CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2018 QUICK TAKES

TESTDRIVENOW OVERVIEW: CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2018 QUICK TAKES

Introducing Chevy’s all-new 2018 Equinox, a fresh and modern SUV sized and designed to meet the needs of the compact SUV customer.

Crossovers become more agile when they drop some weight.

For the redesigned 2018 Equinox, shedding nearly 400 pounds —approximately 10 percent of its mass — pays dividends in a nimbler, more responsive and more refined driving experience.

Combined with this weight loss, the all-new body was designed and optimized for top safety ratings.

An all-new, mass-efficient body structure is at the center of the Equinox’s trimmer curb weight and helps make the most of the available turbo engine options.

The 1.5L turbo engine offers a great balance of fuel efficiency and performance.

For those looking for more power, the 2.0L turbo engine offers 252 horsepower (188 kW) and can click off 0-to-60-mph sprints in an estimated 7.2 seconds. That’s the quickest among Equinox’s three engine choices.

The 1.5L turbo engine option is available as is a new 2.0L turbo engine option.

Fresh, new design

The new Equinox’s expressive exterior has a lean, muscular skin echoing the global Chevrolet design cues and sculpted shapes seen in the Volt, Malibu and Cruze.

Extensive aero development in the wind tunnel influenced the sleek shape.

It is a richer, more detailed design featuring chrome trim on all models and Malibu-inspired styling.

Projector-beam headlamps are standard, along with LED daytime running lamps.

At the rear, horizontal taillamps emphasize the Equinox’s wide stance, while uplevel models feature LED taillamps.

The interior takes advantage of the Equinox’s all-new architecture to offer a down-and-away instrument panel,

while a low windshield base provides a commanding outward view.

New elements such as available denim-style seat fabric blend high style with high durability, while a new “kneeling” rear seat enhances functionality.

With it, the bottom cushions tilt forward when the split-folding seatbacks are lowered, allowing a flat floor for easier loading.

Connectivity

The 2018 Equinox offers purposeful technology that helps keep passengers safe, comfortable and connected.

Chevrolet’s latest connectivity technologies are front and center, including 7- and 8-inch-diagonal MyLink infotainment systems designed to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,

as well as an available OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility is subject to their terms, privacy statements and data plan rates, as well as a compatible smartphone.)

Safety

The Equinox offers a comprehensive suite of available active safety technologies and adaptive crash-avoidance features that provide ease of use and peace of mind on the road.

Teen Driver is also offered, allowing parents to set controls and review an in-vehicle report card in order to encourage safer driving habits, even when they are not in the vehicle.

Available advanced active safety features to enhance driver awareness on the road include radar- and camera-based adaptive technologies that can provide alerts to potential crash threats, allowing the driver to react and make changes to avoid them, including:

• New Safety Alert Seat
• New Surround Vision
• New Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator
• New Low-Speed Forward Automatic Braking
• New Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• New Rear Seat Reminder
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert

Turbocharged engines and more 

A range of three turbocharged engines — including the compact SUV segment’s first turbo-diesel in North America — provides customers more choices when it comes to performance, efficiency and capability in the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.

They include a 1.5L turbo, a 2.0L turbo — matched with GM’s new nine-speed automatic transmission — and a 1.6L turbo-diesel.

“With three choices, customers can select an engine that offers more of the attributes that are important to them: efficiency, performance and capability,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, Global Propulsion Systems. “The advantage for each is the power of a larger engine and the efficiency of a smaller engine.”

The new Equinox is the first Chevrolet model in North America to use an all-turbocharged, multi-engine powertrain lineup. That includes the expected segment-exclusive 1.6L turbo-diesel that will offer customers excellent efficiency and capability.

Doing more with less

The lighter, stiffer and stronger structure pays off for customers in several areas:

• Safety — The strategic placement of high-strength and ultra-high strength steel in the body structure is the foundation of a robust “safety cage” surrounding passengers. It is complemented with the Equinox’s restraint systems and other standard and available safety features to manage energy in the event of a crash and help protect occupants.
• Ride and handling — Greatly reducing the need to account for chassis flex in the suspension system’s tuning, the stiffer body structure allowed engineers to focus more on ride comfort and fine-tune ride and handling attributes with greater precision. It also supports hard-mounting the front and rear suspension cradles at six points apiece on the body, further enhancing nimbleness and responsiveness.
• Quietness and refinement — A stiffer body structure is better at preventing noise and vibrations, for a quieter and smoother ride. By helping to block noise and vibration paths, fewer sound-absorbing and other dissipative materials are required, contributing to the Equinox’s overall weight loss.
• Fuel economy — Lower weight makes a difference in fuel economy, and the 2018 Equinox delivers EPA ratings of 32 mpg and 29 mpg highway, respectively, for the standard 1.5L turbo and 2.0L turbo gas engines (FWD models). The Equinox’s new 1.6L diesel model offers a GM-estimated 40 mpg highway fuel efficiency.

The 2018 Equinox’s body structure design was optimized with a mixed-material strategy for strength and low weight. More than 80 percent of the Equinox’s body structure is composed of high-grade steel materials, with high-strength steel comprising nearly 20 percent.

VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• Offered in L, LS, LT (1LT/1.5L, 2LT/2.0L and 3LT/diesel) and Premier (1LZ/1.5L, 2LZ/2.0L and 3LZ/diesel) trims, with AWD available
• Standard 1.5L turbo engine and available 2.0L turbo and 1.6L turbo-diesel – with new nine-speed automatic transmission paired with the 2.0L turbo
• Driver Shift Control is standard on all models
• Available switchable AWD system that enhances efficiency by disconnecting from the rear axle when not needed
• Standard projector-beam headlamps and LED daytime running lamps; HID headlamps on LT
• LED headlamps and taillamps standard on Premier
• Standard active aero shutters enhance fuel economy on the highway
• Power liftgate is available on LT; hands-free power liftgate is standard on Premier
• Range of 17-, 18- and 19-inch aluminum wheels
• Standard air conditioning. Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard on Premier and available on LT
• Auxiliary electric cabin heater is standard on 3LT and 3LZ models
• Standard active noise cancellation
• Heated steering wheel is available on Premier
• Leather-trimmed, ventilated front seats are available on 3LZ
• Heated front seats are standard on Premier and available on LT; heated outboard rear seats are available on Premier
• New “kneeling” rear seat features tilting bottom cushions that enable a flat load floor for easier loading
• Connectivity technologies include 7- and 8-inch-diagonal MyLink infotainment systems designed to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot
• Wireless charging is standard on Premier
• Teen Driver is standard, allowing parents to set controls and review their teen’s driving habits
• Power sunroof is available on LT and Premier

The mixed-material design strategy employed to make the 2018 Equinox more responsive, refined and efficient is used on all recently introduced Chevrolet cars and crossovers, from the Malibu and Bolt EV to the 2018 Traverse.

2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX STARTING BASE PRICE: $24,525

PRICE AND OPTIONS AS TESTED:  N/A