The Chevrolet Equinox hasn’t always been the star of GM’s bowtie lineup. It will never turn as many heads as the Corvette, but sometimes middle-of-the-road wins the race. For Chevy, the Equinox is definitely the horse to bet on. It’s safe, reliable, moderately priced, and still has enough bells and whistles to get the job done.
Still not sure about the Equinox? Let us help clear your mind. Chevy has introduced some excellent updates when it comes to this model. We’ve gathered all the information you’ll need to know before you sit down with a salesperson. A well-informed buyer is someone who often gets a better deal. So read on to get all the details about Chevy’s star crossover.
Performance
There are two engine options available on the 2020 Equinox. The first option is a smaller 1.5-liter turbo inline-four-cylinder, capable of 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Add another half a liter and you’ll get 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. This 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder is paired to a nine-speed automatic, however. The 2020 Equinox can be had as either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. When properly equipped, will tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Available Colors
Chevrolet offers the following color options on the 2020 Equinox.
- Cajun Red Tintcoat
- Iridescent Pearl Tricoat
- Pacific Blue Metallic
- Nightfall Gray Metallic
- Silver Ice Metallic
- Chocolate Metallic
- Summit White
- Mosaic Black Metallic
- Cayenne Orange Metallic
- Midnight Blue Metallic
Available Trimlines and Prices
Now that you’ve chosen the perfect color, let’s delve deeper into the trim levels. For 2020, Chevy equips the Equinox in four different trim levels. Beyond that, there are additional packages available as well.
The L Trim
Choose the base L model if you’re satisfied with the 1.5-liter powerplant — and either a white or silver Equinox. The full range of colors aren’t available here. Starting around $23,800, the base trim is standard front-wheel drive only. The all-wheel version will require more money, unfortunately. Push-button start, keyless entry, a seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and the Teen Driver system are standard equipment though. Edmunds reports that the L trim is only available special order, however.
The LS Trim
Up the ante with the LS model. It features more available paint colors and the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive. A power driver’s seat, 19-inch wheels, and privacy rear glass sum up the notable features this basically-basic trim level offers. It starts at $26,300.
The LT Trim
If you’re looking for a bit more from your new Equinox, then the LT model is for you. Equipped with satellite radio, remote start, an eight-inch touchscreen, navigation, and heated front seats, the LT model starts around $27,500. A power liftgate adds value to this trim level as well. The LT is only $1,200 more than the LS, and worth the extra money in our opinion.
The Premier Trim
Premier models feature top-of-the-line add-ons. You’ll get snazzy features like wireless device charging, heated front seats, a hands-free liftgate, leather seating, and dual-zone climate control. Additionally, you can upgrade to the seven-speaker Bose sound system. For about $1,700 more than the mid-$31,000 starting price, you’ll enjoy options like a powered passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats with heated rear seats, adaptive cruise, and a surround-view parking camera system.
Additional Features
As far as additional packages goes, there are two available for the 2020 Equinox. The first is called Midnight Edition. It features exactly what it sounds like. There are blackout trim pieces, 19-inch black wheels, and black leather seating. Though you can only get the Midnight Edition on the LT model, the Premier model allows you to add on the Redline Edition. This higher-priced package includes black wheels, like the Midnight Edition, but with red accent marks. The grille, mirror caps, trim, and badging are all black with a red outline as well.
Safety
Standard safety equipment on the 2020 Equinox includes lane departure warning, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, a rearview camera, lane keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking. That’s a pretty generous haul. However, you’ll have to pay it forward for higher-level driver aids such as blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, and rear cross traffic alert. You also have the option to choose a safety alert seat. It “provides you with the option of receiving seat-bottom vibration pulses instead of audible beeps for crash-avoidance alerts.”
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had good things to say about the 2020 Chevy Equinox. In fact, the IIHS awarded the bowtie SUV a “Good” rating in all categories. The NHTSA followed suit, with five out of five stars awarded for the Overall Safety Rating, as well as the Overall Front Star, Front Driver Side, and Front Passenger Side Ratings. Suffice it to say the 2020 Equinox is one of the safer vehicles you could choose.
Fuel Efficiency
Kelley Blue Book (KBB) reports the Equinox “comes up a bit short” when it comes to fuel efficiency ratings. The smaller of the two available engines maintains 26 city and 31 highway EPA-estimated miles-per-gallon (MPG) when driving only the front wheels. Adding all-wheel drive removes an MPG from each rating.
In the larger engine, those numbers fall even lower. Front-wheel drive models equipped with the 2.0-liter motor will see 22 city and 29 highway MPG, while all-wheel drive models only lose an MPG in the highway rating. They won’t sit at the top of their class with those numbers. However, they aren’t languishing near the bottom of it either.
Competitors
The website GMAuthority.com put together a list of the crossover utility vehicles, or CUVs, that the 2020 Equinox competes with. Contenders include the Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, VW Tiguan, Kia Sportage, Subaru Forester, and Mazda CX-5, to name a few. When it comes to distinguishing between the many two-row (and even three-row SUVs) on the market, it’s best to prioritize what you’re looking for first and then start comparing.
For example, if fuel efficiency is near the top of your list, you’ll want to compare the numbers we mentioned above with the rest of the pack. Kelley Blue Book (KBB) reports that the 2020 Equinox “comes up a bit short” when compared to the Honda CR-V. However, U.S. News says otherwise in their review, stating the Equinox “trails some competitors when it comes to areas like interior quality and cargo space, but it offers stellar fuel economy, capable handling, and easy-to-use tech features.” Chevrolet discontinued the diesel engine option for 2020, which could be the reason for a sharper focus on those fuel efficiency numbers.
When it comes to picking trims and available options, however, the 2020 Equinox LT model received rave ratings from the majority of reviewers. Edmunds called it “the way to go.” CarAndDriver echoed that, saying “we’d still recommend the mid-level LT.”
Though the 2020 Equinox does sit a bit higher than most at the mid-level in terms of pricing, it’s still in reasonable territory given it’s not considered a luxury SUV. In many ways, the Equinox has much to offer anyone is looking for a well-rounded SUV. All the same, for those looking to have more than a jack-of-all-trades vehicle, the 2020 Equinox may not be quite enough.
The Last Word
This five-seater SUV from Chevy “received the lowest rate of reported problems among compact SUVs in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Initial Quality.” Chevrolet equips the new Equinox with a variety of safety equipment and standard accessories that make it a hard deal to pass up. We don’t expect you to just take our word for it, though. Visit your local Chevrolet dealership today. Take an Equinox for a test drive and decide for yourself.
Source: Chevrolet.com
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