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By request, a review of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.
http://www.chevrolet.com/suvs/equinox-compact-suv
IN A NUTSHELL: GM's Bread-and Butter compact SUV...but it's nicer than you might think.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Ford Escape, Dodge Journey, Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, Jeep Cherokee, VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester.
OVERVIEW:
The compact Equinox crossover SUV (originally considered a mid-size) was first introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Designed and produced on GM's FWD/AWD Theta platform, it represented the old GM to a tee (before the bankruptcy/reorganization).....Ho-Hum engineering, indifferent quality control, cheap interior and trim parts designed for cost-cutting more than anything else, and sloppy fit/finish. I felt that the first-generation Ford Escape, its main rival, was a significantly better effort. The Pontiac Torrent, a near-clone of the Equinox with different front/rear styling and a slightly sportier suspension/steering set-up, was also sold in the American market for a few years before the Torrent folded with the Pontiac division itself. For 2008 and 2009, the Equinox also got a Sport version with (essentially) the Torrent's underpinnings.
The second-generation Equinox, like many GM products debuting in the period and/or just after the reorganization, was a significantly better effort in a number of ways, with notably better materials inside, fit/finish, drivability, and engineering. It was nice enough that Buick probably could have done a version of it if desired, but the marketers turned it down. Cadillac, however, did do its second-generation SRX of of a modified version of the Equinox's platform...GM's Theta Premium (that platform was also used for Saab's 9-4X SUV before GM sold off Saab to the Spyker Corporation).
The third-generation Equinox, which went on sale last year for the 2018 model year, is IMO the nicest one yet, and, unlike the first-generation model, now significantly outclasses its closest Ford Escape rival. To be fair, the Dodge Journey, its other domestic rival, like most Dodge and Chrysler products, has also shown great improvement in fit/finish and assembly quality since Fiat took over. The Equinox, size-wise, in Chevy's five-SUV line-up, is second from the bottom....you have the subcompact Trax, the compact Equinox, the mid-sized Traverse, the full-sized Tahoe, and the full sized/stretched-wheelbase Suburban. The Tahoe and Suburban are truck-based and body-on-frame in the construction; the others unibody crossovers.
For 2018, the Equinox comes in several different trim versions...L, LS, LT, and Premier. The L comes with FWD....all the other versions have a choice of FWD or AWD. Three different drivetrains are offered....a 1.5L turbo in-line four of 170 HP, 203 ft-lbs. of torque, and 6-speed Sport-shift automatic, a 2.0L turbo in-line four with 252 HP, 260 ft-lbs. of torque, and GM's new 9-speed Sport-Shift automatic, and a 1.6L Turbo-Diesel engine with 170 HP, 203 ft-lbs. of torque, and the 6-speed automatic. L and LS models get the 1.5L turbo...LT and Premier versions get a choice of the the three engines. Base prices range from $24,575 to $34,595, depending on trim and drivetrain.
As usual, I static-reviewed several trim-versions and interiors. But, since the specific review-request was for the 2.0L Turbo, I chose that version, with AWD, for the test-drive. Its list price was close to 40K, but, even without a sunroof, included an impressive number of safety and convenience features, and, of course, the Equinox's top-line power train. Its Pepperdust Metallic paint job matched that of my Lacrosse (GM offers that color on a number of its models, due to its popularity).....except that Chevy doesn't charge extra for that color like Buick does (Go Figure). GM is also offering a lot of incentives even on a hot-selling SUV like this....right off the bat, if one were to buy this vehicle, the dealership is discounting it some 6K.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Premier 2.0T AWD
BASE PRICE: $37,300
OPTIONS:
Chevrolet MYLink Audio system with Navigation: $1125
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $995 (maybe slightly more than average for a vehicle the size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $39,420
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, Transversely-mounted 2.0T turbocharged in-line four, 252 HP @ 5500 RPM, Torque 260 Ft-lbs. @ 2500 RPM, 9-speed Sport-Shift Automatic.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City, 28 Highway, 24 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Pepperdust Metallic
INTERIOR: Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Decent amount of power.....but the AWD system saps some of it.
