Chevrolet Equinox Test Drive

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 The current generation of the Chevrolet Equinox came out almost 3 years ago.
It is a very popular model for Chevrolet, with over 330 000 of them sold in 2018. So these are basically everywhere, and the design is by now very familiar.
And after 3 years, it still looks really nice.

 Same thing inside. My loaded model came with pretty much everything you can imagine in a modern car.
Except, for some weird reason, an upgraded sound system. So, for over $40 000, it still had the basic stereo. which sounds just OK. But is not acceptable at all in a car of that price.

The seats are very comfortable. Except for the headrests that are positioned a bit too far back and are pretty flat.
The back seats are very roomy. So much that most people would not need to step up to a larger SUV, unless you really need a 3rd row of seats.

The interior has nice, rather upscale details. And everything feels pretty solid and well put together.

 The panoramic sunroof is a great option.

 There is plenty of room behind the back seats.
And once these are folded flat, there is room enough to sleep in there. So this would really make a very decent camping companion.

 I have not driven the Equinox with the standard 1.5 Liter/CVT .
Although I though that combo was very decent in the Malibu I drove a while ago.

The 2.0 Liter in my test car was, as usual, great. Always quiet, smooth with plenty of power.
The steering actually had a nice feel to it. Which was a good surprise.

 The suspension was still a bit too firm for me.
As this is not marketed as a sporty car. But rather a modern replacement for the family sedan.
Not sure if it is because of the large 19 inch wheels, but the ride is just a bit too firm for an every day family car.
Something I had noticed a while ago in my previous Equinox drive. But this was the Redline model which was marketed as a sportier option.
The “regular” models should really be a bit smoother.

The popular Chevrolet Equinox is still a great option for buyers looking for a “large” compact SUV.

Besides the firm ride, its main problem is its price.
Sure, it does have a 2.0 Liter engine with over 230HP. Which is more than most of its competition.
But at over $40 000, my test car was overpriced.
On the “Premier” model, the 2.0 Liter engine is almost $3000 more than the base 1.5 Liter.
Still, at $37 000, it is about $2500 more than a loaded AWD Honda CR-V.

And my test car was actually more than a base Acura RDX.
The RDX does feel much more upscale and substantial than the Equinox, in every way.

If you are really interested in the Equinox, just make sure you pick the options you want. Also make sure you get some discount or incentives.
As it is still a good choice.

Click on the picture above to enlarge my test car’s window sticker.

Conversation 6 comments

  1. This one can be bought all day and every day for $32k. Most MSRPs don’t mean anything, especially when it is a GM product

  2. Yes, GM pretty much builds in their 20% off sale price into their MSRPs. You've got to really pay attention to the options on the lesser trims, though. GM is very stingy, and things you think would be standard aren't on lower trim GM vehicles.

  3. Vince we have a 2018 Equinox with the 1.5L engine and find it perfectly acceptable for around town and merging and accelerating on the highway. Ride is still pretty firm but it feels much more buttoned down than our previous car a 2012 Kia Sportage. One note is that the 1.5 comes with a 6 speed auto, which I like much better than a CVT.

  4. Hard for me to believe, but It is important to note that it’s reliability has been stellar for the past 6 years.

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