Have you counted how many compact SUVs there are on the market? You’ll need all your fingers and your toes, and you’d still be missing a few. Those shopping for one have got some serious homework to do.
With the retirement of the Pontiac Torrent and the Saturn Vue, you’d think that GM is making our lives easier in the selection process, but no; the Chevrolet Equinox has been totally redesigned and the GMC Terrain has been added to the line-up.
Chevrolet’s small SUV is so different from the previous generation that it could have changed names, but that’s not a good strategy when your product is trying to gain an identity for itself. Besides, the first-gen Equinox wasn’t that bad, right? The new one is better.
New under the hood
Manufacturers very rarely downgrade engine displacements in a vehicle, but in the case of the Equinox, it’s actually a good thing. The 3.4L and 3.6L V6 units are replaced by a 2.4-litre inline-4 and a 3.0-litre V6. Our test truck is powered by the 4-banger.
With 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft on tap, the 2.4 gets the Equinox moving along swiftly and provides very decent fuel economy. Our average of 10.8 L/100 km is among the most fuel-efficient compact SUVs we’ve tested, and its highway rate of 6.1 L/100 km is lower than the Honda CR-V’s and the Toyota RAV4’s figures.
It sounds a little agricultural at idle and at full throttle, but I’m being picky. Zero to 100 km/h takes 9.2 seconds, while the 6-speed automatic allows the engine to spin under 2,000 rpm while cruising at 100 km/h on the highway.
But the Equinox also handles pretty well for a 3,770-lb (1,710-kg) truck and its ride quality is just right. Its braking system is quite effective, while its steering is light yet communicative. These qualities will please the vast majority of small SUV shoppers.
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| The first time you encounter the Equinox, it looks big for compact SUV duty. |
With the retirement of the Pontiac Torrent and the Saturn Vue, you’d think that GM is making our lives easier in the selection process, but no; the Chevrolet Equinox has been totally redesigned and the GMC Terrain has been added to the line-up.
Chevrolet’s small SUV is so different from the previous generation that it could have changed names, but that’s not a good strategy when your product is trying to gain an identity for itself. Besides, the first-gen Equinox wasn’t that bad, right? The new one is better.
New under the hood
Manufacturers very rarely downgrade engine displacements in a vehicle, but in the case of the Equinox, it’s actually a good thing. The 3.4L and 3.6L V6 units are replaced by a 2.4-litre inline-4 and a 3.0-litre V6. Our test truck is powered by the 4-banger.
With 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft on tap, the 2.4 gets the Equinox moving along swiftly and provides very decent fuel economy. Our average of 10.8 L/100 km is among the most fuel-efficient compact SUVs we’ve tested, and its highway rate of 6.1 L/100 km is lower than the Honda CR-V’s and the Toyota RAV4’s figures.
It sounds a little agricultural at idle and at full throttle, but I’m being picky. Zero to 100 km/h takes 9.2 seconds, while the 6-speed automatic allows the engine to spin under 2,000 rpm while cruising at 100 km/h on the highway.
But the Equinox also handles pretty well for a 3,770-lb (1,710-kg) truck and its ride quality is just right. Its braking system is quite effective, while its steering is light yet communicative. These qualities will please the vast majority of small SUV shoppers.
 |
| The 3.4L and 3.6L V6 units are replaced by a 2.4-litre inline-4 and a 3.0-litre V6. |