Smooth, versatile refined 9-speed automatic transmission.
Sound insulation in the cabin (mostly) good.
Reasonably comfortable ride on the 19" wheels.
Reasonably-priced for what you get, especially with factory incentives.
Decent underhood layout except for the engine cover.
Nice exterior paint-color choice.
Generally nice interior materials.
Excellent front and rear headroom.
(Mostly) attractive, easy-to-use gauges/controls/knobs/switches.
Roomy, space-efficient cargo area.
MINUSES:
AWD system saps some of the engine power.
Manual prop rod for the hood instead of struts.
Seat-padding a little firm for my tastes.
Paint job quality only average by today's standards.
Glittery chrome trim on the dash looks nice, but can reflect sunlight.
Awkward thumb-switch on top of shift lever for manual-shifting.
Poorly-Located brake pedal for large feet.
Inconsistant tire-brands on each sample.
EXTERIOR:
Although the C-pillars are styled somewhat differently, in general, the exterior of the new 2018 Equinox looks more or less like a downsized Traverse. The general styling and front/rear ends all have a distinct resemblance....perhaps not surprising, if or when the designers took note of the Traverse's success in the marketplace. The fairly large gold Chevy bow-tie logo, as always, stands out front and rear, though not to the same extent on the new integrated upper/lower grille assembly as on the former split-grille with the large horizontal bar in between. If you don't like the gold bow-tie, or it's too bright-colored for your tastes, a black-out version of it is available as an exterior package-option. Both the Traverse and Equinox (as with other Chevy SUVs) share similar tall, traditional two-box SUV styling, which helps with interior space efficiency, visibility, and headroom.....more on that later.
There is a very nice, wide choice of paint colors available (and, though some of them cost extra, there are some real eye-openers among them), but not all of the colors are available on all of the trim-levels...see the Build-Your-Own feature on the web site for details. The quality and gloss-level of the paint job itself, though, seems only about about average by today's standards....certainly not in the Lexus/Audi class. I noticed that the plant(s) that build the American-spec Equinox apparently have a contract with more than one tire company. All of the Equinoxes that I glanced at today (the better part of two dozen) had all-season tires on them from one of three companies....Michelin, Hankook, and Bridgestone. It was very haphazard...no real pattern to it by trim level or wheel-size. If it were my money, of course, assuming the rest of the vehicle was acceptable, I'd probably try to choose one with Michelins, simply for their good reputation...and equivalent Michelins often cost more than other brands, so you're probably getting a more expensive tire on the vehicle free with the deal.
I did notice that the top-line Premier versions have more glitter and bright trim on the outside than base L and LS versions. Perhaps most noticeable are the large, bright-chrome side-mirror assemblies...each one of them has a lot of glitz, compared to the black side-mirror housing on the base L versions and painted/body-color ones on the mid-grade trim levels. This is a pattern that Chevy repeats on some other models as well...a pattern not necessarily shared with other GM divisions. The white Equinox Premier that the dealership had in the showroom for inspection actually had two-tone paint/brushed-metal running-boards attached to the side of it (part of another exterior package, including roof-racks), but, IMO, this vehicle does not really sit high enough for them to be needed by most normal or larger-sized adults, although some kids and very short adults might find them handy.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the fairly solid-feeling hood (it feels more like lightweight sheet-steel than aluminum), and you must prop it with a manual rod.......no nice struts. There is the usual sound-insulation pad on the underside. All three transversely-mounted engines, perhaps due to their fairly small size and displacement, fit in generally well, with at least some room to reach things on the sides of the block, though, of course, the large plastic engine-covers block much of the top-access. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reserviors are generally accessible and easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
The dash and interior of the Equinox mimic that of several other compact-to-mid-size Chevys.....the division seems to use amore or less general pattern inside for the Cruze, Malibu, Traverse, and Equinox. Large, tall, vents adorn each side of the center-screen and larger-than-usual vents on each end of the dash. The tall roofline and conservative styling, of course, provides excellent headroom front and rear....particularly without the optional sunroof housing. The real (not fake) seat-leather on the top-line models felt nice, though the seat-cushion-padding, front and rear, was a tad firm for my tastes....but of course, my rump and torso have been spoiled to some extent by the relatively soft, thickly-padded seats in my Buick Verano and Lacrosse. Still, I can't quite understand the penchant of a number of automakers for putting park-bench-like slabs in the back of small SUVs....a number of them are like that. Lower-trim Equinoxes, of course, get fabric seats.
