2022 Chevrolet Equinox: Fresh-Faced But Not Ready For Center Stage

Competing in one of the most popular segments in the USA, the 2022 Chevy Equinox will have to put up one heck of a fight to stand out. Luckily, it has just received a refresh for the new model year to give it a bit of an edge. Unfortunately, the updates did not include the return of the 2.0-liter four-pot, so the compact crossover is left with the weaker, albeit more economical, 1.5-liter turbo that didn't do much to help its case last year. This means that it has access to a mere 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. The rest of the changes are mostly cosmetic, though that isn't a bad thing, as one of the biggest black marks against the previous model was its lackluster interior. Considering how its chief competitors - the Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5, and Kia Sorento - are upping their game, does the new Chevy Equinox bring enough to the table to win over its US consumers, even with a home-field advantage?

Most reviews of the Chevrolet Equinox have ridiculed its non-descript design, and the recent refresh hasn't done as much to change this as you may think. The new front fascia is sleek and the LED headlights slim. LED daytime running lights are now standard on the LT. The grille is a bit more chic than before, especially on the RS and Premier, with the latter adding chrome inserts to set itself apart from the humdrum models. As standard, 17-inch wheels are housed inside the broad arches, increasing to 18 inches on the Premier, while the more boldly styled RS gets 19-inch wheels. Even with the updated rear fascia, the rest of the Equinox SUV is rather plain-looking. If you liked the Midnight Edition package's appearance from last year, then you'll favor the RS, which gets all the same black trimmings. This option is no longer available on other trims.

The dimensions of the Chevrolet Equinox are the same across the range. The overall length is 183.1 inches, with a 107.3-inch wheelbase, and height stands at 65.4 inches. The width without the mirrors measures 72.6 inches. Not to be confused with an actual off-road SUV, the Chevy only has 7.6 inches of ground clearance on some trims, though opting for AWD increases this to as much as eight inches. This does help with ingress and egress, though. Weight varies from 3,274 pounds on the base LS to 3,512 lbs on the Premier with AWD.

A review of the Chevy Equinox color palette shows a total selection of eight paints. The entry-spec LS has the fewest options, with only Silver Ice Metallic, Summit White, Mosaic Black Metallic, Blue Glow Metallic, and Iron Gray on offer. Fortunately, none of these colors will add anything to your bill. Front the LT upwards, Seaglass Blue Metallic is added as a no-cost choice, as well as Cherry Red Tintcoat and Iridescent Pearl Tricoat, for $495 and $995, respectively.

With only one engine available, even after the refresh, there isn't much to talk about when it comes to the Equinox's performance. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder favors efficiency above all else, but this is what buyers seem to care about most, anyway.

The Chevy is somewhat cumbersome, but 170 hp and 203 lb-ft is adequate for day-to-day needs. You won't get up to the Chevy's top speed quickly, as it takes over 8.5 seconds just to go from 0 to 60 mph according to independent tests, and power tapers off from there. The available all-wheel drivetrain doesn't offer much improvement on these times due to the added weight. Towing capacity for the Equinox is limited to 1,500 lbs.

All four Chevy Equinox models share the same 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4, which develops 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. These middling outputs are regulated by a six-speed automatic transmission and directed to the front wheels as standard. The optional all-wheel drivetrain can be specced onto even the base model. This adds to the crossover's already high weight, only making the engine feel more out of breath lugging it around.

The transmission isn't particularly impressive either, especially for a vehicle that's chasing good gas mileage numbers. More gear ratios would have helped it to maintain the optimal power band and provide better low-down torque for town driving. After all, that is where the Chevrolet is going to spend all its time.

You wouldn't be blamed for expecting rather lame driving from the Equinox, considering the feeble outputs of its four-pot powertrain. However, you'd be wrong. It handles remarkably well for its size, which just makes the lake of power all the more depressing. At lower speeds, where you're likely to spend most of your time, steering is light and responsive. This makes the compact crossover easy to maneuver in traffic or around busy parking lots.

