Compared: 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer vs. 2023 Honda HR-V
A pair of subcompact crossovers intended to appeal to budget-conscious buyers.
Chevrolet | Honda
Subcompact crossovers such as the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the recently redesigned Honda HR-V are the do-everything new vehicles for buyers with a sub-$30,000 budget. With generous cargo space, available all-wheel drive, and reasonable pricing, crossovers continue to gain in popularity over sedans and hatchbacks.
Here's how the Trailblazer and the HR-V compare on pricing, features, and fuel economy.
Chevrolet
Trailblazer Is Slightly Less Expensive Than the HR-V
The 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer's most affordable model is the front-wheel-drive LS trim, which starts around $24,000. As with all Trailblazers, the LS features a three-cylinder, turbocharged engine, which provides 137 horsepower from its 1.2 liters of displacement. Three other editions are also available, with a 155-hp 1.3-liter version of the three-cylinder engine becoming optional starting with the next-step-up LT trim. This same engine is standard with both the Activ and the range-topping RS trims, which share a nearly $28,000 starting price. All-wheel drive is optional on every model (and adds the 1.3-liter engine by default on lower trims). A nine-speed automatic is the only transmission available.
Honda
The 2023 Honda HR-V features only a trio of trim levels and is more expensive than the Trailblazer. The entry-level HR-V LX is priced around $25,000, followed by the Sport ($27,000), and the EX-L ($29,000). In both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive form, the HR-V is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 158 horsepower and is managed by an automatic continuously variable transmission.
Chevrolet
Similar Standard Features Found in the Trailblazer and HR-V
Both the Trailblazer and the HR-V are intended as inexpensive, basic transportation, which makes their feature set quite similar. The Chevrolet's most intriguing party trick is intended to improve its already practical 54 cu-ft of total cargo space. In addition to a fold-flat second row, the front passenger seat folds forward to make it easier to accommodate oversize cargo.
Honda
The redesigned Honda leaves behind its multi-position Magic Seat from the year before, which leaves it with a more standard interior configuration when it's time to haul larger gear. The EX-L trim does deliver a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, however, which is an inch larger than the most screen space you can get in any version of the Trailblazer. The HR-V is also now available with a low-speed adaptive Traffic Jam Assist system that will automatically keep the vehicle in its lane at speeds of 45 mph or less.
Chevrolet
Trailblazer's Three-Cylinder Engine Earns It Better Fuel Economy
When comparing the Trailblazer's pair of three-cylinder engine options, you might be surprised to discover that the larger and more powerful 1.3-liter marginally outperforms the 1.2-liter in fuel economy (31 mpg to 30 mpg). This is true only for front-wheel-drive models, however, as all-wheel drive drops that rating to 28 mpg.
Honda
The HR-V isn't quite as frugal as the Trailblazer, showing 28 mpg for front-wheel-drive editions, and 27 mpg for all-wheel-drive versions.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Benjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.
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