The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Going strong into 2018
are well worth having.
This was during a 600-mile weekend trip with my them. The car was comfortable and did its job both on the interstate and trying to find our way around a strange city. My test car was an unusual emerald green, so it was quite easy not to lose it in parking lots.
It was a well-equipped Equinox Premier, although with frontwheel drive. Its MSRP price was just more than $33,585. But with the options and extras its sticker price was actually $39,660. The base Equinox L, powered through the front wheels by this engine has an MSRP of $24,475. There also won’t be much in the way of discounts or bargaining, it being both a new generation for 2018 and also part of the most popular segment of vehicle sales.
But for your money you get plenty of capability, good looks and decent efficiency. In particular the mechanicals are good. The suspension is modern, fully independent, and that means its front MacPherson strut with specifically tuned coil springs, directacting stabilizer bar and the fourlink independent rear suspension keeps the car nicely planted on the road and response to input. It definitely doesn’t drive like previous truck-based sport utes.
The version I tested came with the 2.0-liter turbocharged double-overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine. This direct gasoline engine generates 252 hp. and 260 lb.-ft. of peak torque. This power flows through an efficient ninespeed automatic transmission. This is the engine I would choose, although I didn’t get a chance to drive the 1.6-liter diesel engines, and I tend to be a fan of them.
The base engine in the Equinox lineup is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, attached to a sixspeed automatic transmission, making 170 hp. and 203 lb.-ft. of peak torque. I think that’s a little light for a vehicle this size, but it does get and EPA efficiency rating of 26 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway in front wheel drive and 2 mpg less in each category for all-wheel drive.
On my Equinox journey, I averaged just over 26 mpg for the whole trip. That included a bunch of suburban driving around in addition to the highway, so I was pleased with this number. The EPA numbers are 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
For anyone in the market for a family crossover such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, and Ford Escape, this one ought to be on that list. It is a capable contender, and when it’s well equipped seems almost to be a class above itself.