Chevrolet Blazer vs Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and modern aesthetic, diverging from the rugged appearance typical of many crossovers. It featured a low roofline with leaned-back front and rear pillars, 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 test vehicle stood out with its blackout trim, vibrant Red Hot paint, and 21-inch wheels, making it a striking choice in the mainstream crossover segment. For 2023, the Blazer received subtle styling updates, including new taillights with twisted, filament-like elements, and refreshed designs for the grille and LED headlights. The interior boasted a sportier look, reminiscent of the Camaro, with an upright dashboard and large round air vents. Higher trim levels offered leather upholstery, and the Blazer RS featured blue trim and a two-tone upholstery scheme, enhancing the overall material quality.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, priced from $41,995, offered minimal appearance changes, with a new Cypress Green paint color and standard power-folding exterior mirrors on Limited and Platinum trims. The Highlander Hybrid's design was characterized by exaggerated forms, including scowling headlights and dramatically sculpted rear fenders, which some found visually overwhelming. Inside, the Highlander Hybrid continued this oversized theme with large air vents, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and big climate control knobs. However, the interior's mismatched textures and reflections from the display detracted from its appeal. The Highlander Hybrid's cabin, while quiet on the road, lacked the quality feel expected in a vehicle of its class, with controls that felt inexpensive and storage areas prone to noise. Despite these drawbacks, the Highlander Hybrid excelled in providing a quiet and civil ride, thanks to acoustic front window glass in higher trims.

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 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive as an option. The AWD system required manual engagement, unlike some competitors 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 handling was affected by its weight and top-heavy design, but it 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 its class, but its car-based crossover design limited its off-road capabilities.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid combined a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with two electric motor-generators, producing 243 combined horsepower. The AWD version added a third electric motor for the rear wheels. While the Highlander Hybrid excelled in fuel economy, its gas engine's 175 pound-feet of torque limited high-speed passing power. Towing capacity was rated at 3,500 pounds, but the lack of power made it less suitable for heavy loads. The Highlander Hybrid offered Eco, Normal, and Sport driving modes, with a Trail mode for light off-road use. Its Predictive Efficient Drive system aimed to maximize efficiency but fell short of expectations, with the test vehicle averaging 28.7 mpg compared to the EPA's 35 mpg estimate. The Highlander Hybrid prioritized comfort over engagement, with a soft suspension and quiet highway ride, making it ideal for city and suburban driving.

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. It provided nearly identical front-seat headroom to rivals like the Ford Edge and Honda Passport, though rear-seat headroom was slightly below average. The Blazer offered 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda Passport and Nissan Murano. Despite these numbers, the Blazer's interior felt spacious, with functional details like USB ports and intuitive air vent controls enhancing the driving experience.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid accommodated seven or eight passengers, depending on the trim and configuration. Most models featured second-row captain's chairs, making the third row best suited for occasional use. The Highlander Hybrid offered three-zone automatic climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row captain's chairs. While the front seats were supportive, additional thigh support was desired. The second-row captain's chairs provided comfort, with sunshades for rear-facing child seats. Accessing the third row was challenging, and the seats were less comfortable. The Highlander Hybrid offered 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 48.4 cubic feet with the third row folded and 84.3 cubic feet with the second row down. However, the all-weather cargo mat compromised utility, and the center armrest storage console design was unnecessarily complex.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer received tech upgrades, 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. While the Blazer's tech presentation was competitive, it lacked a dedicated button for the optional 360-degree camera system.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid introduced new technology, with upper trims featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation display and a new Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system. The Bronze Edition, Limited, and Platinum trims received a 12.3-inch touchscreen, while lower trims had an 8.0-inch display. The system supported over-the-air updates, dual-device Bluetooth pairing, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HD Radio, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Connected service plans, including Wi-Fi Connect and Remote Connect, were standard, with Drive Connect offering additional features like natural voice recognition and cloud-based navigation. The test vehicle included a head-up display and an 11-speaker JBL sound system, though the graphics could benefit from sharper contrast.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer offered the Chevy Safety Assist Package as standard, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Adaptive cruise control was newly available on the 2LT and 3LT trims. Optional safety 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 rating from the latter.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+, featuring adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and more. Hybrids also included blind-spot monitoring, with Limited and Platinum trims adding parking sensors and a surround-view camera. The ADAS performed well, though it occasionally struggled with lane markings. Safety Connect provided emergency assistance and vehicle locator services. The Highlander Hybrid received excellent crash-test ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA.