Think fast: You’re going on vacation and you’ve reserved a compact crossover as your rental car. Which model do you definitely not hope you get? If you answered Chevrolet Equinox, you aren’t wrong, but you may want to reconsider in the near future. There’s a new 2025 Chevrolet Equinox on the horizon and it looks like a massive upgrade over the outgoing model. Keep in mind, this is completely unrelated to the Chevrolet Equinox EV we saw earlier, a branding decision that surely nobody thought was confusing in any way, shape, or form. Oh, GM.
The current Chevrolet Equinox is, let’s not mince words, near the bottom of its class. In the nearly seven years since the current Equinox was introduced, models like the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, and even the current Mitsubishi Outlander have substantially evolved the art of sensibly-sized family transportation with nicer materials, more pleasant design, and better technology. However, despite being on the back foot, the Equinox closed out 2023 as Chevrolet’s second-best-selling vehicle. This new generation ought to give hundreds of thousands of people a significant bump in style and tech.
Now, this doesn’t seem to be anything new for Chevrolet. If Toyota’s dramatically restyled Prius hadn’t landed first, the new Chevrolet Trax would’ve been the most spectacular butterfly transformation of last year. Likewise, the new Chevrolet Traverse looks seriously promising, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the new Equinox takes existing teachings and packages them in America’s favorite compact crossover form.
As you’d probably expect given the way the compact crossover field has gone, the new Chevrolet Equinox has cast off amorphous blob styling in favor of a more chiseled, more angular appearance. Sure, it feels a bit like Chevrolet is pulling the German “same sausage, different length” styling routine, but it works alright if the fundamentals are good. This new Equinox looks a lot like the more expensive Traverse, a good thing for Equinox buyers even if Traverse drivers might not be pleased.
Let’s be honest, though. You don’t drive cars from the outside, and interiors matter in an everyday vehicle. While the new Equinox doesn’t exactly go full luxe, a smattering of stitched textiles that don’t appear to feature a scrotal texture elevate what would otherwise be a relatively ordinary experience. Column shifters are making a big comeback due to the prevalence of electronic shifters, and Chevy has followed suit here. The Equinox uses the opportunity to carve out more center console space, but doesn’t entirely allocate it for the typical detritus the average person accumulates in their vehicle. Instead, a giant drive mode selector sits exactly where you’d expect a shifter to be on RS and Activ trims, an odd ergonomic choice for a mainstream model. Still, there appears to be plenty of storage between the seats, from a wireless smartphone charger to a big open cubby with USB-A and USB-C sockets. Also, that’s one wide armrest, an underrated interior feature on long trips.
Speaking of upgrades, the tech in this new model is a visual step up compared to what Equinox buyers are used to. We’re talking about an 11.3-inch infotainment system, with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster providing key driving information. Unfortunately, there’s no word on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, even if Android Automotive OS is built-in. However, a standard heated steering wheel and heated front seats may make up for the annoyance of having to onboard your personal profile to the vehicle.
Interestingly, 2025 Equinox buyers will get different transmissions depending on how many wheels they want driven. Front-wheel-drive models get a continuously variable transmission, while all-wheel-drive models gain a traditional eight-speed automatic. Regardless of transmission, a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the only choice. With 175 horsepower on tap, it doesn’t sport the outright numbers available in most competitors, but I don’t see any obvious reason why it wouldn’t provide adequate propulsion.
The big news here is that the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox looks like it won’t suck, which is a big upgrade over the current Equinox. These things sell like Big Macs, so expect to see them out on the road as soon as they hit showrooms later this year.
(Photo credits: Chevrolet)
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Oh dear, so much hate for the Equinox. I think it looks fine.
I dunno’. Looks like a Lego car made from the leftover pieces from the Kia Telluride and Toyota FJ Cruiser kits.
I like the look and size, if GM would offer this with an AWD system on par with Subaru they could have a winner here.
Headline writing like this is just one of the many, many reasons I love this website so.
GM makes something perfectly cromulent that won’t stir your loins: rabble, rabble it should be something else!
Toyota and Honda stamp out millions of RAV4 and CRVs and it’s: whatever, it’s not meant to be exciting.
It looks like a Toyota. Which is not a compliment.
Having considered the Equinox, I have to say the current generation may not be great-looking, but it’s cheap in the right ways. You can get it loaded for about $35k if you shop around, and that gives you the 360 camera, the ventilated seats, and the heated rear seats. I wish they’d offer a hybrid/PHEV, but the turbo engine doesn’t feel underpowered, even if it doesn’t feel fun. It’s a functional vehicle that checks all the right boxes for a lot of people.
