights with twisted, filament-like elements, tweaked grille and LED headlight designs, and additional color options, enhancing the Blazer's fresh styling. Inside, the Blazer's sportier aesthetic was evident with an upright dashboard and large round air vents reminiscent of the Camaro. The RS model's interior featured blue trim, chrome accents, and a two-tone upholstery scheme, impressing with its material quality.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ exuded a commanding street presence with its hot exterior styling. Although designed as an SUV, its long hood and low ground clearance gave it the impression of a long sedan, reminiscent of the Seville's better years. The Lyriq boasted a long wheelbase, short tail, wide track, and unique style, with vertical light bars incorporating nine LED headlights that played a light show upon unlocking. The grille featured lighting effects, and the Sport trim had a dark triangular motif. The Lyriq's wraparound taillights and fender-mounted vertical lights created the largest turn signals of any car. Inside, Cadillac paid attention to detail with leather-wrapped seats, polished window switches, and a padded armrest. The 33-inch OLED display was prominent but not overpowering, and the interior's retro elements, like the air vents, added to its charm. However, the floating center console lacked usable space, and some functionality issues detracted from the overall experience.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer retained its powertrain options from the previous year, with most models equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Blazer RS and optional 3LT and Premier trims featured a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 308 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, offering standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some rivals with automatic switching. The V6-powered Blazer RS impressed with its quick acceleration and sporty exhaust note, though it wasn't a performance SUV. Its weight and top-heavy design affected handling, but the Blazer provided a pleasant highway experience with Active Noise Cancellation and a well-tuned suspension. The Blazer's 4,500-pound towing capacity was competitive for midsize SUVs, but its car-based crossover design limited off-road capabilities.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ, despite its sporty exterior, prioritized long-distance comfort over sportiness. With over 500 miles driven, the Lyriq excelled on the interstate, offering a calm and poised ride. Its dual-motor powertrain, producing 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, provided continuous AWD, while the standard setup featured a single rear motor with 340 hp and 325 lb-ft. The 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack offered an estimated range of 314 miles with RWD and 307 miles with AWD, though real-world testing showed closer to 260 miles. Charging performance varied, with fast-charging rates between 125 and 161 kW. The Lyriq's handling was hindered by its 5,800-pound weight, resulting in understeer and uninspiring steering feel. While braking was strong, the Lyriq lacked handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers. Regenerative braking options helped reduce stress on the brakes, but the overall chassis needed improvement.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat vehicle, offering a spacious feel from the driver's seat without being cumbersome to maneuver. Front-seat headroom was comparable to rivals like the Ford Edge and Honda Passport, while rear-seat headroom was slightly below average but better than the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Blazer provided 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda Passport and Nissan Murano. Despite the numbers, the Blazer felt generously sized, with functional interior details like USB port placement and temperature control via air vent rings.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced functionality challenges, with misaligned rear fenders, a loose charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray. The glovebox was difficult to access while driving, and the floating console lacked space and exposed valuables. The rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch, and drive mode selection required navigating multiple menus. Despite these issues, the Lyriq offered generous headroom and legroom, with a spacious back seat at the expense of cargo space. The cargo hold measured 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded, smaller than most compact SUVs.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer received tech upgrades for 2023, including a standard 10.2-inch touchscreen and available wireless device charging. The RS and Premier trims featured an 8-inch digital instrument cluster display, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system. The infotainment system was intuitive, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. While the Blazer's tech presentation was not the newest, it remained competitive, with a large touchscreen and optional 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ showcased Cadillac's best moments with its 33-inch OLED screen, divided into three sections. The leftmost portion was touch-enabled for lighting and gauge cluster layouts, while the main touchscreen ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant. The available Super Cruise system offered hands-free driving, with a helpful colored bar on the steering wheel indicating system status. The 19-speaker AKG stereo provided variable surround sound modes, enhancing the audio experience.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer expanded its safety features for 2023, with the standard Chevy Safety Assist Package including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Adaptive cruise control became available on the 2LT and 3LT trims, while other optional features included blind spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system. The Blazer received high safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA, with a five-star overall safety rating from the latter.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera system, and rear emergency braking.