Avoid The Chevy Equinox If You Want A Capable SUV
The Chevy Equinox is a subcompact SUV, but does it live up to its SUV title? Can it go off-roading, cross streams, or maintain stability in the snow? Let’s find out if the Chevy Equinox is capable of adventuring or if it should stick to the city streets.
How Capable Is The Chevy Equinox?
To get started in the Chevy Equinox, you will need to spend about $23k. This is cheaper than the Toyota RAV4 that starts around $25k. But it’s a little more than the Kia Seltos that begins around $21k.
Both the RAV4 and Seltos are engineered for tackling light trails to get to your campsite. The Chevy Equinox will provide outstanding savings at the fuel pump. It gets up to 28 mpg in the city and up to 39 mpg on the highway. You will be able to save on fuel to get where your adventures take you.
Chevy Equinox Performance
The Chevy Equinox has three engine options available. The base model comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that offers 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. You can go diesel with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder diesel engine for 137 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque.
We recommend upgrading to the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine option to access 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Depending on which build you choose, the Chevrolet Equinox can tow between 1,500 to 3,500 lb. This is the same towing capacity that the Toyota RAV4 has. However, don’t expect to haul or zoom around town quickly. The Chevy Equinox takes a staggering 8.4 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph.
All-wheel-drive is only available on higher trim options. So, you will have to upgrade from the base model to gain the ability to drive in snow and other slippery conditions. You can disengage AWD to save fuel when you don’t need it.
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It has a standard MacPherson strut suspension in the front and a four-link suspension in the rear, so we aren’t sure about it having a smooth ride. However, the Equinox does incorporate active noise cancellation. But there are no features like hill start assist or descent control for off-roading either.
Chevy Equinox Features
If you do take a trip to the Chevy Equinox, you will have space for all of your gear. You can access up to 63.9 cubic feet of cargo space once the seats are folded flat. They have a 40/60 split. Also, there is a built-in storage bin in the floor for more storage room. There are also 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats.
The standard 7″ infotainment center can connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes with a built-in LTE Wi-fi hotspot. You can upgrade to a higher time option for the 8″ infotainment center with HD graphics and a navigation system.
Because the Chevy Equinox has a five-star safety rating and it’s ranked as the subcompact SUV with the best-rated long-term quality, it may seem attractive. However, You don’t get any standard safety or convenience features unless you upgrade. So you will have to pay more for rear cross-traffic alerts, blind-spot monitoring, and more. We do not think the Chevy Equinox is very capable, and it’s best to stick to the city.
