The arrival of an available 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder with a slick-shifting 9-speed automatic might boost the Equinox’s score in the future, but for now, the 1.5-liter model’s performance is a solid 6 out of 10. What's frustrating is that Chevy could have easily avoided these criticisms by lending some material style to its lesser trims-stick some of that denim-like upholstery in the same places the Equinox Premier gets leather, just to interrupt the seas of black plastic.Īn above average base engine is the 2018 Chevy Equinox’s performance highlight, but it’s not good enough to offset a transmission and handling character that’s merely average. Going for the priciest Equinox takes the same leather upholstery and applies it liberally to inserts on the dash and doors. Unless an owner selects the range-topping Premier, monotonous and uninterrupted plastic dominates the cabin. The Equinox garners only a few points for its cabin, despite a neat denim-style seat upholstery. The LT wears body-color mirror caps, while the L and LS' caps are as black and dull as their grilles. Trim-specific style features extend mainly to the range-topping Premier, which gets chromed mirror caps and chrome slats in its front grille. That minor quibble nets the Equinox an only slightly above average exterior style score. Combined with a boring set of taillights, it's hard not to look at the Equinox's backside and see a minivan. The same tall rear hatch that provides a sizable aperture for loading the trunk betrays the crossover's tail. The D-pillar has an aggressive forward rake-props to Chevrolet's designers for avoiding the floating roof fad-while the rear side glass wraps into the back pane.īut it's in back where the Equinox design fails. The other line charges past, cutting through the door handles and connecting the the taillights to the front of the car. One line dives south integrating into the rear wheel arch and giving a sense of continuity to the cutline between the rear bumper and fender. The profile's defining features are a subtle character line that runs from the front wheel arch and then splits in the middle of the front doors. The Cruze lends the crossover's headlights the same general shape, although the Equinox's lights aren't as aggressively swept into the fenders. The new Equinox closes up the sedan-style grille into a single, unified piece that's split by a chrome surround on the lower portion.
The Equinox is better and smarter, but it’s not as good or as smart as it needs to be. The fascia is polarizing, the rear end looks like a minivan, and cutting-edge safety equipment is limited to the range-topping trim, which is itself way too expensive. The smaller body has less cargo space than the competition and the cabin is at least a step behind the competition in material quality and style. All around, this is a better, more complete Equinox than came before.Īnd yet, there are still problems. HID headlights illuminate the road, while vented seats blast the driver’s backside with cool air.
#2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX FOR SALE DRIVERS#
Drivers can pair their Apple iPhone or Android smartphone with a standard 4G LTE wi-fi connection and suck tunes from the internet, which are channeled through the audio system that is controlled by a standard 7.0-inch infotainment system. Turbochargers supplant a bigger engine in the Equinox, and promise torque that’s easy to exploit and fuel economy that challenges the segment’s best. But beneath this smaller, svelter body is a smarter vehicle. ( Read more about how we rate cars.)īy shaving 400 pounds of fat and cutting 5 inches between the wheels, the new Equinox looks more like a true contender to the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV4, rather than a plus-size entry among fiercely competent crossover competition. The Equinox earned a 6.5 on our overall scale, which reflects our preference for the new body and its good fuel economy. New for this year, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is offered in L, LS, LT, and Premier trims. The new small crossover is lighter, smaller, more aggressively styled, better equipped across the board, and is generally a more complete, competent vehicle than anything to wear the Equinox badge. Chevrolet did a lot right with the 2018 Equinox.
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