THE AUTO PAGE
By John Heilig
- MODEL: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD
- ENGINE: 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4
- TRANSMISSION: 9-speed automatic
- HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 252 hp @ 5,500 rpm/260 lb.-ft. @ 2,500-4,500 rpm
- WHEELBASE: 107.3 in.
- LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 183.1 x 72.6 x 65.4 in.
- TIRES: P225/60R18
- CARGO CAPACITY: 29.9/63.5 cu. ft. (rear seats up/down)
- CURB WEIGHT: 3,327 lbs. #/HP: 13.2
- TOWING CAPACITY: 3,500 lbs.
- COMPETITIVE CLASS: Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape, Jeep Cherokee
- STICKER: $24,525 (base)
- BOTTOM LINE: The 2018 Equinox is a significant upgrade to Chevrolet’s second most popular vehicle (behind Silverado).
When thinking of small to mid-size SUVs, one wouldn’t
necessarily think of the Chevrolet Equinox. But it is Chevy’s second-best
selling vehicle, behind the Silverado pickup, so a lot of people obviously do
think of the Equinox.
Our tester actually arrived the week after driving the
Silverado, so there was significant culture shock in switching between
vehicles. Once I got over the size differential, I began to enjoy Equinox’s
attributes a bit more.
First, there’s the new styling from the redesigned Equinox.
There’s a significantly restyled hood and the side styling has more creases
than Princess Di’s wedding dress. Projector beam headlamps light the way.
Under the sculpted hood rides a 2.0-liter turbocharged
inline four. The quiet engine delivers good power for the 3,327-pound vehicle,
and its operation is quiet. There is little or no engine noise, although some
tire noise intrudes into the cabin on less-than-perfect road surfaces. That
isn’t Chevrolet’s fault.
The 9-speed automatic is smooth. Except on acceleration,
you barely feel it shift.
However, with the relatively small engine, start-stop
technology and the 9-speed automatic, I felt fuel economy was low at 19.5 mpg
during our test run. Even the estimated EPA readings of 22 city/ 28 highway
aren’t that great. Granted, we didn’t do a whole lot of highway driving, but we
did have a couple of long runs that should have pushed the numbers up.
The Equinox is equipped with all the amenities.
Entertainment has all the bells and whistles. We used Apple Car Play for
entertainment and phone. It was simple to connect, and as with most Bluetooth
applications, once you’re hooked up, you stay hooked up.
The clear instrument panel has a tachometer, information
panel and speedometer, reading from left to right. Fuel level and water
temperature gauges run across the top. The information panel scrolls among a
digital speedometer, fuel economy set, fuel range, oil life, tire pressure and
assorted other screens. We settled for the digital speedometer. The dash style
brought to mind the Impala’s, which I liked very much.
We were kept comfortable in some very hot weather thanks
to a functioning HVAC system, We used remote start from the key fob to fire up
the engine and HVAC before we entered the car. I know this usually works in
winter to warm up the vehicle. It also works in summer to cool it off.
Front seats are comfortable with good side support. As a
matter of fact, I was surprised by the side support which was more suited to a
sportier vehicle. The rear seats also have some side support, even for the
center seat, along with a flat floor.
All four doors have places for water bottles. Additional
interior storage consists of a large cubby at the base of the center stack with
12-volt, USB and AUX outlets. There are also a 12-volt and two USB outlets at
the back of the center console for rear seat passengers.
The rear hatch opens using either then key fob, or a
switch on the driver’s door. It reveals a generous cargo area that can hold at
least one golf bag diagonally. One owner of an older Equinox we spoke with said
she would like to be able to put four golf bags in the back without having to
lower the rear seat backs. It might be possible in this iteration, although we
didn’t put it to the test.
For safety the Equinox is equipped with a blind spot
monitor, lane departure warning, rear cross traffic alert, teen driver feature
that lets you monitor how your teen is driving, and a rear seat reminder. The
latter beeps when you shut the engine off and a message appears on the
instrument panel reminding you to check the back seat for packages, etc. My
wife and I have been known to leave food back there, so the reminder is a good
one.
Now a discussion of color. Our tester was an interesting
shade of green, called Ivy Metallic. First, it was unusual, since most of the
vehicles I drive are either grey or black. My wife wasn’t thrilled at the
beginning, but said the color grew on her during the week. Others seemed to
have a like-not like so much attitude about it. There was no question that it
was easy to find in a parking lot.
All in all, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is a nice package
that is certain to continue the product’s strong sales success.
(c) 2017 The Auto Page
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