The sun-visors are generally well-designed, well-attached (often a weak point with some vehicles) and have a thin layer of dove-gray/silver-colored fabric on them, so you don't have to directly grip hard plastic (also a weak, cost-cutting point in some vehicles). The gauges are, in typical Chevy fashion, attractive, use some nice colors, are easy to read at a glance, and most of the buttons/controls/switches are well-done, easy to use, and feel solid except for the typical-GM less-than-solid steering column stalks. Something that IMO definitely needs to be redesigned, however, is the rocker-switch on top of the conventional shift lever....more on that below. There is a BIG difference in visual eye-effect between the way the black monotone interior and the two-tone interiors look...the two-tones will really open your eyes, while the monotone just might put you to sleep. Materials on the dash generally look and feel pretty nice, though on the inside door panels, the real estate is shared by a combination of hard black plastic trim on the upper and lower parts, and a soft, nicely-padded section that runs across the middle near where your elbow might hit it. The stereo sound quality, as usual, was quite good....although some units sound better than others (particularly the Lexus Mark Mevinson units), it's quite difficult to find what I would consider a poor-sounding automotive stereo system nowadays. I grew up with (and first learned to drive with) crappy-sounding AM radios, and, believe me, compared to them, almost any nice FM stereo is a treat.
All in all, a pretty nice interior overall.....though, to my eyes, the two-tone is much nicer than the monotone. GM used to have some of the worst plastic junk-interiors in the buisness, but, ever since the mid-late 2000s, has taken interior designs much more seriously.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the solid-feeling rear hatch lid (it is power-operated in upper trim-versions), and you are treated to a generally roomy, space-efficient, but not particularly well-trimmed cargo area. The tall roofline and conservative rear-end styling allow fairly tall items to be carried in back. A thin layer of black felt-carpet lines the floor, and black plastic lines the side-walls. An all-weather cargo mat and cargo pull/shade cover are available as options. Under the floor, in addition to the carpeted floor-hinged panel, you must pull out a separate thin panel as well, and at least a temporary spare tire resides under that....you don't have to fool with one of those ridiculous compressed-air Fix-a-Flat cans.
ON THE ROAD:
The turbo 2.0L engine starts up with a button, which is becoming almost universal today except on entry-level vehicles. The engines idles with a decent amount of refinement, but the V6 of earlier versions is missed. On the road, it generally runs quietly by four-cylinder standards, though some noise comes through under, say, half-throttle or more. I wouldn't call it a slug.....it does have enough power to get out of its own way, and gives you a mild push-back in the drivers' seat. But the AWD system does put a noticeable drag on the engine, as is the case wit many crossover SUVs in this category. That's also reflected in the EPA mileage ratings, which fails to (officially) reach 30 or more on the highway. But, on the other hand, one does not purchase or lease a non-hybrid SUV for maximum gas mileage, and, if that is a concern, the turbodiesel version mentioned above is also available for better mileage, with the same 1.6L Turbo-diesel offered in the Chevy Cruze. Diesels, however, will often not readily be in dealer-stock, and will have to be special-ordered.
