2024 Acura MDX vs 2023 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Few automotive nameplates have kept pace with changing market trends like the Chevrolet Trailblazer, which has taken on three very different forms over a relatively short time span.

The Trailblazer name first appeared in 1999 on an appearance package for the S-10 Blazer, a compact SUV derived from the Chevy S-10 pickup truck. Chevy then applied the Trailblazer nameplate to a midsize SUV sold during model years 2002 through 2009. While not based on a pickup truck, this Trailblazer had the hallmarks of an old-school SUV, including body-on-frame construction and available V8 power.

Today’s Chevy Trailblazer has nothing in common with those predecessors except a name. Introduced for the 2021 model year, this Trailblazer is a subcompact crossover with car-like unibody construction shared with the Buick Encore GX, and tiny, efficiency-focused engines. With the Chevy Trax on hiatus until the 2024 model year, the Trailblazer is Chevy’s entry-level SUV for 2023, competing with the likes of the Hyundai Kona and Kia Seltos.

The only changes for 2023 are some new extra-cost paint colours, including Nitro Yellow Metallic, Fountain Blue, and Sterling Gray Metallic, along with an Iridescent Pearl Tricoat roof. Trim levels start with the base LS, and continue with the LT, Activ, and RS. We tested a Chevrolet Trailblazer Activ for this review.

The Acura MDX is a mainstay of the luxury SUV segment, and it covers the bases remarkably well. Its well-rounded nature is perhaps because it shares a platform with the Honda Pilot (another fantastic family hauler) but for that same reason, it doesn’t offer the same cachet as a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE. Whether you are on a road trip or heading to work, the MDX is comfortable, refined, and has space for the family and their gear. For 2024, there’s a new Type S Ultra trim level, bringing a new level of performance to the three-row, seven-passenger midsize luxury SUV. But as we’ll get into in a bit, the MDX is held back by a maddening infotainment system that could truly be a sticking point to overshadow all other positive attributes.

Verdict: The MDX is a beautiful, safe, and cost-effective luxury SUV, and the new Type S Ultra trim level delivers a higher level of performance. However, it doesn’t offer as much space as some of its competitors, and we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone easily frustrated by finnicky tech interfaces.