If you've got an opinion about the Chevrolet Equinox small SUV, hopefully it's been formed from the latest version, not the older version.
It's not that the older version was bad. It was just, well, kind of bland.
For the 2010 model year, Chevy has tossed the bland out of the Equinox and come up with a really cool SUV that can go toe-to-toe with the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue.
The interior has been redesigned and gas mileage has gotten a nice little boost, but what you'll really appreciate is the more dramatic exterior lines that make the Equinox almost a head turner, instead of the nondescript little box it used to be.
It borrows design cues from its larger sibling, Traverse, which is a wonderful crossover SUV.
It borrows design cues from its larger sibling, Traverse, which is a wonderful crossover SUV.
Also consistent with other Chevy products are the trim designations: LS, LT and LTZ.
You can choose from a pair of engines: a 2.4-liter, 182-horsepower four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter, 264-horsepower V-6. Both are linked to a six-speed automatic transmission, but if you choose the V-6 you can get a manual.
Fuel economy is quite good by SUV standards: 22 mpg city, 32 highway with the four cylinder.
General Motors has, for the past year or two, been touting its commitment to deliver good fuel economy, and vehicles such as this keep those from being empty claims.
Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel is optional.
Chevy says the Equinox has a good collection of safety features such as four-wheel antilock brakes, StabiliTrak electronic stability control system and Proactive Roll Avoidance to cut the possibility of a rollover situation (you listening, Lexus?).
Dual front airbags are standard, as are head-curtain side-impact airbags.
Five souls can fit rather comfortably in the Equinox and there is adequate cargo space. You'll appreciate the versatility offered on the interior from the adjustable 60/40 split rear bench, which moves fore and aft to give you more storage space or more leg room, whichever you need at the time.
Five souls can fit rather comfortably in the Equinox and there is adequate cargo space. You'll appreciate the versatility offered on the interior from the adjustable 60/40 split rear bench, which moves fore and aft to give you more storage space or more leg room, whichever you need at the time.
Chevy says the Equinox has a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds.
You can get a fairly modestly equipped Equinox for around $22,700. Or you can add a slew of luxury features and bump the price to as high as around $30,000. But that's still a reasonable figure for a nicely loaded SUV.
Some of the goodies available include Pioneer premium sound system, in-dash six-disc CD changer, auxiliary input jack for an iPod and a DVD entertainment system with a seven-inch flip-down monitor and wireless headphones for rear seat passengers.
For comfort, you can have heated front bucket seats with leather inserts.
The Equinox has now become one of the better choices in the small SUV market -- bye, bye Dullsville.
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