SUV gets three new engine options
FIRST LOOK: 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX
CHICAGO • Chevrole t picked the autumnal equinox and the Windy City to reveal the next generation of its popular compact crossover, the Equinox. This time around it comes bristling with new technologies and powertrain options.
The latest Equinox is 180 kilograms lighter ( a 10 per cent drop!) than the outgoing model and it will arrive with three turbocharged engines: a 1.5- litre turbo, a 2.0- L turbo and a segmentfirst 1.6- L turbodiesel. The 2.0- L turbo arrives with a new nine- speed automatic transmission; the other two engines retain the six- speed automatic.
All three engines boast decent power. The 1.5T makes 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, and the 1.6- L turbodiesel produces 138 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. Both promise plenty of pop off the line and decent fuel economy ( GM estimates an average of 7.6 and 5.9 L/ 100 km, respectively). The big dog is the 2.0T. It cranks out a very respectable 252 hp and 260 lb- ft of torque, which is enough, says GM, to get the Equinox from rest to 96 km/h in 6.5 seconds and gives it the wherewithal to tow a 1,591-kg trailer. The Equinox features a switchable all- wheel- drive system with a rear axle disconnect system that’s aimed at cutting fuel consumption.
The cabin is very Malibuesque; the fit and finish are top notch and it no longer looks like a designed- bycommittee affair. The topof- t he- l i ne models were finished in a handsome twotone leather combination. The new Equinox will offer Chevy’s MyLink infotainment system with seven- and eight-inch touch screens that support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and deliver a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot. Heated seats and a remote starter will be standard on all Canadian models.
The Equinox i s much smaller and less unwieldy. The length drops by 120 millimetres, while the wheelbase is 132 mm shorter. It still has plenty of space, the rear seat marked by its legroom, feeling more spacious than the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, two of its key rivals. It also offers up to 1,798 L of cargo space and a flat load floor.
The key safety technologies include surround vision that gives a bird’s- eye view around the Equinox, forward- collision alert, lowspeed forward automatic braking, lane-departure and lane- keep assist systems as well as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Touring model also includes the Teen Driver system, which offers several safety features, from muting the audio until front-seat occupants are buckled up to automatically turning on the available active safety technologies, such as side blindzone alert, forward-collision alert and front automatic braking. The system also produces a report card that shows the teen driver how they performed — and if they screw up, it rats them out!