If you have the patience to sit on the accelerator until you get up to a decent speed, this changes. The steering gains a bit of heft and feedback improves. If there was the ability to get a boost of power at these speeds when tackling curves and bends, it would actually be rather fun. The brakes are also up to the task, with a good pedal feel and a lot of stopping power.

Overall, ride comfort is impressive. The heavy weight of the Chevy almost seems to smooth over any bumps it encounters. The larger wheels of the Premier and especially the RS negatively impact this. Similarly, road and wind noise are not as well dampened as they could be.

The Equinox's engine doesn't provide much performance and, sadly, it isn't a class-leader in the gas mileage stakes either. Competition is stiff, so getting the most out of your tank is important, especially when you're spending all day shuttling the family around. The Chevy is available in two configurations, and neither are particularly frugal. The FWD models return 26/31/28 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles. This drops by 1 mpg across the board when you opt for the AWD. This may seem good if it weren't for the comparison with rivals. The Mazda CX-5 has a much more potent engine and can go toe to toe with the Equinox, while the Honda CR-V gets up to 30 mpg combined. The FWD Chevy has a 14.9-gallon tank and the AWD gets a 15.6-gallon one. This means it can travel for up to 417 miles or 421 miles depending on setup.

The inside of the cabin got a lot of attention this year, with Chevrolet trying to improve on one of its greatest weaknesses. The materials got better across the board, but the Premier is definitely the classiest model. There are also more standard features, such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The high number of advanced safety features is great, too, and the infotainment is comprehensive, if not overly easy to use at first. Many of the eastern brands like Toyota and Mazda are starting to lean more heavily into using premium materials and sprucing up their interiors; the American brand still has not reached this point, even though an Equinox will cost you more.

Cabin space in the compact SUV segment is an interesting give and take of acknowledging there's only space to seat five, but trying to keep those passengers comfortable. The Equinox does this job admirably, and while the middle rear seat gets tight for three adults, you could seat three kids in the back without trouble. Head and legroom is ample all around, and comfort levels are great no matter where you are.

Only the base LS forces you to adjust your front seats manually, while the rest of the lineup gets a power-adjustable driver's seat. As for visibility, the only place a driver might struggle to see is out the back, where thick rear pillars create unpleasant blind spots.

While the quality of materials and trims have improved across the board, the choice of colors hasn't. The base LS is only available with Medium Ash Gray premium cloth. The LT adds Jet Black as an additional color option but keeps fabric upholstery as standard. The RS is all about black, so it only allows you to choose the Jet Black premium cloth as a standard option, but you can pay $3,125 to upgrade to the Jet Black perforated leather, which adds advanced safety features and infotainment upgrades as part of the deal for the price. The top-of-the-range Premier has perforated leather right from the get-go, also in Jet Black, but you can choose to throw in some Maple Sugar along with the Jet Black if you want a splash of color. It's worth noting that the RS also gets some racier red stitching on the upholstery and a specific shift knob, while the Premier boasts a specific interior trim finish with French stitching.

When it comes to practicality, the Chevrolet Equinox is hard to fault. With all the seats filled with bottoms, you still have 29.9 cubic feet of space left in the trunk for groceries, kids' school bags, dad's golf clubs, and mom's yoga mat. True, the Mazda CX-5 has this beat by a full cube and the Honda CR-V embarrasses both with its 39.2 cubic feet, but you really shouldn't need more space for most daily problems. In a pinch, you can fold down the rear seats in the Chevy to free up a total of 63.9 cubic feet of cargo room.

Around the cabin, you get all the essential small-item storage solutions. This includes a couple of bins in the console, a center armrest cubby, a glove box, and four door pockets. There are enough cupholders for every passenger, too.