This refresh will likely sell for more money and still sell well, but I kind of liked that the Equinox was an honest appliance vehicle.
My GF’s sister has one. When she first came home with it, I was like (to myself, of course) why on earth would anyone buy this? However, after seeing the features, and knowing that she got a good deal on it, it kinda makes sense. It’s definitely not the best-looking thing, but after riding in it a few times, it’s comfortable enough, has decent pickup, has all the modern features you’d want (like NON-subscription remote start), gets better mpg than her old Santa Fe, and has been reliable. She’s got 40K plus on it so far and hasn’t had any issues.
Given the myriad of recalls and increasing reliability issues from seemingly every manufacturer, I am seriously starting to think that looking for the most “outdated” vehicle in a given class is the way to go. The outgoing Equinox has been around long enough to have had the bugs worked out, and it is not likely to be plagued with recalls going forward, since any GM-wide systemic issues would have reared their heads by now.
My mom will be replacing her Escape in the next year, and wants something more trouble-free and simple. I was seriously thinking of telling her to look at the Equinox, but suddenly GM unveiled its replacement.
I haven’t bought a ton of new cars, but was lucky enough to tmake my purchases in the last year before a major update. The discounts were huge and the cars have more standard features that were previously upgrades.
It looks pretty good except that now the Trailblazer, this, and Traverse all kind of look the same but different in size.
*1985 Caprice, Celebrity, and Cavalier have entered the chat*
A sibling has a mid-teens Traverse and has sworn off GM forever going forward. Open recall for the airbags that have killed people; no fix available; and no ETA for one.
Can’t ethically sell it to other people or dealerships. They might consider selling it to a GM dealership except all the local ones don’t have any cars available cheaper than what they might get for it.
They’re lucky they have multiple cars because at this point it’s a paperweight. They just drive it occasionally to keep it moving.
Are they also going to swear off Ford, Honda Toyota, Stellantis, VW group, Ferrari, Mitusbishi, BMW, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru……
The airbag recall isn’t just a GM thing, it’s a most auto manufacturer thing; hence why replacement airbags are STILL hard to come by and many car companies STILL can’t fix it.
I thought that huge airbag recall was still being considered by NHTSA, not already out there? I assumed this was a separate, specific recall.
I thought you were going to say because of reliability. At least with the early versions on the platform, they were plagued with stretched timing chains, transmission issues, leaky sunroofs, and came from the era of GM with interior trim paint that flakes off the buttons if you sneeze too hard.
But I still see early Outlooks and Acadias on the road so I guess there is some value to putting the money in them and keep them running.
Out of all the CUVs in the world this is definitely one of them. It’s fine, I guess. I suppose if you’re one of those weirdos who only buys American cars this might be appealing, but I cannot even begin to fathom choosing something in this class that isn’t Japanese. The CRV, RAV4, and CX5/50 are right there. Two of them offer hybrids, one of them has a PHEV configuration, and the Mazdas offer slightly more distinct styling and a pinch of driving verve.
Those will also have less issues and hold their value better. IMHO you don’t buy a mid sized SUV to get out of it after a couple years. You buy one to drive it into the ground and use it for 5-10 years to haul shit. I’m sure there will be money on the hoods of these and assorted Murican car financing nonsense that can magically make your payment $399 a month, but even if you save money up front it’s coming back to bite you later in depreciation and ownership costs.
Just get a damn CRV hybrid. It’s the 911 of NPC cars.
There’s plenty of people that will lease these too where those factors aren’t really an issue if they’re just handing them back at the end. Not a statement on whether or not leasing is good, just for that type of buyer, the advertised payment is a hook. In my area the advertised lease for an Equinox is less than a RAV4, Rogue, the Mazdas, or Forester, same with much less $ down than a CR-V, and a Tucson is less but more $ down.
The Tucson is compelling and offers both a traditional hybrid and PHEV….but you’re going to get absolutely hosed when it comes to depreciation. If you’re just leasing or buying one used it’s not as big of a deal but if you plan on keeping it long-term a Hyundai is not the answer…and I say that as someone who’s currently keeping one long term.
Yeah, I was just comparing lease payments, probably half of that list I wouldn’t go for in a purchase for one reason or another if for some reason I was shopping in that segment, but in a lease would be different.
