Should You Go With the Chevy Equinox or Trailblazer?

Choosing the right vehicle isn’t always easy; as a car dealership, we do everything we can to simplify the process, but it can still take a fair amount of work. Ultimately, this all comes down to understanding what you need from a vehicle and finding the right model that delivers in each area. Even if you’ve narrowed down your options to the Chevy lineup, it can still be tricky to look at what’s out there and decide which of their fantastic SUVs best meets your and your family’s needs.

We have plenty of people come to us looking for a Chevy Equinox for sale, only to have another model like the Chevy Trailblazer catch their eye and make the decision a lot more complicated. You can’t go wrong with either of these amazing SUVs, but they do have some important differences between them. So today, we thought it would be helpful to explore both models and see what they can do for you and your family.

Interior Space and Design

One of the best places to start when trying to decide on which of these two Chevy SUVs is right for you is the distinct difference in their size. For many people, this will make one option superior to the other for meeting their needs. We should note that the difference is noteworthy, but they’re not massively different—both models have two rows of seating inside for up to five passengers. If you need something with room for more people, you are better off with something like the Chevy Traverse, Tahoe, or Suburban.

Looking at the Chevy Equinox, it is a compact SUV designed to perfectly fit into a wide range of lifestyles since it’s generally neither too big nor too small. You’ll find almost 30 cu.ft. of cargo space in the rear of the Equinox, with more than 63 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats. By comparison, the Trailblazer is a subcompact SUV, which means it is a bit smaller than the Equinox—this is perfect if you need something that you can fit into even the most downsized lifestyle. You get just over 25 cu.ft. of rear cargo space in the Trailblazer, along with about 54 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front seats. We can see this is quite a bit less than the Equinox, so keep that in mind when looking at these two SUVs and be sure to carefully consider how much room you need for stuff in your vehicle.

Advanced Safety Features

As far as we’re concerned, nothing is more important when looking at an SUV for your family than how well it can help keep you all safe. Both of these Chevy SUVs for 2024 are fantastic in this regard because they both come with Chevy Safety Assist standard. This means you get a Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Front Pedestrian Braking as standard features in both vehicles. A Following Distance Indicator to warn you when you’re too close to the vehicle ahead of you, IntelliBeam high beams that turn off automatically to avoid blinding oncoming drivers, and Lane Keep Assist with a Lane Departure Warning are also standard features for both of these models.

You also get more options to enjoy if you want to upgrade safety on these SUVs with the Driver Confidence Package that includes things like Rear Park Assist to help you maneuver into tight spots while backing up, a Rear Cross Traffic Alert to warn you when someone’s about to cross behind your vehicle, and Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert to let you know if a vehicle is lurking in your blind spot. You get this standard in the Equinox’s Premier trim, which the Trailblazer lacks, so keep that in mind. We should also mention that the 2025 Chevy Equinox includes a number of improved standard safety features like Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, and a Side Bicyclist Alert on every model.

Innovative Technology to Enjoy

If you’re like us, you’re interested in getting the best technology in your vehicle to improve your overall driving experience. This is a tricky area when comparing these two vehicles because the 2024 Trailblazer just received some great improvements to its tech features, while the Equinox is getting upgrades with the 2025 model. Looking at the 2024 Trailblazer, it comes with a gorgeous 11-inch infotainment display in every model, which is paired with an 8-inch Driver Information Center to make it easy to keep track of information you need. An available wireless charging pad makes it simple to keep compatible devices charged on the go, while a Bose seven-speaker sound system that’s available further elevates your daily drive.

With the 2024 Chevy Equinox, you get a standard 7-inch infotainment display that falls behind what the Trailblazer offers—even the available 8-inch screen is no match for the big display in the Trailblazer. Similarly, a monochromatic 3.5-inch Driver Information Center is still standard in the 2024 Equinox with a 4.2-inch color screen in higher trims. When we look at the 2025 Chevy Equinox, however, we find a revamped and updated interior that is more spacious and features a gorgeous 11.3-inch infotainment display significantly larger than what’s offered right now. Combine that with an 11-inch Driver Information Center, a standard six-speaker sound system, and an available wireless charging pad, and you have an interior every bit as refined and sophisticated as the Trailblazer—you just have to be aware of what model year you find.

Overall Driving Experience

One final thing worth noting is the kind of driving experience you get with these two SUVs because they have some differences. Looking at the 2024 Chevy Equinox, we find a 1.5L turbocharged I-4 engine that delivers 175 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque, available with either front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). By comparison, the 2024 Chevy Trailblazer has two engines available: a 1.2L turbocharged I-3 with 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and a 1.3L turbocharged I-3 that offers 155 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. You can see that in either case, the power of the Equinox is greater, which makes sense since we saw that it’s a larger compact SUV compared to the subcompact Trailblazer.

Of course, that difference in size also has an impact on the kind of gas mileage you get from these two vehicles, with the larger SUV lacking slightly. The 2024 Equinox gets an estimated 26 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway if you go with a FWD model, while choosing AWD drops those numbers slightly. The 2024 Chevy Trailblazer, with its available 1.3L engine and FWD, gets an estimated 29 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway. You can see this isn’t a massive difference, but it’s enough that it could add up over time; if optimal fuel efficiency is important to you, then the Trailblazer wins out.

Which Chevy SUV Is Right for You?

At this point, one thing should be clear: these are both fantastic SUVs with many similarities and great features to offer. Your choice of one over the other will likely come down to what you need in your next vehicle and which one delivers in that regard. If you need more storage space for stuff in your SUV, want a more powerful engine, and can wait for the 2025 model year for the latest tech and safety features, the Chevy Equinox is an amazing choice.

On the other hand, if you need something smaller, want superior fuel efficiency, and you’re looking at 2024 models, then the innovative tech features recently updated for the Chevy Trailblazer make it a fantastic pick. You can’t go wrong with either of these, so if you’re still unsure, then it’s time to visit us at Parks Chevrolet Spartanburg, and we’ll be happy to help you figure things out.