The fighting for supremacy and market share in the compact SUV segment is fiercer than ever, to say the least. With rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V to contend with, the Chevrolet Equinox is getting for 2021 a new RS variant to offer consumers a little something new.
In fact, the Chevy Equinox will sport a new face for 2021, all as part of a mid-life refresh. The model made its debut today at the Chicago Auto Show, and the premiere revealed a visual nod to the larger Blazer model with the refreshed design.
The most obvious changes are the new front and rear bumpers, as well as a new front grille that comes in multiple iterations. And like the Blazer, the Chevrolet Equinox also now benefits from a new RS variant. In addition, the active safety features that it had on option until last year are now standard on a wider range of trims, while others have been added to the product offering.
The appearance
The new grille is larger and sportier than the previous one and looks different depending on the trim level; the grille on the RS variant is black with satin gray accents. The RS model also has a black Chevrolet logo, and that black is repeated on the badges, roof rails, 19-inch wheels, leather seats (with red stitching) and the gearshift knob, which is unique to the RS variant.
The top-of-the-line Premier model benefits from by a black grille with chrome accents and features new LED headlights and lights, new 19-inch wheels and a high-gloss black finish for the centre console.
The mechanics
The Equinox range thus now consists of the L, LS, LT, RS and Premier versions. Buyers can choose between a 1.5L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo that works in concert with a 9-speed automatic transmission. Chevrolet didn't mention anything today about performance of these engines, which we take to mean that they will continue to deliver 170 and 252 hp, respectively. Front-wheel drive remains the base configuration, but all-wheel drive is available.
Standard
Chevrolet is also revised for the better the list of included safety equipment. Active directional control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, as well as automatic low beam are standard. To that, Chevrolet has added a tracking distance indicator and lane departure warning as standard equipment this year.
Optional
Available add-ons include adaptive cruise control, a camera surveillance system, rear parking assist, blind spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, and a seat vibration alert that makes the seat vibrate to the side of a potential hazard. An automatic parking function and front parking aid are also added to the list of options.
The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox and its new RS variant will go on sale later this year.