I also noted that the Equinox's 2.0L engine and 9-speed have the same start-stop feature at idle that my Lacrosse does.....GM will probably be using this feature on more and more of its vehicles, as the new 9-speed was especially designed for it. It shuts the engine off at idle for a maximum of two minutes, depending on a number of factors such as engine temperature, battery-charge-level, engine load, and A/C drain. At idle, the heat and A/C still function, but in a weaker state with a lower fan speed. The system cannot be shut off (GM is unique in that regard), but there are ways that it can can be fooled or overridden, such as a very slow creep at idle, by feathering the brake pedal, that does not fully 100% stop the vehicle....but, of course, you need some creep-room in front for that, so it won't work if you are stopped right on someone else's bumper.
The Equinox, this year, with the 2.0L engine, gets the new aforementioned GM 9-speed automatic co-developed with Ford...the same unit that is in my Buick Lacrosse. Shifts are almost imperceptible at warmer temperatures (though, on the Lacrosse, they can be stiffer at very low temperatures under 20 degrees until the unit warms up a little). As with a number of other Chevrolet products, however, (and some from other GM divisions), the thumb-switch on top of the shift lever, used for manual shifting up and down, was awkward in its feel and use. GM persists with that design, though some of the auto press, not just me, has also criticized it. Most of the lower gears in the 9-speed are rather short, so there is a fair amount of up-and-down shifting in stop-and-go-traffic (even with ultra-smooth shifts). But, because of the 9 speeds, there are also several tall overdrive cruising gears, though the aforementioned drag and weight of the AWD system still works against maximum gas mileage. The smaller engines, of course, get the older 6-speed automatic.
The chassis and underpinnings are generally well-designed, though this is still clearly no sports car. Steering response is a little slow, though not to the point of being sluggish, and body roll is kept quite well in check considering the relatively high center of gravity. Wind noise is well-controlled (recent Chevys get a lot, but not all, of the noted Quiet-Tuning of Buicks), though some road noise creeps in on porous pavement surfaces. That could vary, though, with tires...remember that Equinoxes come with several different brands. Ride comfort was reasonably good, though some of the bumps and road irregularities could be distinctly felt. I did not notice any of the bobbing/porposing that relatively short-wheelbase SUVs sometimes have...the nose generally stayed level even over bumps. The Premier, of course, gets the upmarket 19" wheels....lesser versions get anywhere from steel-15" (with plastic covers) to 18" alloy wheels, which would generally provide a smoother ride and less road-noise. The location of the brake pedal was a weak spot....I had to be careful when raising my big size-15 shoe off the gas pedal that it did not hang up on the underside of the brake pedal. The brakes themselves were effective, though, at lower speeds, a little on the touchy side.
THE VERDICT:
Though I also like the way that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson are built, and their long warranties, the new 2018 Equinox, IMO, is one of the best vehicles in this small-crossover-SUV class. It substantially exceeds the Ford Escape (its closest domestic rival) in several areas, particularly the interior materials and sound-insulation. It also feels more tightly-built than the Escape. It also competes well against most of the small European/Japanese-badged SUVs in this class that I've sampled. Although there are some things that I feel could be improved, such as hood-prop, the rocker-switch on the shift-lever, and maybe a little more soft-touch padding on the door panels, the Equinox, particularly in the high-line Premier version, doesn't feel like it was designed and built to a budget....perhaps a testimony to the way that Mary Barra is running GM these days. Yes, the standard 1.5L turbo engine is not that impressive (I've sampled that engine in the new Malibu)...but these small engines today are at least partially-forced by the former 54-MPG CAFE standards, which the Trump Administration only recently announced would be relaxed some. So, maybe in the future, some larger powerplants will return in bread-and-butter vehicles like this one....we'll see. In the meantime, the new Equinox, IMO, remains money well-spent, particularly with GM's incentives.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
http://www.chevrolet.com/suvs/equinox-compact-suv
IN A NUTSHELL: GM's Bread-and Butter compact SUV...but it's nicer than you might think.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Ford Escape, Dodge Journey, Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, Jeep Cherokee, VW Tiguan, Subaru Forester.
