First, it was the refreshed 2021 Chevy Traverse being bumped up to 2022. Then we heard there probably won’t be any 2020 Chevy Corvette convertibles. The updates listed for the 2021 Silverado and Camaro have also been moved to 2022.  Now, it is the refreshed Chevy Equinox getting kicked down the road to 2022. The coronavirus crisis is affecting these launches and probably more. Here’s what Chevy says, “The timing for the launch of the refreshed Chevrolet Equinox has been revised. It will now launch in the calendar year 2021 as a 2022 model. We will share more details as we get closer to launch.”

Probably all new or refreshed GM products will be bumped up to 2022

We’re probably not going out on a limb when we say any Chevy and probably all GM products too, intended to be all-new or refreshed in the latter part of 2020 or in 2021 have been squeezed up to 2022. It will be a difficult job in itself just bringing an assembly plant back online after being idle since March.

There are fears that some suppliers and also trucking firms will have been eliminated from the pandemic crisis. So, just because you can flip a switch and turn on an assembly line doesn’t mean you’ll have all the parts to begin building. 

The 2021 Equinox was revealed in February at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show

What was to be the 2021 Equinox was revealed at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show in February. New front and rear fascias that include a new grille that falls in line with the Silverado’s, and 19-inch wheels, were part of the changes we were expecting. An RS model was to be added as well. 

Inside, there were many small detail changes slated like French stitching with the Premier model. The RS was to get a unique shifter, and black leather upholstery with red stitching on the seats, armrests, and steering wheel. 

Drivetrains, on the other hand, were expected to remain the same. The base engine will be the 1.5-liter four-cylinder with 170 hp. An optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 252 hp will be available hooked to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Companies don’t want to hold assembly plants up by converting to new model-year upheaval

Many manufacturers want to crank up the assembly lines right now. It’s reasonable to expect factories to begin ramping up production in May if we’ve seen the coronavirus peak. If there is a second wave of the virus then all bets are off. Companies don’t want any downtime to revise assembly procedures but instead, want to ramp up existing vehicles as quickly as possible. 

Another factor weighing heavily on the decision to hold off on new models is the economy. A recession is already happening and it will take a while for Americans to be thinking once again about buying a new SUV or pickup. 

So, right now there are a lot of scenarios and situations that will alter the economic and consumer landscapes. There are no playbooks to take lessons from. It will be a bumpy ride but the hope is that everything swings back into a somewhat normal pattern by fall. Whether that will really happen nobody knows.