Overview & Reviews

Part of a growing segment of plus-sized small crossover SUVs, the Chevrolet Equinox splits the difference between compact and midsize utility vehicles and offers roomy accommodations in a five-passenger layout. Like other vehicles in its class, the Equinox emphasizes style, amenities and day-to-day practicality over more traditional SUV attributes. In short, the Chevy Equinox is a fine choice for commuting to work or transporting pets, but it's not suited for towing, or anything more rugged than a gravel road.

Although the Equinox has always had a roomy interior and an easy-driving nature, the plain styling and low-quality interior materials in earlier models are none too impressive by today's standards. Later versions of this Chevrolet crossover have made big strides in quality and are available with more desirable features and engine choices.

User Reviews:

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  Had it for 5 year only put on 17,000 - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Micah - December 6 - 4:54 pm

  Poor Quality, performance poor. Had to put a quart of oil every 500 miles. No it wasnt leaking. Been to three different mechanics all say need to break into engine, could cost upwards of four grand. Decide to put oil in when needed. Maybe it just a lemon. But will not buy Chevy brand small suv.

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  no vacation - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jennifer - October 8 - 1:14 pm

  Only had it two months on 09/28/15 when it stranded me on my way home after working overnight, 13 hour shift, the bolt that holds the guide plate for the timing chain had been loose for a long period of time and created a hole inside the block to big to repair, causing the chain to break and other damage to the engine. Have to buy new engine with vacation money. Not happy at all since its only the second vacation that I would of had in 33 years. I will never buy another Chevy vehicle.

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  Cheaply made car - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kyle - August 16 - 4:46 pm

  I bought this 2010 Equinox back in December of 2014. Since then I have had my car in the shop over 6 times. Im tired of it all. Plus I was getting about 31 mpg when I first bought the suv since then I am now getting about 22 mpg. Kind of a joke, Im tired of all the crap with Chevrolet. Im done with them and now am looking for another suv all together. Getting away from all of GM vehicles. My previous GMC truck had the same issues and also everything started to break on it one by one

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  Why would you need a HORN?! - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By connie - August 10 - 1:52 pm

  We have owned out 2012 Equinox since Dec. of 2011. Beginning in Jan. of 2015 the horns have gone out 4 times. Thanks to the extended warranty we purchased when we bought the car , they have been replaced 3 times. The first time they went out the dealer said it was a very unusual happening , this was January 2015. Mar. 2015 they quit working again and were replaced with the comments that they didnt think they had ever replaced them twice on a vehicle like this. May 2015---out again. This time I made a call directly to GM and was told that this hasnt happened before. I really dont care about before but do care about my car. After explaining the horn troubles twice they decided that it might be water but DUH I live in northern Iowa and the roads do get wet! They then transferred me to a senior advisor and I retold my story. Her solution was that I had bought the extended warranty so no problem--get them fixed. I said I had 50,000 miles left but at the rate they horns were going out I would have to return to the dealer 25 more time. Her response was simply that the warranty would cover them!! Who cares--each time it is a 20mile drive each way , and about an hour repair time...WHO is reimbursing me for that? She then suggested that I not use the car wash, the same one I had washed it in for the first 3 years of ownership and the horns were fine . Again MY PROBLEM not theirs! The solution that was finally given my dealership was to drill holes in the horns for water to seep out..so after the last car wash I did not have horns for 2 weeks while I waited for the water to drain. Second complaint--- at 59,000 miles the seat is cracking. I was already very unhappy with the leather seats due to the little tiny holes in the leather that fill with any little piece of whatever is on them . The only way to get them clean is to poke each little hole with a toothpick. Not satisfied but I know it is me getting the stuff on the seats so I was tolerating this. But torn seats !! Not happy. It has only twice in 3 years met the advertised 30 mpg. 21 to 26 is much more normal-again disappointing! Needless to say an Equinox will not on my list of vehicles to purchase again!

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  need a better transmission - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By nick Brown - July 31 - 8:25 am

  Ive had for a year now dont drive it every day and took a trip from Ohio to Tennessee and the transmission started to slip more and more. When I came back home it got even worse took it to AutoZone and ran it on computer and found out that the transmission speed sensor was causing the problem and trying to get this part is a big deal no one cares it even chevy dealers parts way to hard to find. But other than that the suv is great enjoy driving it when can.

