Chevrolet Blazer vs Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer presented a sleek and modern aesthetic, diverging from the rugged appearance typical of many crossovers. Its design incorporated styling cues reminiscent of road cars, featuring a low roofline with front and rear pillars leaned back, creating a streamlined profile. The Blazer maintained the visual heft of an SUV with 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 revised designs for the grille and LED headlights. These changes, along with new wheel designs and additional color options, kept the Blazer's appearance fresh and appealing. Inside, the Blazer's sportier aesthetic was evident with an upright dashboard and large round air vents reminiscent of the Camaro muscle car. The interior of the Blazer RS was enhanced with blue trim, chrome accents, and a two-tone upholstery scheme, showcasing impressive material quality.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid offered a distinct design with three available trims: the Rugged Woodland and three Sport grades, including the SE, XSE, and the new GR Sport. The RAV4 maintained the same footprint as its predecessor, with the Woodland and GR Sport trims featuring extended lengths due to buffer bumpers. The RAV4 embraced a boxy, truck-like presence, consistent with Toyota's new SUV lineup, with square wheel arches and bulging fenders. The Woodland trim accentuated the boxiness with a wide front fascia and solid panels replacing fog lights. It featured all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels and a black roof rack, enhancing its off-road appeal. The Sport trims, including the GR Sport, showcased gloss black accents, red brake calipers, and 20-inch black alloy wheels. The GR Sport, inspired by Toyota's Gazoo Racing division, added racier elements like a big rear wing and a wide mesh grille. The RAV4 PHEV's interior offered mild differentiation with accents like red stitching on the GR Sport's upholstery. All trims featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen system, with the GR Sport and XSE offering ventilated seats for added comfort.

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 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 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 midsize SUVs, but its design and features were more suited for pavement than off-roading.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid featured an updated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine, producing 186 horsepower, paired with a larger 22.7-kwh battery pack. This setup increased the RAV4 PHEV's power to 324 horsepower, making it the most powerful RAV4 to date. The PHEV offered an estimated electric range of 52 miles, with all-wheel drive as standard. The front motor provided 203 horsepower and 201 pound-feet of torque, while a smaller rear motor assisted with traction. The RAV4 PHEV excelled in EV mode for quiet city driving, while Auto mode delivered impressive acceleration with a 0-60 mph time in the low five seconds. The vehicle offered Hybrid and Charge modes for different driving scenarios. The RAV4 PHEV's power transition was seamless, and paddle shifters allowed for manual control. The GR Sport trim featured enhanced handling with a lower ride height, 20-inch wheels, and performance tires. Despite its weight, the RAV4 PHEV maintained a spirited ride with improved structural rigidity and damping force for a smoother experience.

The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer was a two-row, five-seat vehicle, offering a spacious feel from the driver's seat. 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 rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with them folded, trailing behind competitors like the Honda Passport and Nissan Murano. Despite this, the Blazer's design made it easy to maneuver in tight spaces, with short overhangs and a clear windshield view. Functional interior details included USB ports between air vents and temperature controls integrated into the vent rings.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid maintained similar dimensions to its predecessor, optimizing interior space with clever storage solutions. The base SE trim featured a power driver's seat, heated front seats, and five USB ports. Higher trims offered synthetic leather upholstery, with ventilated seats standard on the GR Sport and XSE. The RAV4 PHEV's interior included multiple storage shelves and a versatile center console. It accommodated four passengers comfortably, with 37.8 inches of rear legroom, though five passengers were a tighter fit. The cargo area offered 33.6 cubic feet of space, expandable to 63.5 cubic feet with rear seats folded. The RAV4 PHEV's design included a flat cargo floor and a temporary spare tire.

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 offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The system's intuitive menu layout made it user-friendly, though a dedicated button for the optional 360-degree camera system would have been appreciated.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid boasted a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an enhanced 10.5-inch touchscreen system, with a larger 12.9-inch screen on top trims. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with climate controls integrated into the touchscreen. The touchscreen featured customizable tiles and a quick menu for easy access to settings. Toyota's new operating system, Arene, improved responsiveness and voice command capabilities. The RAV4 PHEV also offered a built-in dash cam for recording exterior camera footage, with adjustable sensitivity settings.

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, 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, though it lacked GM's advanced Super Cruise system.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid featured Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, with enhanced camera and radar capabilities. The suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and more. The RAV4 PHEV's safety features contributed to its strong safety record, with crash-testing results pending from the IIHS and NHTSA.