WASHINGTON — Chevrolet’s small sport-utility vehicle has been good for sales;
it’s always in the top three in a very competitive small SUV/crossover segment,
where sales are booming.
That says a lot for the Equinox, an older model with a mostly
redesigned competition.
Size matters in the small-crossover market. The Equinox is on the larger side
for the segment, as are the other top-selling crossovers.
The design really maximizes the space inside, and you don’t feel like you’re
driving something too large for the road. The standard heated and power leather
seats are comfortable, and there’s room in the back for three adults.
The rear seats can slide and tilt for more comfort. You can also fold the seats
down and have a good deal of space for hauling bigger items through the power
rear hatch.
But some of the materials used on the dash and doors are older-model hard
plastics, compared with the nicer materials on the newly redesigned GM products. I
hope there’s a refresh soon. The cabin is quiet even on the highway at higher
speeds.
For 2015, the Equinox soldiers on mostly the same as it did last year with two
new paint colors outside: Blue Velvet and Sea Grass Metallic. Here’s the
real change, though: For years, GM has equipped its vehicles with OnStar to unlock
your
car, run a test, or get help in an emergency.
But now, there’s a standard 4G LTE with a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot so you can now
connect your laptop, tablet or any other device. I used the Wi-Fi hotspot to do
some work while in bad traffic.
I pulled into a parking lot to update a commercial and the speed of the
connection was very good. I was able to edit and update the commercial in
minutes.
Without it, I never would’ve made it to work in time to fix the issue. The first
three months and 3GB of data are free; after that, you have to purchase a data
plan.
It’s good to drive the fully loaded $38,000 top of the line Equinox LTZ. Still,
it would’ve been better if the optional 301-horsepower V6 was in my test
vehicle. I prefer more power; the base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine is fine
for most, I suppose.
When I had four people and a few items stuffed in the rear cargo area, I found
the acceleration lacking while merging into traffic. The 4-cylinder engine
matched with a fine 6-speed automatic does help with fuel economy.
I managed 23.6 mpg in a mix of mostly city and a little highway
driving with 29 mpg on that short 20-mile highway stint.
Those numbers are higher than the V6, which is rated at 24 mpg on
the highway and 17 mpg in the city. I’d still choose the V6, which allows you to
tow 3,500 pounds.
The Chevrolet Equinox is still a solid choice in the small crossover market with
its good size and roomy interior, and it checks many of the boxes a buyer wants.
The addition of a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot makes the Equinox that much more
attractive to
those who put a premium on the convenience of being more easily connected to
work or streaming entertainment from your vehicle.
Mike Parris is a member of the Washington Automotive Press Association. The
vehicles are provided by STI ,FMI or Event solutions for the purpose of this
review.
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