Chevrolet Equinox Test Drive

 The current Equinox has been around for a while. It'll be 7 years old this June.
So it's fair to say an all new one is "around the corner". For sometime next year at the latest.
I hear it will also be a bit smaller. (Since the next Traverse will be shrinking too)

I drove the GMC version a few years ago. With a V6. It was just fine, nothing great.

The Equinox has been slightly updated outside last year, and I think it still looks very good.

It is also still very popular. With over 277 000 units sold last year. Which is about 35 000 more than the year before!
Quite amazing.

Inside, things have not changed for a while. It was fine 6 years ago, and just OK now.

All plastics are hard. Which is OK for the $23 000 base price.

But my test unit was over $34 000!

For that price, the radio was just an average unit. With a very annoying MyLink system.

Which would not show all playlists on my phone. And the screen was sometime not responsive at all.

Just not up to modern standards...

It is, however, very roomy. And comfortable. In a plain, slightly dated sort of way.

The 2.4 Liter engine (Yes, my $34 000 car didn't have the V6) is pretty quiet, as long as you don't push it. At all.
Past 2500RPM things get a bit rough and noisy. End, even though the great 6 speed auto is willing to downshift quickly, not much actually happens.
(It can get pretty bad with just 3 people on board when getting up to speed on the freeway.)

It is rated at 20/29MPG for the AWD model I was driving.
I did my best but only got 17 in the city.
And about 28 on the Highway.

By the way, these are the same numbers GM claims you can get in the all new GMC Acadia with the 2.5 liter.
(Since the new Acadia still weights around 900 pounds more than this Equinox, I seriously doubt these crazy numbers...  But I do have to admit, the 2.5 Liter is a lot quieter and smoother.  At least in the Impala I tested a couple of years ago)

I think 7 years is a bit long these days for a car. Everything changes so fast.
Small Turbo engines, Apple CarPlay etc...


I am sure the next Equinox will address all these problems.
But for now, if you get one, make sure you get some amazing deal .
$34 000 for this, without navigation, sunroof or a great stereo is way, way overpriced.

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5 ( 88 ratings )

- Thursday, January 14, 2016