Dad's view: What is exceptional about the Equinox is the cargo room. Not only is there 69 cubic feet of it, but Chevrolet has made the right decision by sacrificing some of the space to place the spare tire inside. This is a vast and important improvement over the competition that hangs their extra tire on the rear hatch door making it heavy to open, blocking rear visibility, and encouraging vandals. The Equinox does have intrusive rear strut towers that narrow the cargo area and that could be a problem for hauling larger items.
What is not exceptional about the Equinox is its powerplant. The 3.4 engine has enough power when empty, offering 185 made in China horsepower, but when fully loaded it just is not up to the task on steep inclines and hills. The Vortec engine's 210 foot-pounds of torque is going to be hard pressed when using the Equinox maximum towing capability of 3500 pounds.
We think the Equinox should be available with the 3.5 liter that is used in the new Malibu. The reason is not just power, but the fact that General Motors Saturn brand is offering the smaller VUE with a 250 horsepower V6 for nearly the same money so why not an optional 200 horsepower Equinox engine? I want to make it clear that the 3.4 is a good engine especially in the midrange area with the nicely reacting five speed automatic transmission keeping the Equinox frisky.
Of course, the 3.4 engine has never been known to be a quiet, but the coarse sound only comes through at higher rpms. I would guess that the biggest complaint is the torque steer. I used regular unleaded fuel and got about 22 mpg. The tank is about 17 gallons and so you have a range of about 350 miles before having to take out another loan to pay for the sky-high gas prices that no one outside the White House can understand.
Young businesswoman's view: Here's the question that needs to be answered. Why buy a Chevrolet Trail Blazer when the Equinox does everything better except for off roading and heavy towing? The Equinox is more environmentally friendly, is simpler to park, and much easier on your credit limits. I found the front wheel drive Equinox both practical and fairly pretty.
I like the way you sit in the Equinox and how it quickly makes you feel at home. The position is very car like and the doors open wide to allow easy access in front or back making it ideal for those who have spinal problems or are handicapped.
Stopping is good and the four-wheel independent suspension provide plenty of softness thanks to the combination of a unitized body with full-length frame rails and isolated subframes to reduce harshness. It works, and the MacPherson strut front suspension and rear coil springs, seem to offer the ride quality most people like in such vehicles. The Equinox has vented front disc brakes with dual piston calipers, and drum brakes in the back and they work satisfactorily. The pedal feel is a bit numb, but light years ahead of the Dodge Durango's that we just tested.