OVERVIEW:
The compact Equinox crossover SUV (originally considered a mid-size) was first introduced in 2004 for the 2005 model year. Designed and produced on GM's FWD/AWD Theta platform, it represented the old GM to a tee (before the bankruptcy/reorganization).....Ho-Hum engineering, indifferent quality control, cheap interior and trim parts designed for cost-cutting more than anything else, and sloppy fit/finish. I felt that the first-generation Ford Escape, its main rival, was a significantly better effort. The Pontiac Torrent, a near-clone of the Equinox with different front/rear styling and a slightly sportier suspension/steering set-up, was also sold in the American market for a few years before the Torrent folded with the Pontiac division itself. For 2008 and 2009, the Equinox also got a Sport version with (essentially) the Torrent's underpinnings.
The second-generation Equinox, like many GM products debuting in the period and/or just after the reorganization, was a significantly better effort in a number of ways, with notably better materials inside, fit/finish, drivability, and engineering. It was nice enough that Buick probably could have done a version of it if desired, but the marketers turned it down. Cadillac, however, did do its second-generation SRX of of a modified version of the Equinox's platform...GM's Theta Premium (that platform was also used for Saab's 9-4X SUV before GM sold off Saab to the Spyker Corporation).
The third-generation Equinox, which went on sale last year for the 2018 model year, is IMO the nicest one yet, and, unlike the first-generation model, now significantly outclasses its closest Ford Escape rival. To be fair, the Dodge Journey, its other domestic rival, like most Dodge and Chrysler products, has also shown great improvement in fit/finish and assembly quality since Fiat took over. The Equinox, size-wise, in Chevy's five-SUV line-up, is second from the bottom....you have the subcompact Trax, the compact Equinox, the mid-sized Traverse, the full-sized Tahoe, and the full sized/stretched-wheelbase Suburban. The Tahoe and Suburban are truck-based and body-on-frame in the construction; the others unibody crossovers.
For 2018, the Equinox comes in several different trim versions...L, LS, LT, and Premier. The L comes with FWD....all the other versions have a choice of FWD or AWD. Three different drivetrains are offered....a 1.5L turbo in-line four of 170 HP, 203 ft-lbs. of torque, and 6-speed Sport-shift automatic, a 2.0L turbo in-line four with 252 HP, 260 ft-lbs. of torque, and GM's new 9-speed Sport-Shift automatic, and a 1.6L Turbo-Diesel engine with 170 HP, 203 ft-lbs. of torque, and the 6-speed automatic. L and LS models get the 1.5L turbo...LT and Premier versions get a choice of the the three engines. Base prices range from $24,575 to $34,595, depending on trim and drivetrain.
As usual, I static-reviewed several trim-versions and interiors. But, since the specific review-request was for the 2.0L Turbo, I chose that version, with AWD, for the test-drive. Its list price was close to 40K, but, even without a sunroof, included an impressive number of safety and convenience features, and, of course, the Equinox's top-line power train. Its Pepperdust Metallic paint job matched that of my Lacrosse (GM offers that color on a number of its models, due to its popularity).....except that Chevy doesn't charge extra for that color like Buick does (Go Figure). GM is also offering a lot of incentives even on a hot-selling SUV like this....right off the bat, if one were to buy this vehicle, the dealership is discounting it some 6K.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Premier 2.0T AWD
BASE PRICE: $37,300
OPTIONS:
Chevrolet MYLink Audio system with Navigation: $1125
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $995 (maybe slightly more than average for a vehicle the size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $39,420
DRIVETRAIN: AWD, Transversely-mounted 2.0T turbocharged in-line four, 252 HP @ 5500 RPM, Torque 260 Ft-lbs. @ 2500 RPM, 9-speed Sport-Shift Automatic.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 22 City, 28 Highway, 24 Combined
EXTERIOR COLOR: Pepperdust Metallic
INTERIOR: Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Decent amount of power.....but the AWD system saps some of it.