Now that the LS is the entry-level model, you get a few more standard features than you did last year. Highlights include a 3.5-inch driver info display, four-way manually adjustable front seats, cruise control, keyless entry and start, and single-zone manual climate control. The safety suite is where the real value lies; it includes forward collision warning with front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, a rearview camera, and teen driver system. Once you upgrade to the LT, you get an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat and a larger 4.2-inch driver info display. The RS may seem like a mostly cosmetic upgrade, but it adds a whole lot of extra safety features. These include front and rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change alert, and blind-spot alert. It also installs a remote start function, while upgrading the single-zone climate control system to a dual-zone one. Lastly, it adds a power programmable liftgate. The range-topping Premier adds a 120-volt power outlet to the already available 12-volt one, front USB data ports, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and memory functions for the new driver's safety alert seat. Although heated seats are available for the Equinox, some vehicles built after November 15, 2021, will not have this feature, presumably due to a supply issue.

The first three trims come standard fit with the smaller seven-inch infotainment display. Enabled functions include Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and voice commands. Chevrolet has upgraded to wireless smartphone integration, at least. The Premier upgrades to a larger eight-inch HD screen and also comes with USB data ports. You can create a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, regardless of trim level, and a six-speaker sound system is standard across the range. However, the upper-tier RS and Premier can upgrade to a seven-speaker Bose audio setup. Navigation is an optional extra on all trims besides the base LS.

The American automaker has been improving its reliability rating over the last few years, and the Equinox is a great example of this. It scored an impressive 81 out of 100 overall from J.D. Power, with only the driving experience and resale value bringing down the average. The overall quality and reliability ratings of the Chevy Equinox stand at 85 out of 100.

So far, the 2022 Equinox has only been subject to a single recall. The reason for this was tire tread separation, which could cause handling problems and increase the risk of a crash. This is a carry-over issue from the 2021 model, though it seems the problem with incorrect bolts used to attach seat belts from the same year has been resolved. Every new purchase is covered by a bumper-to-bumper warranty for three years/36,000 miles, and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain/drivetrain warranty. You also get roadside assistance for the same period as the powertrain warranty, as well as a single free scheduled maintenance visit within the first year.

The latest iteration of the Chevy compact SUV boasts the same impressive safety ratings as it has in the past. The NHTSA review of the Chevy Equinox returned an overall score of five out of five stars. The only category that had a less than perfect testing result was rollover resistance. This is a common area for concern with the high-riding crossover SUVs, but four out of five stars should put most buyers at ease. Over at the IIHS, the 2022 Equinox achieved Good crashworthiness scores in every test besides the side test, where it attained a Marginal result following a retest.

Every Equinox comes with a wide array of safety systems, an offering that only gets better as you move up the trim levels. Standard passive features include six airbags, ABS, and stability and traction control. The base safety suite comprises a rearview camera, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian braking, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, and a teen driver system. The RS and Premier add front and rear park assist, blind-spot assist, lane change alert, and rear cross-traffic alert, but the latter takes it a step further with an HD rearview camera and a safety alert seat. An HD surround-view camera system is available on most models, as is adaptive cruise control.

If you're not looking to make a splash or turn any heads, the Equinox is a perfectly suitable choice when it comes to a compact family SUV. It's certainly a safe one, with mostly good ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, and loads of safety features even on the cheaper base models. The creature comforts are a bit limited, though, unless you're willing to spend more on one of the upper trims.

Passenger space is ample, both up front and in the back, but the cargo area could be larger, with some rivals offering quite a bit more room. And, while Chevrolet has done a good job of improving the overall quality of its vehicle, the Equinox is still not a very premium feeling car, especially considering it still costs more than the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. The latter feels more refined by far. We can't fault the Chevy for its good comfort levels, though.

What we can complain about is the tired 1.5-liter engine. Yes, the automaker dropped the larger 2.0L option from the lineup because not many people were buying it, but having the choice was always nice. The smaller-capacity unit will never endow the compact SUV with any level of driving prowess, which is a shame because it has the potential to be a fun car. This list of hit-and-miss qualities is what condemns the Chevrolet Equinox to being a middling vehicle. It's not bad, definitely, but it's not great, either. Still, you probably won't regret buying one, though you may get the occasional pang of FOMO when you see someone dashing around in a CX-5 or packing half their household belongings into the back of a CR-V.

