[SIZE=3]Maximum Midsize[/SIZE]

By John DiPietro
Date posted: 07-20-2004
SOURCE: EDMUNDS.COM

After years of taking it on the chin from the imports in the slugfest known as the automotive marketplace, Chevrolet is finally getting in a few shots of its own. Its recently revamped Malibu may not be the most handsome sedan around, but it's hard to argue with its combination of performance, versatility and value. Now the company has turned its efforts toward the crossover SUV segment. The new Equinox offers the same core virtues as the Malibu but wrapped up in a more stylish package that we imagine most would be proud to show off to family and friends.

Based on the Saturn Vue platform, the Equinox offers a few advantages over its cousin that are immediately apparent — such as a roomier, classier cabin — as well as a few that may not be as obvious at first glance. Although some folks might assume that the Equinox competes against compact SUVs, such as the Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute twins and Honda CR-V, it's actually sized more like a midsize 'ute. With a generous 112.5-inch wheelbase and an overall length of 188.8 inches, it's virtually the same size as a Toyota 4Runner.


Take a gander at the Equinox's mug and there's no mistaking it for anything but a Chevy. Chevrolet has forged an identity for its trucks and SUV lines with those almost angry-looking headlights, split grille and big horizontal chrome band that bisects them. It works very well on the Equinox, as the proportions seem spot on. The rest of this SUV is attractive as well; a crouching stance and muscled-up wheel arches are complemented by the (optional) sharp alloy wheels that, unlike what we usually see on most Chevys, don't look like plastic wheel covers.

Auto journalists have been griping about Chevy's overly plastic interior décor for decades, and it seems that the company is finally getting the message. Unlike the Vue, the Equinox's cabin boasts an attractive look and feel, for the most part. Metallic accents that are all the rage these days are found on the doors and center stack and, along with soft-touch dash and door trim, give the Equinox's interior a quality look and feel. But although it is near the head of the class for 'utes at this price point, the Equinox still trails the class standard, the Kia Sorento, in this respect.

With firm cushioning and good back support, the front seats proved comfy on a few hours' drive. Still, we had a few complaints: Although we appreciate the lumbar support, the manual-adjustment knob (located in front of the seat) takes way too many turns to affect any change. Additionally, the bottom cushion could use some side bolstering for more support in the turns.

Plenty of legroom, reclining backrests and ideal under-thigh support make the rear seat easy to take should you not shout "shotgun" quick enough. Dubbed the Multi-Flex rear seat, it slides eight inches fore and aft — a great feature that had us thinking, "Why didn't anyone think of this before?" Either legroom or cargo capacity can be optimized by moving the seat up or back, depending on the inseam of those riding in back.

Getting into the spacious cabin is easy, thanks to a relatively low step-in height and large rear door openings that aid ingress and egress. Still, our shorter staffers thought it could've been even better, as they noted the lack of grab handles.

Available in two trim levels, base LS and luxurious LT, the Equinox can be had with either front- or all-wheel drive. Most folks would probably be happy with the LS, as it provides plenty of standard niceties such as power everything (except seat adjustments), a CD player, keyless entry and 16-inch wheels. Spring for the LT and antilock brakes (also standard on AWD LS models), upgraded cloth upholstery, deep-tinted glass, cruise control and alloy wheels are thrown into the mix. Pricing starts at $21,560 for the two-wheel-drive LS and goes to $24,900 for the AWD LT. Our tester, an AWD LT, was loaded up with options like leather seating, the OnStar system and XM radio, making the bottom line $27,875.


Regardless of trim level or drive configuration, there is just one powertrain offered in the Equinox — the workhorse "3400" V6 paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. Say what you will about "antiquated" pushrod design, this 3.4-liter V6 has plenty of punch and feels more robust than its relatively meager output rating of 185 horsepower might suggest. Yes, the Vue offers Honda's 3.5-liter, 250-horse V6, but the difference in performance between a V6 Vue and the Equinox is much less than you might think, considering the 65 hp and 32 lb-ft advantage that the Vue has. In fact, the hard numbers generated at our test track show the Equinox hitting 60 mph in 8.7 seconds compared to the Vue's 7.9 seconds. We're talking less than a second in that benchmark test. Both SUVs are rated to tow 3,500 pounds, but we'd recommend the Vue for that duty as its additional torque would probably minimize the loss of performance after a heavy trailer is hooked up.

Although the smooth and quick five-speed automatic gearbox can hardly be faulted, we were perplexed by the gear selector. It's pretty much standard fare if you just plunk it into drive, but look at the selector and you'll discover that it doesn't allow you to hold certain gears, such as third. Fortunately, that was a nonissue as the smart gearbox was never found out of step.

Scanning the spec sheet, you may notice that the Equinox is lacking disc brakes all 'round. With drums in back, we expected mediocre stopping performance. But like its acceleration, the Equinox's deceleration surprised us. At the track, our trio of panic stops from 60 mph produced excellent numbers — 123, 125 and 131 feet. Yes, there was some fade, but overall, the brakes turned in a top-notch performance and felt good doing it.

Tuned more for ride comfort than twisty road acrobatics, the Equinox's all-independent suspension should please most folks shopping this segment. Putting some serious miles on the Equinox is relaxing, as the suspension swallows up the bumps, and the lack of intrusive wind and road noise makes for a tranquil cabin. Running the Equinox through the curves reveals some, but not excessive or off-putting body roll. The electric power steering is the chief fun-sapping culprit, as it's too light and a little slow. Although we don't expect Corvette-like reflexes from an SUV, we do think that Chevrolet's engineers could beef up the steering feel and perhaps give it a slightly faster ratio.

At the end of the day, the Equinox scores high on most counts; it's peppy, rides nice and quiet, has a spacious cabin with a few trick features and is reasonably priced. So the handling may not paste a grin on an enthusiast's face. But really, do people buy SUVs so they can strafe apexes on canyon roads or do they want them for more practical reasons? If the answer is the latter, then Chevrolet should be happy with its latest creation.