![]() ![]() The styling is sleek, with a low hood and sculpted sides that create a clear family resemblance with Chevy’s Malibu midsize sedan. Cargo space is less generous, but competitive. Passenger space is among the class leaders. The touch screen and voice recognition work well for other features, and Apple CarPlay gave easy hands-free access to my smart phone’s features. The controls are blessedly simple and easy to use, with buttons and dials for audio and climate controls. The front seat was very comfortable on a nine-plus hour drive. My test car had two-tone black and grey leather upholstery and low-gloss chrome trim. The materials are attractive with soft-touch paint and other padded surfaces. ![]() The interior is roomy, with plenty of storage for phones, sunglasses, cups and the like the center console is wider than previous Equinox, creating a wide and comfortable arm rest for the front seat. That beats comparably powered and priced models of the Escape, Santa Fe Sportage in the city, 30 on the highway and 26 combined in EPA tests. If you live in an area prone to freezing temperatures, I’d recommend turning it on when the weather turns in winter and leaving AWD engaged til spring. You have to press a button on the center console to engage AWD, a feature that reduces fuel consumption slightly. The steering provides good feedback and on-center feel, while the suspension kept the Equinox planted and stable. The steering and suspension were a pleasant surprise on twisty secondary roads in the Smoky Mountains. The transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. The horsepower is at the low end of its class, but the Equinox makes up for that with strong torque delivered over a broad range of r.p.m. The engine produces 170 horsepower at 5,600 r.p.m. The 1.5L engine provided plenty of power to reach highway speeds on short ramps, pass in the mountains and zip around town. I drove close to a thousand miles from Greenville, S.C., to Detroit and enjoyed every minute. Equinox prices will probably top $40,000 when the new engines, transmission and other goodies like adaptive cruise control are available.Įven with ambitious pricing, Equinox’s features, comfort, performance and fuel economy make it a leader in its class. That’s a price born in confidence, and the end’s not in sight. ![]() I tested a top of the line AWD Equinox Premier with leather upholstery, 19-inch aluminum wheels, navigation, front collision alert, low-speed autonomous front emergency braking, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, surround vision cameras, heated and cooled front seats, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot and cross-traffic alerts, a large sunroof and more. View Gallery: Photos: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox A more powerful 2.0L turbo, fuel-saving 1.6L diesel and nine-speed automatic transmission all join the lineup later this year.Ĭhevy hasn’t announced pricing for all models yet, but all-wheel drive currently starts at $27,260. All Equinoxes currently come with a peppy 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic engine. The Equinox faces the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and Tucson, Kia Sportage and Sorento, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Tiguan.Įquinox prices start at par with the old 2017 model, rising to among the highest in its class.Ī base front-wheel drive model starts at $23,580. It’s America’s top selling vehicle class. Compact SUV sales rose 73% in the past five years to 2.6 million last year. ![]() The Equinox is all new for 2018, and engineered to face some of the auto industry’s fiercest competition. The new Equinox shed 400 pounds and 4.7 inches versus its predecessor, but it remains one of the most accommodating and best-equipped vehicles in the red-hot compact SUV class. The ★★★★ 2018 Equinox compact SUV may be its best trick yet. Watch Video: 2017 Chevrolet Equinox Premier AWD video reviewĬhevrolet has been performing magic lately, making hundreds of pounds of vehicles’ weight disappear without reducing their comfort or features. ![]()
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