EQUINOX SHOWS SMALLER IS BETTER
Chevrolet’s compact SUV also gets new styling and three engine choices
Chevrolet picked the autumnal equinox and the Windy City to reveal the next generation of its compact crossover, the Equinox, 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 segment-first 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 lbft 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-wheeldrive 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 no longer looks like a designed-by-committee affair. The top-of-the-line 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 are standard on Canadian models.
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. 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, low-speed forward automatic braking, lane-departure and lane-keep assist systems as well as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The warnings from these systems come both visually and via the “safety alert seat,” which vibrates a warning. It also reminds the driver to check the rear seat for precious cargo. The Touring model also includes the Teen Driver system, which offers several safety features, from muting the audio until frontseat occupants are buckled up to automatically turning on the available active safety technologies, such as side blind-zone alert, forward-collision alert and front automatic braking.