Compact crossovers are the darling of the automotive trade proper now. Mainly each automaker has at the very least one, and a few have much more than that. Due to this reality, when a brand new entrant to the market comes out, it must be fairly spectacular to seize the eye of your common Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue purchaser. That’s precisely what Chevy is gunning for with the redesigned fourth-generation gas-powered Equinox.
To attraction to a market that’s at the moment obsessive about boxy automobiles which have the looks of off-road skill, the Bowtie took the swoops and curves of the earlier ‘Nox and reduce them down with an angle grinder. What you get now could be a extra truck-looking car, cosplaying as an off-roader even when it’s by no means meant to really deal with an off-road path.
For essentially the most half, Chevy succeeded in its mission to construct a aggressive and compelling compact crossover, however in a world dominated by the trio of vehicles I discussed earlier than, it needs to be rattling good to win over the hearts and minds of a crossover-obsessed market. I believe Chevy was capable of do exactly that with the 2025 Equinox.
Full Disclosure: Chevy flew me out to Minneapolis, fed me all types of scrumptious meals and put me up in a flowery Mariott all so I may drive the fourth-generation Equinox.
Chevy’s redesigned Equinox will not be a automotive for automotive fans, individuals who derive pleasure from driving or individuals who even actually like getting behind the wheel. It’s an equipment automotive, and there’s nothing unsuitable with that. There are far more individuals who need an equipment automotive than fans, and since Common Motors is within the enterprise of earning money, it is sensible it might cater the Equinox to these of us.
So don’t count on an inspiring drive. The brand new Equinox is relatively uninteresting, however once more, that’s type of the purpose. It’s designed to ferry folks and issues from one place to a different with as few points as doable, and it’s so aggressively high-quality to drive you virtually overlook you’re doing it. The entire automotive — its steering, its engine and its transmission — falls to the wayside as you go down the highway. Meaning it’s a reasonably enjoyable expertise, at the very least, which is what you need in a crossover like this.
Powering all three Equinox trims (LT, RS and Activ) is a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 that places out 175 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque in case you go for all-wheel drive, which makes use of an eight-speed automated. Entrance-wheel-drive Equinoxes include 184 lb-ft of torque and a CVT. Neither of those are notably robust numbers, however you received’t actually miss the additional 19 lb-ft of the AWD automotive, so I’d most likely skip it until you’re feeling you actually need AWD (you don’t). Steering and dealing with are additionally greater than sufficient. It’s not a sports activities automotive, so there’s some lean within the corners and the steering really feel is just about lifeless. Nonetheless, it’s weighted nicely on and off-center, and there’s greater than sufficient grip from the all-season or all-terrain tires to deal with no matter type of mundane driving you throw on the Equinox.
To be honest, none of that basically issues. Nobody has ever purchased a Chevy Equinox — or another compact crossover for that matter — primarily based on how nicely it drove and the way fast it was. What really issues is the inside house, consolation and refinement. I’ve pushed all the large names within the compact crossover section, and the Equinox is among the many finest on the subject of inside house and design. There’s loads of room in all places for you, your associate, your 2.2 kids and all of their shit. Head-, leg- and shoulder room can be greater than sufficient within the rear seats, even for me at 6-foot-1-inch.
If you happen to fold down the rear seats, you get an especially beneficiant 63.5 cubic ft of cargo room. When it comes to consolation, the Equinox ain’t too unhealthy. The seats are fairly nicely bolstered and supply some lumbar assist. One factor I actually recognize is that Chevy added a little bit of padding on the highest of the door on your elbow. I’m a giant elbow-on-the-window-frame man, so this was actually welcome and one thing quite a lot of OEMs overlook in cheaper vehicles.
Up entrance you get a cool but acquainted GM inside design with two screens, an 11-inch gauge cluster show and an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and each work nicely and will be simply custom-made to your needs. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto followers might be glad to listen to that each techniques nonetheless exist within the 2025 Equinox, regardless of GM shifting away from the techniques. Moreover, button followers will rejoice as a result of your complete local weather management system makes use of exhausting buttons. Positive, you should use the display screen as a redundancy, however a piano black button within the heart stack can management something you wish to do. One downfall is that the lights are managed by the display screen like on another Chevys. No person’s good, I suppose.
Chevy determined to maneuver the gear selector from the middle console to the steering column, and that’s all the time a welcome determination in my ebook. There’s no want for a giant shifter to be taking over precious actual property in a automotive like this. It frees up extra room for storage cubbies, cup holders and an obnoxiously massive drive mode selector.
Relying on what trim you go for, the Equinox’s interiors are barely totally different. The essential structure is just about the identical, however materials selections and colours fluctuate relying on whether or not you go for the LT, RS or Activ. The Activ comes with the most important distinction, seats lined in Maple Sugar and suede microfiber upholstery. The LT and RS must accept black and grey. No matter what trim you select, the Equinox’s cabin feels relatively nicely put collectively and durable. I may actually see it holding up by years of day by day driving abuse. Piano black can be saved to a minimal, so in case you’re a hater, don’t be.
Whereas we’re with reference to trims, the three are just about the identical, simply look packages that add totally different options. The bottom LT will doubtless be the amount vendor with a $29,995 base worth (together with $1,395 for vacation spot) for a front-wheel-drive mannequin. The RS provides some sporty touches, barely greater wheels (20s are coming) and crimson and blue inside trimmings, and it begins at $34,395. Lastly, you get the Equinox Activ, and regardless of its off-roadish seems to be you don’t get any mechanical upgrades, save for 17-inch wheels sporting Common Grabber all-terrain tires. Floor clearance stays the identical, as does nearly all the pieces else. Chevy tells me the suspension has been calibrated for every mannequin, however all of them really feel the identical if I’m being trustworthy. Anyway, a FWD Activ begins at an equivalent $34,395. All three trims will be had with AWD and the eight-speed automated for an additional $2,000.
The LT I drove got here in at $33,880, whereas the RS stickered at $39,065 and the big-dog Activ was $39,925, and that’s nearly as costly as the brand new Equinox will be. For the cash, it’s a fairly stable worth. There’s a plethora of normal security gear and driver aids on each trim; stuff like adaptive cruise management and rear parking help at the moment are customary. There are, in fact, choices you may choose like a comfort package deal that will get you extra seat controls, twin local weather zones, an influence liftgate, a wi-fi charger, and a distinct roof colour with a panoramic sunroof. All of that stuff is obtainable from the bottom LT trim, so you may skip the RS and Activ trims altogether in the event that they aren’t chatting with you.
It’s as much as you whether or not or not the truck-ified 2025 Equinox suits your tastes. I believe it’s fairly good-looking, however a few of the design parts and sharp seems to be are writing checks its compact crossover underpinnings can not actually money. It’s off-road cosplay, and if that’s what you’re into, who am I to say that you just’re unsuitable? There are nonetheless loads of smoothed-out choices (together with Chevy’s personal Blazer) to select from.
As increasingly corporations enter the compact crossover section, Chevy significantly wanted to do one thing particular with the fourth-generation Equinox, particularly on the heels of the wonderful Equinox EV’s launch (a automotive that’s wholly unrelated). I’m not right here to say the Equinox resets the compact crossover market, however it’s one other stable entrant into the sector with seems to be that’ll make it stand out amongst a really massive crowd and an inside that’ll isolate its occupants from Toyota RAV4 consumers bragging about reliability.
