CAR REVIEW – 2015 Chevrolet Equinox SUV

We'd love it if you shared it!

I was provided with a week long test drive of the Chevrolet Equinox featured in this post. This post has not been monetarily compensated. Please note that, as always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are my own.

A few years back I had the opportunity to check out the Chevrolet Equinox. It turned out to be a great experience for me and I enjoyed the vehicle a lot, so I was happy to receive the opportunity to check out the new 2015 Chevrolet Equinox.

For those unfamiliar, the Chevrolet Equinox is a midsize SUV. The interior of the squarish and sturdy looking SUV seats five.

The 2015 Chevy Equinox is available in four trim levels. It comes standard with a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower. There’s also a 3.6-liter V6 with 301 horsepower engine available in the better packages. The LTZ model that I drove had this engine. I had no problem cruising along the highway at 70 miles per hour and found the ride to be pretty smooth at all speeds. The 6-speed automatic transmission shifted smoothly. I appreciated the numerous safety features of the vehicle, including traction control, electronic stability control, multiple airbags, lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert. The Equinox is quite fuel-efficient for an SUV, being rated for a fuel economy of 22 city and 32 highway.

Being 5’10” tall, I was pleased to find there was a nice amount of leg room and headroom. It’s never fun driving a vehicle feeling like you’re hunched over or having your head brushing the ceiling. The Equinox has memory drivers seat and mirrors, so that you don’t have to adjust your settings each time you get into the vehicle. The power drivers seat was quite comfortable, and could be heated or cooled. The thick controls on the steering wheel feel sturdy and move without effort.

The LTZ model that I drove also had OnStar and wifi. Many of the features of the vehicle could be controlled from either the steering wheel or the touchscreen of the 7-inch driver information center, which includes audio system, navigation system, built in bluetooth, mp3 playback and a rearvision camera. The MyLink system that powers this information center is fairly simple to use, which is great because it keeps the learning curve down to a minimum.

In-dash gauges contained a lot of information related to the vehicle, including tire pressure, oil life, and settings. I really liked that I could choose what information I wanted to see in the in-dash gauge.

I did have one small issue with the way the steering wheel is set up. You can make it go up and down, and also in and out. But getting the exact right mixture of both was not possible for me. When I had the wheel where I was most comfortable a portion of the dash gauges were partially obstructed. I have run into this on a couple of other cars as well so it’s more of an issue finding my ideal comfort spot considering height and leg length.

Have you ever not noticed the low fuel light in your car? It happens, in some cars it doesn’t glare you in the face, it’s tucked away in a corner or somewhere that you might not notice as quickly as you’d like. I loved that the low fuel message in the Equinox came right through the driver information center, which also offered information on nearby service stations.

One of my favorite features about the vehicle is that the interior is spacious, so your seating for five is actually seating for five instead of seating for four with a fifth person straddling two laps. The back seat contains a rear-seat entertainment package with dual screens and two wireless headphones to keep passengers occupied. The screens are built into the back of the front seats, which means there’s no need to figure out how or where to connect like the portable dvd players of old.

The rear seat is a 60/40 bench that allows either side or both sides of the seat to fold down flat. This offers great flexibility for travel and shopping and moving things. With 39.9 inches of legroom in the rear seat, the Equinox can hold adults without making them feel like they are squashed inside a tuna can. The rear seat can be left in its forward position in order to provide greater cargo space. Or, the seat can be moved back by sliding it, which provides a little more legroom.

The power liftgate is very convenient, giving the driver the ability to raise or lower the tailgate with just one finger. The model I drove comes with an adjustable height setting to accommodate different size roofs and clearances. There are lots of storage compartments and drink holders in the Equinox, including those in the back. The rear storage compartment has a cargo over to keep your belongings private from passersby.

Chevrolet Equinox pricing starts with an MSRP of about $25,000, and pricing varies depending on which model you choose.

CONNECT

Chevrolet Equinox website – Chevrolet on Facebook – Chevrolet on Twitter