2010 Chevrolet Equinox
by Jim Prueter -08/2009

All-new Equinox delivers style and fuel economy

If General Motors/Chevrolet is to survive and compete effectively in the marketplace, it will be because of new products like the completely re-styled Chevy Equinox, not the highly touted Chevy Camaro, which is being introduced at virtually the same time.

Applause goes to Camaro for attracting buyers to Chevy showrooms, even though it’s an impossible dream for most lookers. Not that it’s unaffordable, to the contrary, it’s just that most buyers in today’s market need efficiency, utility, roominess and practicality; Camaro falls far short on all.

The compact crossover utility vehicle segment is both crowded and filled with quality rivals and formidable competition: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester. All are well-known vehicles with superb value, excellent reputations for quality and safety, and decent fuel economy.

The 2010 Chevy Equinox tested here is the second generation. The first generation was known for a spacious interior, so-so materials and build quality and poor fuel economy thanks to the lone drivetrain of a V-6 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. There was a four-cylinder Equinox in the 2005 model year. Driving was rated at 17 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city, 24 highway and 20 combined, ranking dead last among the competition.

Until now, Chevy didn’t have much to offer buyers who backed away from the poor fuel economy. The new Equinox’s biggest news is improved gas mileage and all-new four-cylinder engine, rated at an impressive 22 mpg city, 32 mpg highway. This tops all competitors, including the Ford Escape Hybrid. Chevy does offer a 3.0-liter 264-horsepower V-6 but expects 70 percent of buyers to opt for the 2.4-liter 182-horsepower four-cylinder. All Equinoxes come with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive optional.

Equinox offers seating for up five with no third-row option, and is available is LS, LT and LTZ trim levels. Even the base model is well equipped; LT adds automatic climate control and an upgraded audio system. Top of the line LTS includes features like a power lift gate, leather upholstery and rear backup camera assist. A fully loaded LTZ can reach upwards $37,000 when options like rear-seat DVD entertainment system and a hard-drive-based navigation system are selected.

We tested a front-wheel-drive four-cylinder LT with the $495 vehicle interface package that included Bluetooth for phone, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, remote vehicle starter system and a USB port. Standard equipment includes heated power outside mirrors, 17-inch aluminum wheels, dark tint glass, roof-rack side rails, premium cloth seats, power height adjustment for the driver’s seat, air, tilt-telescoping steering, cruise control, power windows and door locks, AM/FM satellite radio, compass and floor mats. Total vehicle price was just $24,600.

As for looks, compact crossovers tend to read as cute and feminine, and attempts to make them look more masculine usually go wrong. Yet the Equinox seems to have accomplished the best execution, sharing front-end styling and twin-port grille with siblings Traverse and Malibu.

Inside the cabin is downright sharp looking, with excellent fit and one of the best executions of hard plastic we’ve seen. The interior fitments of switches, instruments and readouts are flush mounted and brushed silver metallic facings are backlit in a cool aqua-blue. Ambient lighting in the same color highlights the console and cup holders.

The rear bench seat both reclines and slides fore and aft eight inches, and each section folds nearly flat to enlarge the cargo area — handy when loading large objects. Our tester included an attractive and interesting cloth mesh pattern that seemed durable, but the seats were firm, lumpy and bordering on cruel. I never did find a comfortable adjustment. Forward visibility is excellent, but the rear view is impaired by the B-pillar which creates some driver blind spots.

Standard safety features include antilock four-wheel disc brakes, stability and traction control, six airbags, child safety LATCH system, remote keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring system. The Equinox has not been rated for crashworthiness as of this writing.

On the road the Equinox drives with few faults, and better than anything in its class. Handling is as expected but the ride might be a bit on the firm side for some drivers. All-wheel drive is a $1,750 option that will cost you about two mpg city and three mpg highway in the four-cylinder models and one mpg highway in V-6 equipped vehicles.

Overall we thought the four-cylinder performed well, but didn’t feel as snappy as the Ford Escape or Subaru Forester we’ve tested. The engine was buzzy under full acceleration, even though Chevy utilizes an active noise cancellation feature that detects decibel increases via an interior microphone and sends counteracting sound waves through the audio speakers to quell the noise. I couldn’t tell if it worked or not but once up to cruising speeds the Equinox was amazingly quiet and free of wind and road noise.

Hats off to Chevy for an excellent overall execution with Equinox in this competitive market. There was a time not long ago where a Chevy product wouldn’t be a purchase consideration in this class. But anyone contemplating a compact crossover would be remiss not to include the Equinox in their list of products to test drive.