[ WATCH ] 2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX REVIEW
Channel: Auto Today
Date: 25/12/2016

The Chevrolet Equinox has struck the right chord for many compact crossover buyers. It offers a range of powertrains, including front- or all-wheel drive; it can be fuel efficient; and it's relatively large.

We think it's getting a little tired, which is why it scores a 6.5 out of 10 overall.

But a new Equinox is on the way for 2018, so stay tuned since the 2017 is scheduled to be a short model year.

Chevrolet Equinox styling and performance

It has been a sales success for Chevy, so why fix what isn't broken?

Answer: they haven't. This year, the 2017 Chevy Equinox carries over largely unchanged from last year. For 2016, the model received important safety equipment and a light "fluff and buff" from the automaker: a front-fascia here, a little chrome there—nothing controversial. The effect is a brighter, slightly better look for the Equinox.


To us, the Equinox reads from the outside more like a scaled down version of the big Chevrolet Traverse, which isn't a bad thing. The Equinox is a little chunkier, perhaps with a few more styling elements stolen from Chevy's trucks and wedged into its more upright flanks. The Equinox is still distinctly more car-like than truck, and fits alongside the brand's sedans with good-looking proportions and sharp, careful details.

What’s under the hood doesn’t change this year, and that’s fine too. The 2.4-liter direct-injection inline-4, making 182 horsepower, is one of the most fuel-efficient engines in its class—and plenty quick for most family needs, while it renews its 32-mpg EPA highway rating in front-wheel-drive guise. Both that engine or the available 301-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 come paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is available on every trim, except the base L.

Chevrolet Equinox comfort, safety, and features

The Chevrolet Equinox is just a little bit larger than most compact SUVs, which translates to some extra wiggle room inside when you need to balance cargo and passengers. In that respect, the Equinox feels designed for the ins and outs of family use, with a rear bench that can slide fore and aft, offering up to 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the seat still up, or nearly 64 cubic feet with the seatbacks flipped down.

Front seating is quite good and the driving position is excellent and car-like, while back seats have enough space for two adults to sprawl out into, with decent leg room, and the seat backs are adjustable for rake. You also get plenty of cubbies for smaller items, as well as a deep center console and two wells, a retractable cargo cover, and a stretchy net for grocery bags between the two deep cargo wells in back. Chevrolet offers tablet holders that attach to the rear of the front seats.

The Chevrolet Equinox was designated as a Top Safety Pick last year by the IIHS. In testing, the agency gave the crossover top "Good" scores in all categories, including its small-overlap crash test. The IIHS only gave the optional crash-mitigation systems in the Equinox a "Basic" score.

Federal testers weren't as kind. This year, the Equinox managed a four-star overall rating, including four stars on frontal- and rollover-crash protection. We expect both ratings to carry over into 2017.

We are happy to report that Chevy has made standard a rearview camera on all trim levels for 2016, which somewhat alleviates our previous complaints about the poor rearward visibility. The 2016 models also received newly optional active-safety items that bring the Equinox in line with its competitors. We expect many of those features to become more available for 2017.

According to the EPA, the base inline-4 manages 22 mpg city, 32 highway, 26 combined when paired with front-wheel drive. Those numbers make the base Equinox one of the better performing non-hybrid crossovers in the segment. Make the move to all-wheel drive (AWD) and those numbers drop to 20/29/23 mpg. Four-cylinder models are equipped with an "Eco" button that dials back accessory power draw such as air-conditioning operation, optimizes shift points for better fuel economy, and locks up the torque converter earlier for efficiency.

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