Smooth, versatile refined 9-speed automatic transmission.
Sound insulation in the cabin (mostly) good.
Reasonably comfortable ride on the 19" wheels.
Reasonably-priced for what you get, especially with factory incentives.
Decent underhood layout except for the engine cover.
Nice exterior paint-color choice.
Generally nice interior materials.
Excellent front and rear headroom.
(Mostly) attractive, easy-to-use gauges/controls/knobs/switches.
Roomy, space-efficient cargo area.
MINUSES:
AWD system saps some of the engine power.
Manual prop rod for the hood instead of struts.
Seat-padding a little firm for my tastes.
Paint job quality only average by today's standards.
Glittery chrome trim on the dash looks nice, but can reflect sunlight.
Awkward thumb-switch on top of shift lever for manual-shifting.
Poorly-Located brake pedal for large feet.
Inconsistant tire-brands on each sample.
EXTERIOR:
Although the C-pillars are styled somewhat differently, in general, the exterior of the new 2018 Equinox looks more or less like a downsized Traverse. The general styling and front/rear ends all have a distinct resemblance....perhaps not surprising, if or when the designers took note of the Traverse's success in the marketplace. The fairly large gold Chevy bow-tie logo, as always, stands out front and rear, though not to the same extent on the new integrated upper/lower grille assembly as on the former split-grille with the large horizontal bar in between. If you don't like the gold bow-tie, or it's too bright-colored for your tastes, a black-out version of it is available as an exterior package-option. Both the Traverse and Equinox (as with other Chevy SUVs) share similar tall, traditional two-box SUV styling, which helps with interior space efficiency, visibility, and headroom.....more on that later.
There is a very nice, wide choice of paint colors available (and, though some of them cost extra, there are some real eye-openers among them), but not all of the colors are available on all of the trim-levels...see the Build-Your-Own feature on the web site for details. The quality and gloss-level of the paint job itself, though, seems only about about average by today's standards....certainly not in the Lexus/Audi class. I noticed that the plant(s) that build the American-spec Equinox apparently have a contract with more than one tire company. All of the Equinoxes that I glanced at today (the better part of two dozen) had all-season tires on them from one of three companies....Michelin, Hankook, and Bridgestone. It was very haphazard...no real pattern to it by trim level or wheel-size. If it were my money, of course, assuming the rest of the vehicle was acceptable, I'd probably try to choose one with Michelins, simply for their good reputation...and equivalent Michelins often cost more than other brands, so you're probably getting a more expensive tire on the vehicle free with the deal.
I did notice that the top-line Premier versions have more glitter and bright trim on the outside than base L and LS versions. Perhaps most noticeable are the large, bright-chrome side-mirror assemblies...each one of them has a lot of glitz, compared to the black side-mirror housing on the base L versions and painted/body-color ones on the mid-grade trim levels. This is a pattern that Chevy repeats on some other models as well...a pattern not necessarily shared with other GM divisions. The white Equinox Premier that the dealership had in the showroom for inspection actually had two-tone paint/brushed-metal running-boards attached to the side of it (part of another exterior package, including roof-racks), but, IMO, this vehicle does not really sit high enough for them to be needed by most normal or larger-sized adults, although some kids and very short adults might find them handy.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the fairly solid-feeling hood (it feels more like lightweight sheet-steel than aluminum), and you must prop it with a manual rod.......no nice struts. There is the usual sound-insulation pad on the underside. All three transversely-mounted engines, perhaps due to their fairly small size and displacement, fit in generally well, with at least some room to reach things on the sides of the block, though, of course, the large plastic engine-covers block much of the top-access. Dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reserviors are generally accessible and easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
The dash and interior of the Equinox mimic that of several other compact-to-mid-size Chevys.....the division seems to use amore or less general pattern inside for the Cruze, Malibu, Traverse, and Equinox. Large, tall, vents adorn each side of the center-screen and larger-than-usual vents on each end of the dash. The tall roofline and conservative styling, of course, provides excellent headroom front and rear....particularly without the optional sunroof housing. The real (not fake) seat-leather on the top-line models felt nice, though the seat-cushion-padding, front and rear, was a tad firm for my tastes....but of course, my rump and torso have been spoiled to some extent by the relatively soft, thickly-padded seats in my Buick Verano and Lacrosse. Still, I can't quite understand the penchant of a number of automakers for putting park-bench-like slabs in the back of small SUVs....a number of them are like that. Lower-trim Equinoxes, of course, get fabric seats.
