• Auto123 reviews the 2024 Chevrolet EV RS FWD.
Chevrolet’s new Equinox EV – which has nothing to do with the ICE version of the Equinox beyond the name – has made Chevy’s fortune in the Canadian EV market, particularly in Quebec. Available at pricing comparable to the smaller Kia Niro EV and the Kona Electric, it offers more space, a better ride and a new powertrain than those rivals. What’s not to like?
Our mid-winter test drive was of the RS First Edition, which comes in front-wheel drive configuration.
Design of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS
The sleek design of the Equinox EV places it ahead of its ICE namesake, in our book. It leads up front with slim light signatures extending across the EV’s width, accentuating the vehicle's grounded and dynamic demeanour. LT and RS variants get light animation and an illuminated bar in the centre of the front end. The RS can be had with a two -tone finish with black roof and is decked with a few sportier elements, and rides on 21-inch wheels (standard models get 19-inch wheels by default).
Interior
The interior layout features a duo of screens including an 11-inch data cluster screen and a 17.7 multimedia/vehicle function display. Resolution is clear, menu navigation easy and user-friendly.
The RS trim features black-on-black interior and a flat-bottom steering wheel that you don’t get in the regular Equinox EV.
The seats are very comfortable, always a plus if you intend to adventure out on extended road trips in your EV. To that end, we noted impressive headroom in the second row; the impression of openness is only helped along by the flat rear floor the EV configuration allows.
Cargo space is a perfectly acceptable 748 litres with all seats in place, 1,620 with the rear seats folded down.
Technology
This version comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Super Cruise is available as an option, and among the included features we find a remoter starter, a number of USB ports throughout the cabin, ambient lighting and a healthy list of ADAS systems, including:
- - Enhanced auto emergency braking
- - Forward collision alert
- - Front pedestrian/bicyclist braking
- - Safety alert seat
- - Blind zone steering assist
- - Intersection auto emergency braking
- - HD surround vision
- - Enhanced auto parking assist
Powertrain of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS
The Equinox EV RS First Edition features a single-motor powertrain, which delivers 213 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. That’s quite a bit more modest than the RS’ dual-motor, all-wheel-drive (AWD) electric powertrain, with output given as 300 hp and 355 lb-ft of torque.
Range
Officially, range for the Equinox EV RS with its two-wheel drive configuration is 513 km. We did substantially less than that in our week of winter testing, to the tune of around 350 or so. As with all EVs, cold weather does damage to performance on that front.
With AWD, the Equinox EV delivers 459 km in optimal conditions.
Driving the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS FWD
In this configuration, the amount of power and torque available isn’t as abundant as with a two-motor configuration. There’s enough to give the Equinox EV proper get up and go, particularly off the line with all that torque available immediately, but if you’re looking to get from a stop to 100 km/h as quickly as possible, this is not the model for you. In return, you get better range.
Whichever version you choose, you get a quiet, smooth ride (even on the RS model’s 21-inch wheels) and a roomy interior, especially notable in the rear.
As it happened our mid-winter week was not particularly winter-like, at least in terms of precipitation. We noted no handicap from having a single motor controlling the front wheels only.
Here’s what we did note: despite the wide stance of the Equinox EV, it does not drive, manoeuvre or park like a “big” SUV. We found it quite nimble in operation in urban and suburban use. In other words, the RS FWD version might not have gargantuan power to offer you, it is surprisingly agile in feel.
Competitors of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV
- • Ford Mustang Mach-E
- • Hyundai Kona Electric / Ioniq 5
- • Kia EV6 / Niro EV
- • Nissan Ariya
- • Subaru Solterra
- • Tesla Model Y
- • Toyota bZ4X
- • Volkswagen ID.4
