What Makes the Chevy Trailblazer a Better Buy for People Just Out of College?
So, you’ve just graduated college and have your whole life ahead of you. After finding a job and a place to live, you’ll have to choose a vehicle to get you around town. There are many model types to choose from, but for your purposes, the most practical one has to be a subcompact SUV. These small SUVs offer the sleek maneuverability of a car with the versatile cargo space, unique stylings, and, most importantly, excellent fuel economy of much larger SUVs. Urban commuters will find that a subcompact’s smaller size and higher ground clearance are essential in dense cities or in heavy winter conditions. Best of all, there are many subcompacts to choose from, especially since most brands offer at least one model in this vehicle class. But suppose you’re an aforementioned urban commuter, young and fresh out of college and planning to settle near us in Albany or elsewhere in upstate New York. In that case, you’d be best served by something built to endure. To help you decide, our contest today will be the 2024 Chevy Trailblazer vs 2024 Ford Bronco Sport. Which one better serves the young college graduate, and which one is better left down the line of your career?
Pricing and Trims
The Chevy Trailblazer and Ford Bronco Sport are some of the newest subcompact SUVs available today, offering the most advanced technology either brand has to offer. However, the big difference comes down to pricing. The 2024 Chevy Trailblazer has a base MSRP of $23,100, while the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport starts at an MSRP of $31,230.[a] Not only is this over $8,000 more, but the top-level ACTIV and RS trims of the Trailblazer, being the best trims it has to offer, both have an MSRP of $27,100, still significantly cheaper than the Ford Bronco Sport’s entry-level trim.[a] While Ford offers five different trim levels on the Bronco Sport, they’re all more expensive than any of the four trims on the Trailblazer.
Two Different Powertrains for Each Subcompact SUV
Both the Trailblazer and Bronco Sport offer two engines each to choose from. The base engine on the Chevy Trailblazer is a 1.2-liter EcoTec Turbo I-3 with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) featuring a dual overhead camshaft design (DOHC) with four valves per cylinder. It uses direct fuel injection to provide up to 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. This engine comes standard on the LS and LT models. The other engine is a 1.3-liter EcoTec Turbo I-3m, with a choice of a CVT or a 9-speed automatic transmission. It also has a DOHC design, using direct injection to deliver up to 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. Similarly, this engine is standard with the RS and ACTIV trims.
Ford has taken a similar approach with the 2024 Bronco Sport. The base engine is a 1.5-liter EcoBoost Turbo I-3 with an 8-speed automatic transmission and a similar DOHC design with 12 valves for its three cylinders, coming standard on the Big Bend, Heritage, Free Wheeling, and Outer Banks models. With this engine, the Bronco Sport can produce up to 181 hp and 190 lb-ft of torque using a combination of direct and port fuel injection. The other engine, available on all models and standard on the Badlands, is a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The DOHC design on this engine features 16 valves and uses direct injection to provide a staggering 250 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque.
While the Ford uses larger engines with higher output, the Chevy Trailblazer achieves better daily fuel economy. For example, the Trailblazer with the 1.3-liter engine and front-wheel drive provides a combined 31 MPG (29 MPG for the city and 33 MPG for the highway), while opting for available all-wheel drive will give you a combined 27 MPG (26 MPG for the city, 29 MPG for the highway). This is slightly better than the combined 26 MPG (25 MPG in the city, 29 MPG on the highway) in the Bronco Sport’s base 1.5-liter engine but significantly better than the combined 23 MPG (21 MPG in the city, 26 MPG on the highway) in the Ford with the 2.0-liter engine. With student loans and other post-college expenses on the horizon, the power of the Bronco Sport just can’t compare to the money the Trailblazer saves for a young commuter.
Differences in Drivetrain
If you’re a young driver, you might not know the difference between front-wheel drive (FWD), all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD). We aren’t sure if they teach you this in college, but it’s essential to understand because the Chevy Trailblazer comes standard with an FWD drivetrain but also offers an available AWD option, and you’ll have to consider which one is best for your purposes. Keep in mind that the Ford Bronco Sport only offers 4WD.
