Chevrolet Blazer vs. Kia Sportage

When looking to purchase a two-row SUV, you might wonder what separates the 2021 Chevrolet Blazer and the Kia Sportage from each other. While both are quality vehicles that can tackle almost any type of terrain, they have several differences that might sway your decision.

Use this guide to learn more about what you can expect with either vehicle so you can determine which SUV works best for your needs.

Trim Levels

The 2021 Chevy Blazer comes in six trim levels: L, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, RS, and Premier. The L trim is usually reserved for fleet sales. The 2021 Kia Sportage has four trims available: LX, S, EX, and SX Turbo.

While they’re both similar-looking SUVs, these vehicles have several exterior differences that set them apart from each other. The base Blazer includes 18-inch wheels, while the top two trims have 20-inch wheels. Options found on the other trims include tinted rear windows, heated outside mirrors, a power liftgate, and a unique grille and trim.

The Sportage comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, but the S and EX come with 18-inch wheels, while the SX Turbo has 19-inch wheels. It also has optional roof rails, power-folding mirrors, a hands-free power liftgate, and LED headlights.

Engine Options

Both small SUVs offer plenty of power, no matter which engine you have. The Blazer has three engine options:

• The base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine generates 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque.
• With the 2LT and 3LT trims, you get a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 230 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
• Standard on the RS and Premier trims but available on any trim is a 3.6-liter V-6 that gets 308 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque.

The Sportage has only two engine options:

• The base 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine generates 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque.
• The SX Turbo receives power from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

Performance

No matter what type of driving you want to do in your SUV, both vehicles provide a powerful ride. All three of the Blazer’s engines come paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It comes with front-wheel drive; however, you can select all-wheel drive in every trim except the L and LT. Both engines on the Sportage are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive comes standard, but you can upgrade to all-wheel drive.

For gas mileage, the Blazer achieves about 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway with the base engine and front-wheel drive. With the turbocharged engine, the numbers increase slightly to 22 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. These numbers dip to 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway with all-wheel drive. The V-6 engine along with front-wheel drive gets 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, while all-wheel drive and the V-6 gives you 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

The Sportage gets about 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with the base engine and front-wheel drive. Switching to all-wheel drive gives you 22 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. For the SX Turbo and its engine, expect to get around 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive and 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway with all-wheel drive.

The Blazer can tow a maximum of 4,500 pounds, while the Sportage can tow up to 2,000 pounds when both are properly equipped.

Interior

The base Blazer comes with cloth upholstery, but options in the upper trims include leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated front seats, heated outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats. For cargo space, behind the second row is 30.5 cubic feet of space. Folding these seats down gives you 64.2 cubic feet.

The Sportage comes standard with cloth upholstery, but available upgrades include leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat. For storage in the Sportage, you get 30.7 cubic feet of space behind the second row. When you fold down these seats, the space increases to 60 cubic feet.

Entertainment and Connectivity

To keep you and your passengers connected and entertained, both SUVs offer an abundance of technology features. The Blazer comes standard with the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system along with an 8-inch touch-screen display, a Wi-Fi hot spot, four USB ports, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. On the upper trims, you gain navigation, wireless charging, and satellite radio.

Every Sportage comes with an infotainment system along with an 8-inch touch-screen display, a USB port, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The upper trims add extra USB ports.

Safety Features

When it comes to safety, both Chevy and Kia put you and your passengers’ needs first. The 2021 Blazer comes standard with a rearview camera and the Teen Driver system, which lets you set speed and audio limits for secondary drivers. The higher-level trims come with more standard features than in previous year’s models. Some of these features include:

• Blind-spot monitoring.
• Forward collision warning.
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection.
• Adaptive cruise control.
• Surround-view parking camera system.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.

The Sportage comes standard with a driver attention monitor, lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. Available upgrades include:

• Adaptive cruise control.
• Front and rear parking sensors.
• Blind-spot monitoring.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.

Thanks to these impressive safety features on both vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded both the Blazer and the Sportage with a perfect five-star safety rating.

If you’re interested in checking out a huge selection of SUVs, stop in at Cochran Chevrolet. As a large, family-owned car dealership, we know how important it is to find the perfect vehicle to suit the needs of you and your family. Whether you’re in the market for an SUV with premium technology features, an abundance of space, or a certain amount of power, we can help you narrow down your options.

Don’t wait another day to reach out to us so you can drive off the lot in your dream SUV.