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  2015 Equinox LT2 - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By MI_Yooper - July 26 - 10:15 pm

  Bought the vehicle due to ease of controls and fily features. However after driving 1000 miles reliably I need a jump everyte I want to drive it. Seems this is a common problem. Woyld like to hear if anyones dealer found a solution to this! Seems like something is taking the power out while I sleep..I am guessing its the onstar and the advertised wifi(?)..

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  A mediocre SUV - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dean - July 25 - 1:56 pm

  I recently received my Equinox as my company car. Overall, it is not a bad car, but I hardly see why one would purchase it retail unless a good deal was offered. Ill keep the review simple: Pros: - Rides well and is reasonably quiet if you do not press the accelerator too hard (the 4-cylinder is loud when pressed). This is definitely one of the quieter small SUVs out there. - It handles fairly well for an SUV and comes with great Michelin Latitude tires (a huge plus) - The my link infotainment system works well and is a synch to use. - A/C blows nice and cold - great for those of us in the South - The rear seat has good leg room - Great crash test scores - Build quality seems good - The lane departure warning is helpful Cons: - The turning radius is 42 feet - HORRIBLE!! This thing is a chore to park in tight spaces. It is way easier to park our longer and wider Toyota Sienna (40 foot turning radius). - Speaking of our Sienna, averaging 22 MPG in mixed driving with a V-6. The Equinox is getting an average of 21 in mostly highway driving. - People who say this thing accelerates adequately must be coming from a 3 cylinder or live in a completely flat area. I have driven 4-cylinder accords (3 of them), a 4-cylinder fusion and a 4-cyclinder Rogue. All were easily quicker than this car. Even more sadly, our Sienna would sprint circles around this thing - yes a minivan beating a cool SUV. If you have to accelerate on an incline for freeway speeds, good luck! - The cargo area is relatively small. We had a Rogue before (second generation), and it had way more usable space in the cargo area. Granted, you can slide the rear seats, but then you kill your rear leg room. - Finally, the seat comfort is lacking. The front seats are hard, and are fine on short distances. However, any journey past 2 hours, you will have a sore rear. The rear seat is great for leg room and is more comfortable, but sit in either outboard seat, and you notice a huge gap between it and the door. This translates into less hip room. Not sure why Chevrolet did not stretch the seat out more - there is room to do so. Other small SUVs I have been in do, and they score the same in side crash tests. Overall, this is not a bad SUV by any means. It certainly gets the job done. However, the sticker on my model is right at 30k. There are way better choices for this amount of money (think Rogue, CR-V, Santa Fe, Edge). I am not a crossover guy really, I like the most bang for my buck. You can have a Toyota Sienna LE for about the price of this thing. You get triple the room, a more comfortable ride, better fuel economy and better acceleration. Plus, getting kids in and out of it is so much easier.

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  So underpowered - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Julia - July 10 - 2:21 pm

  This car has a nice interior but it is severely underpowered. I have to floor it to accelerate on the highway all the time. I end up getting tailgated all the time because I cant get the car to go as fast as I want in an appropriate amount of time. This car also uses more gas then it advertises. I got much better mileage from my Dodge Charger honestly. Another minor thing but something that bugs the crap out of me is that the gear shift and Chevy logo on the wheel are ridiculously shiny. They constantly catch the light and blind me. Something so small but matters so much when driving. Im not kidding, it is absurdly shiny and Im blinded 25% of the time I drive. Chevy definitely needs to dull that down. Also dont change your oil when recommended because its inaccurate. Change it more frequently

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  junk! - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By christina26 - June 26 - 3:23 pm

  So disappointed. I bought mine 3 months ago with 59,000 miles. 63,000 miles later "service stabilitrack system" warning comes on. Thank goodness the Toyota dealer I bought it from is offering to buy it back, cant wait to get rid of it. Wish I had looked at the reviews here before purchasing, sounds like a nightmare to own!

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  Disappointing - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Zachary A. Horn - March 24 - 8:36 am

  This car was great for the first few years I owned it. I bought this car new with 15 miles on it in early 2012. I drive about 30,000 miles a year between work and personal use, and performed all recommended maintenance. Around 50k or 60k miles the car started running rough in between oil changes. When I started checking the oil levels more frequently I noticed it was using 2-3 quarts of oil in between oil changes (performed every 5,000-7,000 miles even though the owners manual recommends 15,000). At 80k the timing belt broke. At 85k it used 3 quarts 1,500 miles after an oil change. It is currently at the dealership having the engine rebuilt. Fortunately I have 15k of warranty left.