When you put your foot on the gas, a front-wheel drive channels power from the engine to the two front wheels of the vehicle. This contributes to superior fuel economy and more straightforward repairs at the cost of the vehicle’s ability to traverse rugged terrain, such as heavy snow or off-roading situations. In contrast, an all-wheel drive vehicle takes torque from the powertrain and delivers it to all four wheels simultaneously, providing better road traction and control at the cost of increased fuel usage. A four-wheel drive system is often manually activated. It relies on different modes (in the Ford Bronco Sport’s case) to turn each wheel independently and achieve the maximum amount of traction possible at much higher fuel costs, and in most cases, 4WD should never be used on dry pavement or anything but the most treacherous terrain. FWD is economically superior if you use your vehicle for commutes on the highway or in the city. Realistically, a FWD system with the right tires can escape snowy situations without much hassle. Still, if you anticipate extreme snow conditions or plan on doing more adventurous things with your vehicle than going to work, AWD is a must. The fact that the Trailblazer can do both is a heavy point in its favor, while the Ford Bronco Sport’s 4WD is a powerful, if excessive, luxury for the average driver.
Interior Space Comparison
On the surface, the Ford Bronco Sport has a slightly longer wheelbase than the Chevy Trailblazer, resulting in more interior space inside the Bronco Sport. However, even though the Bronco Sport is larger, the Chevy Trailblazer is better proportioned regarding legroom. While the Bronco Sport has 42.4 inches of legroom in front, it only provides 36.9 inches in the rear seat. In contrast, the Trailblazer gives you 40.9 inches of legroom in the front row and a very roomy 39.4 inches for your rear seat passengers.
In addition, both models have spacious cargo compartments. The Trailblazer gives you 25.3 cu.ft. of space in its trunk, but the Bronco Sport offers slightly more at 29.4 cu.ft on the Badlands model and 32.5 cu.ft. with the other four trims. As you might expect, each vehicle can have the rear seats folded down to provide extra space for your belongings, which is handy when transporting furniture or other large objects in and out of your old dorms or new homes. Undeniably, both vehicles provide plenty of room for up to five passengers as SUVs, making them perfect for a young professional who wants to go out with friends on the weekend.
Safety and Technology
Chevrolet and Ford have both been at the forefront of technological innovation in the automotive world, especially regarding safety. The Trailblazer features the Chevy Safety Assist suite of active driver assistance features, contesting with the Bronco Sport’s Ford Co-Pilot360 safety features. Each of these systems provides exceptional technology to avoid collisions and reduce the chance of injury if an accident is unavoidable. These include pre-collision systems that allow you to take evasive action and engage the emergency brakes automatically and lane-keeping systems to prevent you from drifting if you get distracted while driving. The Bronco Sport includes a standard BLIS system that will alert you to vehicles in your blind spot when you go to change lanes, which is also available on the Trailblazer as an optional piece of equipment.
Staying connected is always essential when leading an active lifestyle. The Trailblazer has a sleek and modernized infotainment system on an 11-inch color touchscreen, while the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport features the SYNC 3 system on an 8-inch screen. While both systems do a great job keeping you connected, the Trailblazer features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features. Ford’s SYNC 3 system requires you to connect your smartphone using charging cables to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless connection only available when you upgrade to SYNC 4 on select models. This can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you accidentally leave the cables at home. A wireless phone connection lets you make hands-free calls and texts while streaming your favorite apps. In addition, the larger screen on the Trailblazer will come in handy when you are driving in reverse and need to see images from the HD vision camera.
Start Your Career on the Right Foot With a Trailblazer!
As you leave college and enter the working world, you’ll begin to see how even the most minor decision you make can affect your life down the line, and choosing your first vehicle is no small decision. The Chevy Trailblazer gives you a safe, reliable, and affordable vehicle that delivers everything you’d expect from a Ford Bronco Sport but with a more manageable impact on your wallet in the long run, thanks to its superior fuel economy and reasonable price tag. If you want to come out of the gate running, visit us at DePaula Chevrolet and find your Trailblazer.
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