Equinox could use more of a boost
Lone engine choice falls flat for larger vehicle
The third-generation Chevrolet Equinox was introduced in 2018. For 2022, it gets a stylistic update and the addition of the sportier-looking RS model tested here. The changes include refreshed bumpers front and rear, new LED headlights and LED daytime running lights along with a new-look grille. The RS adds black 19-inch wheels and blacked-out trim along with swanky red stitching in the cabin.
Sitting curbside, the RS sure looks the part; however, when the engine is cranked to life it falls flat. The lone engine choice is a 1.5-litre turbo-four that twists out 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. Decent numbers for a small vehicle, but when asked to motivate the near 1,600-kilogram Equinox it feels overwhelmed. The 8.9 seconds needed to get from rest to 100 kilometres an hour and the 6.8 second 80-120 km/h passing move speak volumes.
The engine works with a sixspeed automatic to drive all four wheels. While the transmission slips through the gears seamlessly, it could use the GMC Terrain's better nine-speed automatic — the extra ratios would help keep the engine in its sweet spot for more of the time. The other nit has to do with the so-called manual shift mode. When engaged it mandates using a rocker switch on the side of the shifter. It is awkward to use and slow to react, which makes it a redundant feature.
The RS arrives with a driver-selectable all-wheel-drive system (AWD). When switched off, the system disconnects the rear wheels to become a pure front-driver to improve fuel economy.
Push the AWD button before the shifter and the setup becomes an on-demand system that improves traction when pulling away and on slippery roads. As is often the case with AWD systems in this category, it reverts to front drive when AWD is not needed. Given this automatic switch, why would you turn it off?
Where the Equinox fairs well is the balanced approach to ride and handling. In everyday driving the suspension cushions road ripples and the steering delivers lots of feel and feedback. The only comment here is if you really do prefer a cosseting ride avoid the RS's 19-inch wheels. The smaller 17- and 18-inch wheel packages tend to kick back less over bumps than the 19s. However, for the driver that enjoys a sportier feel the bigger tires provide much better lateral grip, so there's less understeer. No, you're not talking a sports car-like drive, but a pretty aggressive push down a twisty section of road did not reveal any real vices — it holds the driver's desired line in a sorted manner.
The Equinox's interior is well executed and a very distant relative to the interiors of old — the designed by committee, cobbled together look has gone in favour of something that is structured and cohesive. True, some of the plastics are marginal (hard), but the overall execution is what's expected of a modern crossover. The front seats are power adjustable and comfortable, the instrumentation is clean and uncluttered and the up-level infotainment system with an eight-inch screen (part of the $2,759 RS Plus pack) is intuitive and easy to use. The RS also earns all of the key safety aids including Chevrolet Safety Assist, front/rear park assist and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
However, a couple of small things make a big difference.
First, Chevrolet has the moxie to allow the passenger to punch a destination into the navigation system when the vehicle is moving — nearly all other systems lock this function out, even to the right seat rider. It's a small thing in the scheme of things, but one that's really appreciated when you need to find something (gas, for example) without pulling over or getting off the highway just to enter a destination.
Second, the clarity of the surround-view camera is exceptional and easily the best setup found in anything tested recently regardless of price. Perhaps the best way of describing it is to say the definition looks to be almost 4K in its clarity, and so everything is perfectly focused.
Move rearward and there's plenty of space with generous amounts of head- and legroom for the outboard riders. The middle spot is limited because the folding armrest forms the backrest and the intrusion of the back-end of the centre console eats into the knee room.
As for cargo, the Equinox has 847 litres with the 60/40 split/folding seats upright and 1,809L with them folded. When in this position the floor is commendably flat. However, it lags some of its key contenders. The Honda CR-V has 1,110L and 2,146L; the Toyota RAV4 has 1,059L and 1,977L, respectively.
From afar, the RS's style suggests it's the vernal equinox — fresh and perky to the eye. Beyond that it has decent handling, a comfortable ride and the right equipment, including that crystal-clear backup camera. The reality is driving the RS makes it feel more like the Vernal Equinox, something in the twilight of its career and simply because the wheezy powertrain lets the rest of an otherwise solid ride down.
Given its status, the Equinox RS (Rally Sport) demands a stronger engine and a nine-speed automatic if it is to live up to billing. Ironically, it was offered with a 252 hp, 2.0L turbo-four with the better transmission, but that was dropped for 2021.
Go figure.