The sun-visors are generally well-designed, well-attached (often a weak point with some vehicles) and have a thin layer of dove-gray/silver-colored fabric on them, so you don't have to directly grip hard plastic (also a weak, cost-cutting point in some vehicles). The gauges are, in typical Chevy fashion, attractive, use some nice colors, are easy to read at a glance, and most of the buttons/controls/switches are well-done, easy to use, and feel solid except for the typical-GM less-than-solid steering column stalks. Something that IMO definitely needs to be redesigned, however, is the rocker-switch on top of the conventional shift lever....more on that below. There is a BIG difference in visual eye-effect between the way the black monotone interior and the two-tone interiors look...the two-tones will really open your eyes, while the monotone just might put you to sleep. Materials on the dash generally look and feel pretty nice, though on the inside door panels, the real estate is shared by a combination of hard black plastic trim on the upper and lower parts, and a soft, nicely-padded section that runs across the middle near where your elbow might hit it. The stereo sound quality, as usual, was quite good....although some units sound better than others (particularly the Lexus Mark Mevinson units), it's quite difficult to find what I would consider a poor-sounding automotive stereo system nowadays. I grew up with (and first learned to drive with) crappy-sounding AM radios, and, believe me, compared to them, almost any nice FM stereo is a treat.
All in all, a pretty nice interior overall.....though, to my eyes, the two-tone is much nicer than the monotone. GM used to have some of the worst plastic junk-interiors in the buisness, but, ever since the mid-late 2000s, has taken interior designs much more seriously.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the solid-feeling rear hatch lid (it is power-operated in upper trim-versions), and you are treated to a generally roomy, space-efficient, but not particularly well-trimmed cargo area. The tall roofline and conservative rear-end styling allow fairly tall items to be carried in back. A thin layer of black felt-carpet lines the floor, and black plastic lines the side-walls. An all-weather cargo mat and cargo pull/shade cover are available as options. Under the floor, in addition to the carpeted floor-hinged panel, you must pull out a separate thin panel as well, and at least a temporary spare tire resides under that....you don't have to fool with one of those ridiculous compressed-air Fix-a-Flat cans.
ON THE ROAD:
The turbo 2.0L engine starts up with a button, which is becoming almost universal today except on entry-level vehicles. The engines idles with a decent amount of refinement, but the V6 of earlier versions is missed. On the road, it generally runs quietly by four-cylinder standards, though some noise comes through under, say, half-throttle or more. I wouldn't call it a slug.....it does have enough power to get out of its own way, and gives you a mild push-back in the drivers' seat. But the AWD system does put a noticeable drag on the engine, as is the case wit many crossover SUVs in this category. That's also reflected in the EPA mileage ratings, which fails to (officially) reach 30 or more on the highway. But, on the other hand, one does not purchase or lease a non-hybrid SUV for maximum gas mileage, and, if that is a concern, the turbodiesel version mentioned above is also available for better mileage, with the same 1.6L Turbo-diesel offered in the Chevy Cruze. Diesels, however, will often not readily be in dealer-stock, and will have to be special-ordered.
