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Are you a new driver planning to buy your first car? Why not make it a subcompact crossover like the 2024 Chevy Trailblazer or the 2024 Ford Escape? Subcompact crossovers come in a convenient design that’s easy to maneuver and park in tighter urban areas. They also have ample tech and safety features, plus they can easily transport four to five adults. Most importantly, their elevated driving position lets you easily view the road ahead, which is great for building confidence if you’ve just earned your driver’s license.
Picking the right model can be a challenge. Ford vs Chevrolet is a common debate and the two brands both have great subcompact to compact crossover options – the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Ford Escape. Let’s see how these two vehicles stack up against each other. We’ll check out each model’s performance capabilities, interior amenities, and safety systems. Then, we can help you choose a winning subcompact crossover as your first car.
If you’re considering a 2024 Chevy Trailblazer as your next vehicle, visit Johnny Londoff Chevrolet to take it for a test drive.
The 2024 Chevy Trailblazer has a spacious 98 cubic-foot interior, which is the top end of the subcompact segment and borders on the amount of interior space you might expect in the larger compact SUV segment. With that amount of space, the Trailblazer comfortably seats four adults for the duration of longer trips, and a fifth can occupy the center rear seat for shorter ones. The Ford Escape falls into the compact SUV category, and its interior space reflects that, but not by much. The Escape has an interior capacity that is roughly six inches more at 104 cubic feet of space. However, its compact SUV classification is also reflected in the sticker price, and for every additional cubic foot of interior space, there is a $1,000 difference in starting MSRP. The bump in space isn’t worth the $6,000 price difference.
The 2024 Trailblazer also comes with active noise cancellation. The system provides a quieter and calmer cabin when on the road by dynamically monitoring and cancels out road and engine sounds. Then, the 2024 Trailblazer offers leather upholstery, color-contrasting interior accents, and chrome garnishes for higher trims.
The Ford Escape on the other hand offers a more stripped down interior with several hard plastic surfaces in the base model compared to the Trailblazers leatherette upholstery, and soft-touch surfaces. Splurging on higher trim levels will win you better materials such as cloth and vinyl upholstery or even perforated leather at the top of the line but you’ll see the price gap widen with each trim. By the time you reach the highest trim, the Ford Escape is a full $10,000 more with nearly identical amenities.
Both models offer standard or available heated front seats, automatic climate control, push-button start, remote start, keyless entry, and an available panoramic sunroof.
The 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer has two turbocharged 3-cylinder engine choices. Lower trims have a 1.2-liter unit that makes 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. This engine comes with a CVT gearbox and is only available with a front-wheel drive system. Higher trims receive a 1.3-liter unit, making 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. This engine also drives the front wheels via a CVT gearbox.
Buyers can opt for an all-wheel drive (AWD) system for any trim with the 1.3-liter engine. Doing this also changes the gearbox to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Furthermore, some trims offer off-road suspension, underbody protection, and dual-tip exhaust outlets.
The Escape has a standard 180-horsepower turbo-three or a 250-hp turbo-four. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed transmission. Critics report that the Escape can be a bit noisy at higher speeds and that the transmission might be hesitant to shift.
Here’s the notable tradeoff: The Trailblazer offers a more refined driving experience with easier maneuverability, and the Escape offers more speed.
Every 2024 Trailblazer gets the Chevy Safety Assist suite. This includes automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. Lane-keeping assistance, a following distance indicator, and Chevy IntelliBeam automatic high beams are also standard. Another standard feature included in this family-oriented model is Chevy’s Teen Driver Technology, which is a suite of innovative features that allow guardians to set things like volume control, speed alerts, and driving reports. The Ford Escape matches the Trailblazer’s list of standard features but lacks Chevy’s buckle to drive feature, which, when enabled for teen drivers, stops the vehicle from shifting out of Park until the driver’s seat is buckled.
The 2024 Chevy Trailblazer is a fantastic first car for any driver. This subcompact crossover easily wins our comparison with the 2024 Escape. That’s because it has a spacious cabin, an easy-to-drive design, and excellent safety features. You’ll also appreciate its selection of tech features and powerful engines.
If you’d like to explore purchasing or leasing a 2024 Trailblazer, contact Johnny Londoff Chevrolet in Florissant, MO.
