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2019 Chevy Blazer vs Honda Passport, other midsize crossovers: How they compare

The two-row midsize crossover market is a sizable one that just keeps growing. The two newest additions being the 2019 Chevy Blazer and the 2019 Honda Passport, additions we just recently drove. As such, it seemed like a good time to see how their numbers compare with the veterans of the segment: Ford Edge, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Hyundai Santa Fe and Nissan Murano. In this comparison to see where it lands in the numbers game, we'll take a look at everything including power, torque, towing, ground clearance, passenger room, cargo space, fuel economy and pricing. Cue the chart. Powertrain The Passport only has one engine option, Honda's trusty 3.5-liter V6. You can find this engine in both the Pilot and Ridgeline, and we like it in all its applications. But if you're looking for something more affordable or more frugal, you're out of luck. The Passport is one of just two that offer just one engine option. Most of the others have two choices, and Jeep even offers three. Compared with similar engine options, the Passport is pretty middling. The Ford Edge ST's turbo V6 makes the most power and torque at 335 ponies and 380 pound-feet. Next up is the Blazer, the only other to break 300 horsepower, and then the 295-horsepower Grand Cherokee. The Passport does beat the V6 Murano and the turbocharged Santa Fe, though. 2019 Chevrolet Blazer View 37 Photos For vehicles with smaller engines, the Edge wins again with its 250-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder. The Chevy Blazer is next, but at 193 horsepower, it's barely ahead of the 185-horsepower Santa Fe. The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a couple of powertrain aces, though. It's the only vehicle available with a V8, and it makes an impressive 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. There's even a turbodiesel model with 240 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, the most twist of the group. The Grand Cherokee is also the choice if you want to tow much. The V6 models will pull 6,200 pounds, and the V8 and diesel can handle 7,200 pounds. Add 200 more pounds to the diesel if it only has rear drive. 2019 Honda Passport View 19 Photos When it comes to fuel economy, the front-drive four-cylinder Edge and Santa Fe are tied for the best, with the all-wheel-drive Edge getting one more mpg on the all-wheel-drive Santa Fe on the highway. The Murano comes up next.

2020 Subaru Outback and Cadillac XT6 drives | Autoblog Podcast #590

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Green Editor John Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. This episode is all about driving, on- and off-road, and in a variety of vehicles. In particular, the trio are talking about recent experiences in the 2020 Subaru Outback, 2020 Cadillac XT6, 2019 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and 2020 Hyundai Palisade. At the end, they tackle an interesting and particularly tough "Spend My Money" question involving whether or not to put off purchasing a Jeep Wrangler in favor of a sensible daily driver. Autoblog Podcast #590 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Driving the 2020 Subaru Outback Driving the 2020 Cadillac XT6 Driving the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Sedan Driving the 2020 Hyundai Palisade Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:    

Volvo leads and Mini fails in JD Power's Tech Experience Index

New cars are basically rolling computers. Everything from the engine to the infotainment runs on a series of ones and zeros, and a lot of that technology requires input from the driver. So it's no surprise that JD Power has a study designed specifically to discern which bits of tech drivers love and which bits they loathe. "New technology continues to be a primary factor in the vehicle purchase decision," says JD Power's Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research. "However, it’s critical for automakers to offer features that owners find intuitive and reliable. The user experience plays a major role in whether an owner will use the technology on a regular basis or abandon it and feel like they wasted their money." The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study found that Volvo owners are happiest with the technology packed inside their vehicles, followed by BMW and Cadillac, all brands that JD Power classifies as premium. The highest-rated mainstream brand is Hyundai, followed by Subaru and Kia. As was the case with the organization's Initial Quality and APEAL studies, Tesla's numbers aren't officially included because they are the only automaker that has not granted JD Power approval to contact its owners in states that require it. Tesla's projected score of 593 would have put it in second place, right behind Volvo's score of 617. The lowest-ranked brand in the TXI Study is Mini, with Porsche right behind. Diving a little bit deeper, JD Power's findings suggest that the technologies new car buyers care most about are related to helping them see their surroundings better. Camera systems, including rear-view mirror cameras and ground-view cameras, scored highest in five of the six satisfaction attributes measured in the study. The technology that owners could really do without? Gesture controls. Owners who answered JD Power's survey say they don't use gesture controls much at all after initially trying them, and they don't really care if their next vehicle has them. We have to wonder if those responses might be what kept BMW out of the top spot. The TXI Study also found that owners are split on automated driving helpers, like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. JD Power suggests that owners may need more training on those systems before they learn to trust them. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.