Considering its size, the Equinox is a relatively affordable crossover. The base price of the entry-spec LS is just $25,800, while the LT adds $1,100 to the bill. The RS and Premier see a significant hike in price, though, and will cost you $30,100 and $31,000, respectively. Upgrading from FWD to AWD adds an extra $1,600 on each vehicle. These are MSRP prices from Chevrolet and do not include the $1,195 destination charge or any possible discounts or incentives.

Despite the L being dropped from the range, there are still four models to choose from. The new base is the LS. The LT and Premier remain, too, while the new RS slots in-between the two. A 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine can be found under the hood of each, churning out 170 hp and 203 lb-ft, which is sent to your choice of front- or all-wheel drivetrain via a six-speed automatic transmission.

The base model rides on 17-inch alloys and comes equipped with LED headlights. The cabin is outfitted with a 3.5-inch driver-information display, a seven-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, keyless entry and start, and manual air conditioning. The safety suite comprises a rearview camera, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, and a teen driver system.

The LT upgrades the driver's seat to an eight-way power-adjustable one, and increases the size of the driver-information display to 4.2 inches. It also gets an overhead sunglasses holder, body-color mirror caps, LED daytime running lamps, and access to a wider array of options.

New for this year, the RS is a largely cosmetic upgrade, with huge 19-inch wheels, black exterior trimming, black interior upholstery with red contrast stitching, and a few other bold elements. However, it does add a lot to the features list too, such as dual-zone climate control, and a bunch of additional safety systems. These include blind-spot monitoring, front and rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change alert.

The range-topper is the Premier, which rides on 18-inch alloys and adds fog lamps, and a hands-free gesture liftgate. Inside, it gets the eight-inch HD infotainment screen, standard leather upholstery, USB data ports, a safety alert seat, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

While Chevrolet may offer four comprehensive models, it also allows you customize your purchase in a number of ways. The base LS can add the Convenience Package for $785, which gives it an eight-way power driver's seat and the larger driver information display. Similarly, the Driver Confidence II Package endows it with rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane change alert, and blind-spot monitoring, all for $395.

LT trims get access to the Confidence and Convenience Package, a $1,795 option that adds remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats (if available), a leather steering wheel, and the safety systems from the LS Driver II Confidence Package. Both the LT and RS can add the Advanced Safety Package for $650, which comprises heated outside mirrors, adaptive cruise control, and an HD surround-view camera. However, it requires adding other packages, too, pushing additional costs over $3,200.

An RS Leather Package is available to the RS trim for $1,580, adding perforated leather upholstery and the premium Bose sound system with seven speakers, but you need to add a few other packages too, significantly impacting your final price.

The Premier has access to the Confidence and Convenience II Package or the Infotainment II Package for $1,745 and $1,125, respectively. These expand the already impressive features list with an eight-way power front passenger seat, heated rear outboard seats (if available), adaptive cruise control, an HD surround camera, and automatic parking assist or an HD Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus system with a seven-speaker Bose sound system, respectively.

The Chevrolet Equinox is not the cheapest compact SUV on the market, so to get the most bang for your buck, we suggest sticking to the LS. It has all the essentials as standard, however, you can add the Convenience Package and Driver Confidence II Package for around $1,100. True, this does push it just past the price of the LT, so you'll need to weigh up the combination of features that will appeal to you most. You can also save yourself $1,600 by going for the FWD model if you don't need the extra traction of AWD. The total price for a LS with the recommended build is $26,980 MSRP, which is still very reasonable.

These two American rivals are more similar than they might like to admit. Both suffer from lackluster base powertrains and a reputation for middling quality, though Ford at least gives you the option of upgrading to a turbo four-pot. With its new face, the Equinox is able to contend with the edgier-looking Ford, and it also boasts an improved interior. However, the Escape has the better tech. The safety specs are almost identical, but the Escape has a much nicer infotainment interface. It also gets a larger trunk, which is one of the Chevy's biggest weaknesses. On top of all this, the Ford manages to get better fuel-economy figures with the smaller engine and FWD. This only improves if you opt for one of its hybrid configurations, which actually improves power outputs, too. The winner here is clear.