Chevy Says Equinox Will be the New Benchmark for Compact SUVs
Chevy is upping the ante in the compact SUV segment with its all-new 2005 Equinox, and it looks to be a strong player. The Equinox will replace the Suzuki Grand Vitara cloned Tracker.
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| Replacing the tired and dated Tracker, Chevy has high expectations for the new Equinox crossover SUV. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
"With the recent rebirth at Chevrolet, and its first crossover SUV, the Equinox is symbolic of good things that are happening at Chevrolet, stated Michael Grimaldi, President, General Motors of Canada. "This new Equinox is going to hit a real sweet spot in the Canadian market with the right fit, the right form, the right functions, and the right price."
With the first examples recently rolling off of the CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, it shouldn't be too long before the new model arrives at dealerships across the country.
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| To grab a bigger piece of the compact SUV pie, GM is striving to set benchmarks in quality and innovation with the Equinox. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
And it couldn't happen soon enough. The Tracker has been long needing a replacement, with competitors from Ford, Honda, Jeep, Mazda, Suzuki, Toyota, and recently Mitsubishi, all competing for the same customer. The compact SUV market is heating up even further in Canada with upcoming models from Nissan and Hyundai as well.
No doubt the Equinox will need to be good to get its share of the pie. That said if it lives up to GM's claims, of "benchmarks in quality and innovation for the compact SUV segment" then it should experience strong sales.