I also noted that the Equinox's 2.0L engine and 9-speed have the same start-stop feature at idle that my Lacrosse does.....GM will probably be using this feature on more and more of its vehicles, as the new 9-speed was especially designed for it. It shuts the engine off at idle for a maximum of two minutes, depending on a number of factors such as engine temperature, battery-charge-level, engine load, and A/C drain. At idle, the heat and A/C still function, but in a weaker state with a lower fan speed. The system cannot be shut off (GM is unique in that regard), but there are ways that it can can be fooled or overridden, such as a very slow creep at idle, by feathering the brake pedal, that does not fully 100% stop the vehicle....but, of course, you need some creep-room in front for that, so it won't work if you are stopped right on someone else's bumper.
The Equinox, this year, with the 2.0L engine, gets the new aforementioned GM 9-speed automatic co-developed with Ford...the same unit that is in my Buick Lacrosse. Shifts are almost imperceptible at warmer temperatures (though, on the Lacrosse, they can be stiffer at very low temperatures under 20 degrees until the unit warms up a little). As with a number of other Chevrolet products, however, (and some from other GM divisions), the thumb-switch on top of the shift lever, used for manual shifting up and down, was awkward in its feel and use. GM persists with that design, though some of the auto press, not just me, has also criticized it. Most of the lower gears in the 9-speed are rather short, so there is a fair amount of up-and-down shifting in stop-and-go-traffic (even with ultra-smooth shifts). But, because of the 9 speeds, there are also several tall overdrive cruising gears, though the aforementioned drag and weight of the AWD system still works against maximum gas mileage. The smaller engines, of course, get the older 6-speed automatic.
The chassis and underpinnings are generally well-designed, though this is still clearly no sports car. Steering response is a little slow, though not to the point of being sluggish, and body roll is kept quite well in check considering the relatively high center of gravity. Wind noise is well-controlled (recent Chevys get a lot, but not all, of the noted Quiet-Tuning of Buicks), though some road noise creeps in on porous pavement surfaces. That could vary, though, with tires...remember that Equinoxes come with several different brands. Ride comfort was reasonably good, though some of the bumps and road irregularities could be distinctly felt. I did not notice any of the bobbing/porposing that relatively short-wheelbase SUVs sometimes have...the nose generally stayed level even over bumps. The Premier, of course, gets the upmarket 19" wheels....lesser versions get anywhere from steel-15" (with plastic covers) to 18" alloy wheels, which would generally provide a smoother ride and less road-noise. The location of the brake pedal was a weak spot....I had to be careful when raising my big size-15 shoe off the gas pedal that it did not hang up on the underside of the brake pedal. The brakes themselves were effective, though, at lower speeds, a little on the touchy side.
THE VERDICT:
Though I also like the way that the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson are built, and their long warranties, the new 2018 Equinox, IMO, is one of the best vehicles in this small-crossover-SUV class. It substantially exceeds the Ford Escape (its closest domestic rival) in several areas, particularly the interior materials and sound-insulation. It also feels more tightly-built than the Escape. It also competes well against most of the small European/Japanese-badged SUVs in this class that I've sampled. Although there are some things that I feel could be improved, such as hood-prop, the rocker-switch on the shift-lever, and maybe a little more soft-touch padding on the door panels, the Equinox, particularly in the high-line Premier version, doesn't feel like it was designed and built to a budget....perhaps a testimony to the way that Mary Barra is running GM these days. Yes, the standard 1.5L turbo engine is not that impressive (I've sampled that engine in the new Malibu)...but these small engines today are at least partially-forced by the former 54-MPG CAFE standards, which the Trump Administration only recently announced would be relaxed some. So, maybe in the future, some larger powerplants will return in bread-and-butter vehicles like this one....we'll see. In the meantime, the new Equinox, IMO, remains money well-spent, particularly with GM's incentives.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM