Chevrolet is a famous American car manufacturer with a rich history spanning more than a century. Its long-lasting success can be attributed to its strong business acumen. That said, the people behind Chevy are still human, and sometimes, they’ll make a mistake. That’s probably what happened with a particular options bundle that’s available on the 2023 Chevy Equinox.

Let’s take a closer look at this puzzling value proposition.

The 2023 Chevy Equinox has a lot of packages available

Currently, Chevy offers up to 10 package options on the Equinox, though different trims will have access to slightly different packages. The $33,000 Premier trim, which is the top trim on the Equinox, has 10 packages available. The Driver Confidence III package and the Driver Convenience II package were bundled together and named the Confidence & Convenience II package. It’s available for $1,745. 

Those packages add nice features to the SUV, such as adaptive cruise control and heated rear outboard seats. Then there’s the $215 Cargo package, which adds features such as a cargo net. The $165 Roadside Safety package has a first aid kit and a highway safety kit. The $245 Interior Protection package adds all-weather floor mats and an all-weather cargo mat, while the $335 Floor Liner package adds an all-weather floor liner. 

The $895 Redline Edition makes the SUV look cooler, while the $1,125 Infotainment II package adds an 8-inch touchscreen and many other tech features.

Finally, there’s the ‘Hit The Road’ package. It costs $1,195, and it adds two features to the compact SUV. First, it adds a pair of cross rails on the roof rack, and secondly, it adds molded assist steps to the exterior of the car.

Why the ‘Hit The Road’ Equinox bundle package doesn’t make any sense 

As a concept, the ‘Hit The Road’ package is completely fine and it adds features that car shoppers expect to find on other cars. The problem comes from shopping around Chevy’s car builder.

Just like for most option packages, Chevy allows car shoppers to buy some options individually rather than as part of a package.

In the case of the ‘Hit The Road’ package, both of its two features are offered individually. The roof rack cross rails can be added on for $325, while the molded assist steps will set owners back by $865.

Those may seem like fair prices to pay for those features, but when they’re added together, car shoppers are only paying $1,190 for them combined. That’s $5 less than what the package that offers those same features cost.

This isn’t a big deal, but it’s still interesting and funny 

As such, it doesn’t make sense for shoppers who are interested in the 2023 Equinox to buy the ‘Hit The Road’ package since they can save five bucks by adding those two features individually. In the grand scheme of buying a new car that costs over $33,000, this isn’t a big deal. In fact, in the current economy, $5 can barely buy anything for most Americans. 

Still, this is a funny and interesting quirk that Chevy overlooked. It’s not entirely clear why this small error happened, but it does mean that 2023 Equinox shoppers have a way to save $5.

That said, this mistake was fixed with the 2024 model year of the car. As with any new model, Chevy raised prices for the car in most areas. The ‘Hit The Road’ package still costs $1,195, but buying the two options individually will set shoppers back by $1,270 instead.