2010 Chevy Equinox

A Redesigned Crossover with Excellent Mileage

For 2010 Chevrolet has redesigned its Equinox, a five-seat crossover that shares many components with the Saturn Vue. Overall, the new Equinox is slightly shorter and wider. It gets a new direct-injection four-cylinder engine and an excellent 30 mpg highway.  There is also a V6 available, and either front or all wheel drive. The biggest benefits of the 2010 Equinox are its car-like mileage with the four-cylinder, its many upscale options, its scratch-resistant cargo opening, and its abundance of storage areas in the cabin.  The Equinox does have a wide turning circle, a sizeable blindspot, and a dashboard that does not quite keep on par with the rest of the interior. Equinox competitors include the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape. This Chevy model will have a starting MSRP of $22,440 - $29,795.  The nearly all-new Equinox is much improved from its rookie year of production. In spite of its added content and superior powerplants, Chevrolet has dropped the price on the Equinox by more than a grand on all trim levels.

Equinox Power

For the first time, the Equinox is offered with a four-cylinder engine. In spite of developing just three fewer hp than the previous model's 3.4-liter V-6 (182 versus 185), the direct-injected, 2.4-liter four achieves a remarkable 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway when driving only the front wheels and 20/29 with all-wheel drive. An available 264-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 is the more powerful alternative to the V4.  Fuel economy with that engine drops to a less remarkable but still respectable 18/25 mpg (17/24 for AWD). When properly equipped, maximum towing capacity with the V-6 is 3,500 pounds; with the four-cylinder it drops to 1,500 pounds. Both figures are competitive with four- and six-cylinder competitors.

2010 Equinox Design

The 2010 Equinox is sleek and rather large for its class. It's expressively styled, with a hunkered-down road stance. The horizontally split grille emulates that of the Chevy Malibu sedan and Traverse crossover.  In back, the tail doesn't look much different than that of the Pontiac Torrent crossover. A power liftgate, something not usually available in this segment, is optional. Fat fender flares break up the tall body sides, and blackout D-pillars visually shorten what is ultimately a long vehicle by wrapping the upper rear end in what looks like one piece of glass. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard on four-cylinder models, while 18-inchers pair with the V-6. Nineteen-inch wheels are optional, but they extend the Equinox's already-wide 40-foot turning radius to an enormous 42.6 feet.

Driving the Equinox

Both engines of the 2010 Chevy Equinox feature direct injection and are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions with manumatic shifting (still a novelty in this class). To actuate the manual mode, one must slip the gear selector down to "M" and then use the thumb rocker on the side of the shift lever to execute up- and downshifts; there are no steering-wheel controls or separate gates to work with. This manual-shifting capability is geared more to those who tow than to gear-rowing enthusiasts. Response is crisper and quicker when the gearbox was simply left in drive, anyway.  The Equinox is impressively calm and vibration-free inside, the result of a rigid structure, soft bushings, and compliant suspenders. With the V4 Equinox getting a claimed 0-to-60 time of a leisurely 8.7 seconds, according to GM, it isn't all that much slower than the V-6, which GM puts at a mediocre 7.8 seconds.

Inside the 2010 Equinox

 Inside the Equinox, there are many options available to create an upscale feel. The 2010 cabin got an update along with the exterior renewal.  GM's radio has been redesigned; it has a shapelier faceplate, but the automaker says its functionality remains unchanged. Uplevel stereos can store audio selections on an internal hard drive. The Equinox's dashboard is easily the most futuristic and detailed in its class, the dash and the door panels are rendered in a variety of silver, gray, and chrome materials. They're mostly rigid except for the main touch points, and the center-stack button arrangement takes some learning.  The elbow-deep center console is equipped with a power port, USB and aux jacks. The front bucket seats are far more comfortable and supportive than the seats in the previous Equinox, and the wide rear seat (it slides up to eight inches fore-and-aft) is no longer uncomfortably flat. Well-optioned trims have heated seats, automatic climate control, a navigation system and a power driver's seat with memory settings. A backup camera can come with the navigation system or as a stand-alone option, and the display sits in the rearview mirror. Chevrolet says the Equinox's deep center console can fit a laptop or small handbag. Cargo volume behind the second row totals 31.4 cubic feet. With the seats folded, maximum volume is 63.7 cubic feet, slightly less than the Escape but nearly 10 cubic feet short of the other two.

Summary

The Chevy Equinox is much improved for the 2010 model year.  It gets a more comfortable cabin, a new look, and an extra fuel efficient powertrain.  Fully equipped with stuff like a sunroof, a tow package, OnStar-enhanced navigation, a 40-gig entertainment system, and slick independent DVD screens that flip up from the front seatbacks, it is possible to stack the Equinox past the $37,000 mark. Many of its competitors are cheaper-some by a little, some by a lot-but none conveys the quiet and refinement of the Equinox. The Equinox may be relatively bland to drive, but this new Equinox is good enough at crossover-y tasks (like family hauling, cargo carrying, and commuting) to be a serious competition in its class. Visit the 2010 Equinox official site for more details.