The crossover segment is getting crowded, and every automaker has to come up with something unique if they want to stay competitive in this space. The Chevy Equinox has changed up some things: what have those changes done?
Nice Esthetics
The new Equinox doesn’t disappoint in comfort. The new Midnight Edition is available in the LT trim, and it marries a black exterior with glossy black wheels, interior trim, and a blacked-out emblem surrounded by darkened fog lights for a gorgeous new look.
All the old paint colors are still available, and now you can also get it in Chocolate Metallic and Cayenne Orange Metallic, both of which give you a unique way to stand out, yet in an understated rather than flashy way. With any of the LT models, you can choose leather-trimmed seats.
Comfortable, Functional Interior
There are a lot of options here, and you can choose anything from sparse but functional to luxurious to suit your preference. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, as are keyless entry and ignition.
Another standard we love is active noise cancelation, so you’ll be able to enjoy your tunes or take a work call without a roar from the engine interfering. The infotainment system is easy to use and intuitive, and the higher-trim models offer you a bigger screen. There’s a pleasing number of available apps, too.
Turbocharged Economy
This is an entry-level vehicle in the segment, so it’s surprising to see a turbocharged, 1.5 liter, inline-four base engine capable of generating 203 lb-ft of torque and 170 HP. This power comes with a six-speed automatic transmission that gives you 26 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway with the front-wheel drive.
The all-wheel-drive gives you 25 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway, which isn’t much of a sacrifice for the advantage of AWD. If you choose the next engine size step up, you’ll get a 2.0-liter, turbo, inline-four engine capable of 252 HP and 260 lb-ft of torque. Few manufacturers in this segment even offer higher-output engine options, so this is a real plus for the Equinox.
Plenty of Space
Despite a compact wheelbase, this little workhorse can take the whole family and then some. The Equinox has a 37.4-foot turning radius, which is small for the size and makes it a breeze to maneuver. Yet somehow, there’s also plenty of headroom and 39.9 inches of leg space in the back seat.
You get 30 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up, and when you put them down that goes up to 64 cubic feet. While this is slightly less than some others in this category, it’s also more than you’d expect for the overall size of the vehicle.
The 2020 Equinox comes in four trims–L, LS, LT, and Premier–and every trim comes with plenty of options to customize, but they all sport our four favorite features. Which one gets you most excited?
Image via Chevy
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