Chevrolet Blazer vs Kia Telluride Hybrid

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and modern aesthetic, diverging from the rugged appearance typical of many crossovers. Its design featured a low roofline with front and rear pillars leaned back, creating a streamlined profile complemented by a prominent grille and stacked headlights. Despite its road car styling cues, the Blazer maintained the visual heft of an SUV, thanks to its tall ride height and robust body sides. The Blazer RS model, in particular, stood out with its blackout trim, vibrant Red Hot paint, and striking 21-inch wheels, making it a visually appealing choice in the mainstream crossover segment. The 2023 updates included subtle styling tweaks, such as new taillights with twisted elements, redesigned grille and LED headlights, and additional color options, ensuring the Blazer remained fresh and contemporary.

Inside, the Blazer's interior exuded a sporty vibe, reminiscent of the Camaro muscle car, with an upright dashboard and large round air vents. Standard cloth seats could be upgraded to leather upholstery on higher trims, and all models featured dual-zone automatic climate control. The Blazer RS interior was particularly impressive, with blue trim, chrome accents, and a dark blue and black two-tone upholstery scheme. The material quality in the high-end Blazer model was commendable, offering a premium feel that matched its exterior allure.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid showcased a bold and polarizing design that divided opinions, particularly with its flat, expansive grille. The vehicle's personality shifted with different color and trim options, with body-colored vertical strakes at the edges that either stood out or blended in, depending on the shade. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile continued the bold theme with angular fender sculpting and unique black plastic tabs atop each wheel well, while the rear view adopted a Range Rover-like style with rounded corners and vertical taillights.

Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, equipped with the optional Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette reminiscent of Volvo's interiors. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, provided comfort, though the cushions were somewhat firm. The surrounding materials were of excellent quality, with options for engineered wood or carbon trim surfaces. The Telluride Hybrid's interior was spacious and well-appointed, offering a premium experience for passengers.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer retained its powertrain options from the previous year, with most models featuring a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The Blazer RS and select trims offered 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, with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some competitors that automatically switched between FWD and AWD. 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 it provided a comfortable highway ride with active noise cancellation and a well-tuned suspension. The Blazer's 4,500-pound towing capacity was competitive for its class, though it lacked off-road capabilities.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Hybrid model added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. The Hybrid's six-speed transmission and lack of off-road capabilities in the X-Pro trims limited its ruggedness, but it excelled in comfort and quietness. The transition between electric and gas power was seamless, and the Hybrid delivered a smooth ride with its 20-inch wheels. The Telluride's handling was composed, though not sporty, and the brake pedal required some adjustment. The Telluride Hybrid offered a luxurious driving experience with ample power and a quiet cabin.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat vehicle, offering a spacious interior with nearly identical front-seat headroom to rivals like the Ford Edge and Honda Passport. 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 in place and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda Passport and Nissan Murano. Despite its size, the Blazer was easy to maneuver, with short overhangs and a clear view from the windshield. Functional interior details, such as USB port placement and temperature controls integrated into air vents, added to its appeal.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid offered ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, providing comfort comparable to business-class airline seats. The middle-row seats offered significant travel, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom. The Telluride's cargo capacity was competitive, with 22.3 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 89.3 cubic feet with seats folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride's interior featured numerous storage options, including a large center bin, deployable cupholders, and door pockets.

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 connectivity, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Blazer's tech presentation was modern, with a large touchscreen and optional 360-degree camera system.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch climate control screen. The infotainment system included native navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The system was user-friendly, though it required firm taps and had occasional delays. The Telluride offered customizable themes for the infotainment screen and a 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system on higher trims, delivering excellent sound quality.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer offered a standard Chevy Safety Assist Package, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Adaptive cruise control was available on select trims, and optional features included blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 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 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid included standard advanced safety features such as frontal collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and more. Higher trims offered additional features like a surround-view camera system and automatic reverse braking. The Telluride's driver attention monitor had some operational issues, but the highway driving assist was effective. At the time of writing, crash test scores were not available from the NHTSA or IIHS.