Not the answer in terms of expected reliability or is it the hosed on depreciation thing? I could understand projected reliability concerns over say a Toyota but that depreciation is gonna matter far more at 3 or 4 years than it will at actually keeping a vehicle 8-10 years or longer. Yeah, if I’m buying new with the intent of trading it in every 4th year just about any Honda, Toyota, domestic truck, and for some reason the Jeep Wrangler are about the only ways to go if relatively short term resale value is the #1 factor in my purchase decision
Agree, but I’ll say that this LOOKS better than all of them. I actually the think the Tuscon/Sportage hybrid twins are also a great pick, but the jury is still out on long term reliability.
One reason, and this goes back nearly a decade and a half when I bought a newly launched 2010 model, is that the other cars at the time could not match the interior space. It was nearly as big in the back as the ’02 Grand Cherokee it replaced, was decently priced when starting a family and was probably the most accommodating car for tall people. The front seat could stretch back for folks well over my 6’4″ height and the sliding rear seat kept the rear with decent room.
I actually planned on driving it as we were going to trade in a car to add a three row car to the driveway but the oil consumption issue hit us hard around 30k miles. After a lot of dealing with the dealer, long time in the shop for engine work and eventually a new engine, it was traded in a few hundred miles later. Once they figured out the engine issues, most folks I know that had one, or the next version have been happy with them. The 2.0T in later years was decently quick, really had no right being in an Equinox.
I typically agree. This looks better, but the current Equinox is honestly one of the worst looking cars out there. I could never understand why anyone would buy one.
But then there’s price. Some quick research implies that at least in the lower trims, you can probably get an Equinox for 30k, where a Rav4 is going to cost you 33k. Would I much rather a Rav4 for 33k? Absolutely. But I’d have to imagine 30k is already a massive stretch for a lot of people, and it’s definitely a pricing threshold that once exceeded, gives a lot of people cold feet.
When you’re in the market for a 25k car, realize there’s nothing that quite meets your needs for 25k, and stretch for 30k? If you’re responsible at all you probably don’t want to keep stretching.
Personally, I’d just get a Trax in that scenario.
There are many stretches of the USA that have only one or two car dealerships nearby, and they are usually longtime Ford or Chevy stores.
…and don’t sleep on the Rogue. I’ve borrowed Mom’s 2021 Platinum AWD a few times and it’s actually on my short list for my next car. It’s not the most thrilling thing to drive but it isn’t slow, it’s really comfortable and has a fantastic interior with a few features like the HUD which isn’t available in most rivals. The outgoing Equinox is alright, I guess, it just had that typical, cheap, GM feel when we sat in them and it looks generic. This new one looks much better inside and out.
Everyone builds up the Rogue as one of the best cars in that class but I don’t necessarily see it. It’s really weighed down the damn Jatco CVT and VC Turbo engine. I’m not sure if you’ve been keeping up but those engines are starting to have profound issues and there are likely mass recalls on the horizon.
I get that the Rogue is cheaper, and if you’re someone who doesn’t have great credit or as much of a budget Nissan will be more willing to work with you than most other brands. But longevity is such a huge selling point for cars in this class and I just don’t see the Nissan being a good long term buy.
I think the initial money saved will eventually be nullified by the costs of owning one, not to mention there’s no hybrid on offer.
I remember when the split headlight design showed up in the KL Jeep Cherokee, everyone hated it, they actually went back to a regular headlight design. But for some reason in GM design language, it works fine. All of their latest releases have this design and honestly it has some engineering logic behind it, they position the main headlight unit at a lower height, not blinding everyone.
Not bad, but hardly memorable. It’s yet another squinty-eyed derivately-styled commodity transportation appliance. No one will remember or care about this in 10 years.
> 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the only choice. With 175 horsepower on tap
Oh ffs why do they even bother
It’s plenty because turbo torque. You don’t really need 300hp for a daily driver family wagon.
I just dislike small engines with turbos. I was mostly thinking why didn’t they use a hybrid engine if it’s going to be boring like this?
I saw a dyno chart of the 1.4L turbo from the “Spark” once. Made more torque at 2K RPM than the 4.0 V6 in my 4Runner.
An Equinox hybrid would make a huge amount of sense which is probably exactly why it’ll never happen. When the then new ‘18 came out I was perplexed why they didn’t use the Voltec drive components to make a hybrid and PHEV version of the crossover like they did to make a mid sized sedan Malibu hybrid. Then they axed the Volt and Malibu hybrid after the ‘19 model year and a couple years later everyone lost their flippin minds over the Toyota RAV4 Prime. That could have been GM had they had half the brain and foresight to do it
Lukewarm take: the Trax looks better.
Everything about this is lukewarm, which is ok, I guess.
meh
That’s a very lukewarm response : D