Review: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Bad news, doubters. GM has redesigned its Chevy Equinox compact SUV, and the result is terrific

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: Better cabin, looks, and price than previous model; 32 mpg on the highway!

The Bad: Less luggage space than Honda and Toyota, no optional third row of seats

The Bottom Line: A classy compact SUV with better fuel economy than Asian rivals

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Up Front

General Motors has done a terrific job of redesigning the Chevy Equinox. The 2010 Equinox is a classy, well-designed compact SUV that actually gets better mileage than such rivals as the Honda (HMC) CR-V, Toyota (TM) Rav4, Ford (F) Escape, and Kia Sorento. That's right: It's a Chevy that beats even the Asian competition in fuel economy. The car is also arguably GM's hottest product right now. Buoyed by the Cash for Clunkers program, Equinox sales nearly tripled in August vs. the same month last year, to 13,157, and then nearly doubled in September (vs. September '08), to 6,840 after the program had ended.

The new Equinox (and its twin, the GMC Terrain) looks better than the old one, has a vastly improved interior, and is reasonably peppy—even if you stick with the standard 2.4-liter, 182-horsepower in-line four-cylinder engine. Like the Buick Enclave, the Equinox has a distinctly, unapologetically American look to it, both inside and out.

Plus—and this is key—the Equinox is rated to get 22 miles per gallon in the city and an astonishing 32 mpg on the highway with front-wheel drive and a four-cylinder engine. Mileage figures for comparable rival models are all lower: 21/28 for the CR-V, 22/28 for the Rav4, 21/28 for the Ford Escape, 20/25 for the '09 Hyundai Tucson, and 16/22 for the '09 Kia Sorento.

If fuel economy isn't a top priority, for an extra $1,500 the Equinox comes with a 3.6-liter, 264-horsepower V6. Optional all-wheel drive is available with either engine, and both are paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. However, going with the V6 engine lowers fuel economy to 17/25 with front-wheel and 17/24 with all-wheel drive, which is slightly behind the Rav4 and Ford Escape (the CR-V is available in a V6).

The new price for the Equinox is actually down slightly from '09. The entry-level LS, with the four-cylinder engine, starts at $23,185 with front-wheel drive and $24,935 with all-wheel drive. The price rises to $28,790 for the top-of-the-line LTZ with front-wheel drive and $30,540 for an LTZ with AWD.

The new Equinox doesn't yet have government crash-test ratings but comes standard with safety gear that includes antilock brakes with braking assist, stability and traction control, and front, front-seat side, and head-protecting side curtain airbags.

Also standard on even the entry-level LS: air-conditioning, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels, full-power accessories, a tilting-and-telescoping steering wheel, OnStar navigation, and a sliding and reclining rear seat that can fold down in a 60/40 pattern.

Many of the options, moreover, are quite inexpensive. For instance, a power sunroof costs $795, an eight-speaker upgraded sound system adds $395, and a backup camera $320.

Behind the Wheel

Despite its excellent fuel economy, the Equinox doesn't feel slow, tinny, or cramped. It's almost exactly the same size as the Toyota Venza—which is to say 13 inches longer than the Ford Escape, 10 inches longer than the Honda CR-V, and nearly six inches longer than the Rav4. At 3,770 lbs, the Equinox weighs nearly 500 lbs more than the Escape, 400 lbs more than the CR-V, and 200 lbs more than the Rav4, which gives it a solid feel on the road.

The Chevy's high mileage rating is achieved partly by giving the four-cylinder engine direct fuel injection and variable valve timing. There's also an Eco mode in models with the small engine that saves gas by altering the shift points in the transmission. However, in this mode the vehicle feels sluggish.

Otherwise, the Equinox is quicker than I expected.

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