What is the best year for a Chevrolet Blazer?

The 2022 and 2023 Blazer are the standout used picks — 39 and 35 complaints respectively, both with 10/10 NHTSA safety scores and only 4 severe issues each. After a rougher launch window in 2019-2020 (181 and 204 complaints), the Blazer stabilized quickly. The 2022-2025 window is consistently clean.

How much does Chevrolet Blazer insurance cost?

Blazer insurance averages around $2,570/year — roughly $214/month. On the higher end for midsize SUVs, despite favorable maintenance costs.

Is the Chevrolet Blazer or Ford Edge cheaper to maintain?

The Blazer is cheaper to maintain by $90/year — $521 versus $611 for the Ford Edge. The Blazer also has a higher reliability score (8 vs. 7), lower major repair probability (11% vs. 13%), and lower repair frequency (28% vs. 33%). The Blazer is the better value across all maintenance metrics.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Chevrolet Blazer?

Major repair probability of 11% and repair frequency of 28% are both well below the midsize segment averages. Extended warranty isn't warranted for most buyers — the data supports self-insuring.

Is the Toyota RAV4 expensive to maintain?

The RAV4 costs around $429/year to maintain — $92 below the compact segment average of $521. Repair frequency of 26% is also below the class average of 30%, meaning fewer unscheduled shop visits than most rivals. Combined with an 8/10 reliability score and 10% major repair probability, it's one of the most economical compact SUVs to own over time.

What is the best year for a Toyota RAV4?

The 2022 RAV4 is the standout used buy. It marks the first fully settled year of the fifth generation after a turbulent launch window — complaints dropped from 865 in 2019 to just 127 in 2022, with a 10/10 NHTSA safety score and only 13 severe issues. The 2022–2023 range is reliably strong. Be cautious with 2019–2021 models, which carried elevated complaint counts as Toyota worked through early fifth-gen issues.

How much does Toyota RAV4 insurance cost?

RAV4 insurance averages around $1,990/year, or about $166/month — nearly identical to the Honda CR-V and toward the lower end for compact SUVs. The RAV4's broad popularity means insurers price it competitively. Rates vary by trim, location, and driver history, but the RAV4 is consistently an affordable quote across most profiles.

Is the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V cheaper to maintain?

The difference is minimal — the RAV4 averages $429/year versus $407/year for the CR-V, a gap of about $22 annually. Over five years that's roughly $110. Both are class leaders in maintenance cost. The CR-V scores slightly higher on reliability (9 vs. 8), but the RAV4's lower repair frequency (26% vs. 30%) means fewer unscheduled trips to the shop. Either is a sound long-term ownership choice.

Should I buy an extended warranty for a Toyota RAV4?

Probably not for most buyers. The RAV4's major repair probability of 10% sits just below the compact segment average, and its 8/10 reliability score reflects a vehicle that holds up well with normal maintenance. If you're purchasing a 2019–2021 model used — which carried above-average complaints during the fifth generation's early years — adding powertrain coverage is a reasonable precaution. For 2022 and newer, the reliability case for an extended warranty is weak.

Chevrolet Blazer vs Toyota RAV4

Two midsize SUVs compared on the numbers that matter — maintenance cost, reliability, and insurance.

// VERDICT

Our verdict

Buy the Toyota RAV4 to minimise 5-year ownership cost.

Buy the Toyota RAV4 if long-term reliability matters most.

// COST HEAD TO HEAD

Maintenance and ownership cost

	Chevrolet Blazer	Toyota RAV4
Annual maintenance	$521	$429winner
5-year total cost	$2,605	$2,145winner
Reliability score	8 / 10	8 / 10
Major repair risk (5yr)	11%	10%winner
Cargo space	—	70.4 cu ft
Starting price (new)	$37,095	$34,800winner
Best years to buy	—	2018, 2021, 2022

// RELIABILITY

Which is more reliable?

	Chevrolet Blazer	Toyota RAV4
RepairPal score	8 / 10	8 / 10
NHTSA complaints / 100k	135.2	89winner
Years to avoid	2019, 2020, 2021	2012, 2013, 2014
Value retained · 3 yr	71.6%	94.5%winner
Value retained · 5 yr	52.8%	75%winner
Value retained · 7 yr	40.5%	62%winner

// COMMON PROBLEMS

What breaks — and what it costs

	Chevrolet Blazer	Toyota RAV4
Engine	24.3%	15.5%winner
Electrical	15.8%	12.7%winner
ADAS	9.0%winner	9.7%
Brakes	6.7%	5.8%winner
Suspension	1.1%winner	2.9%
Steering	7.7%	3.9%winner
Fuel system	2.3%winner	7.9%
Tires/Wheels	3.8%	2.1%winner
Glass/Windows	0.8%winner	5.1%
Airbags	1.5%winner	7.8%

One major repair on either model can run $1,500–4,000. A warranty caps your exposure, especially on known problem years.

// INSURANCE

Which is cheaper to insure?

	Chevrolet Blazer	Toyota RAV4
Avg annual premium	$2,570	$1,990winner

// FULL MODEL PAGES

GAS

Chevrolet Blazer

$521/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

GAS

Toyota RAV4

$429/yr maint · 8 reliability

Full model page

// FAQ

Common questions

The Blazer costs $521/year to maintain — $52 below the midsize segment average of $573. Repair frequency of 28% is well below the class average of 40%, and major repair probability of 11% is well below the 13% norm. Combined with a reliability score of 8 above the class average of 7, it's one of the stronger ownership-cost profiles in the midsize segment.

How we calculated this. Maintenance costs and reliability scores from RepairPal. Complaints and recalls from NHTSA. Fuel economy from the EPA. Insurance averages from CarEdge. Pricing from KBB. Depreciation from iSeeCars. Full methodology →