Equinox delivers for drivers, passengers and cargo
- 3/11/10
- Categorized in: Car Reviews
If you’re shopping for an SUV, you’re most likely not just concerned about transporting yourself but also a few other folks and some cargo to boot. To handle all this, the 2010 Chevy Equinox 2LT is a serious contender in this segment of the market.
The first thing I noticed about the Equinox is how roomy it is from the driver’s seat, the backseat and the cargo area. For the driver and the front seat passenger, there’s plenty of leg and elbow room. And backseat passengers also don’t have to worry about being cramped. In fact, the Equinox has an inch more rear legroom than competitors Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 and the Ford Escape Hybrid. Cargo is conveniently accommodated in 63.7 cubic feet of space, and a rear cargo security cover and cargo net (optional features) keep it out of view and in check.
For a vehicle its size, the Equinox delivers a particularly smooth ride. After traveling over an annoying patch of road pitted with potholes on my way to work, I realized that it wasn’t half as jarring as it had been in other vehicles.
Classified as a compact crossover and priced from the low- to mid-$20,000s, the Equinox 2LT also doesn’t come up short in the features department. I was surprised that a rearview camera system is standard in the 2LT. In this vehicle, the image from the rearview camera shows up on the left side of the rearview mirror and changes back to a full mirror when the vehicle is in drive. Other standard equipment include dual front/side/head curtain side airbags with rollover protection, remote keyless entry, Bluetooth, USB audio connectivity, eight speakers and power outside mirrors that are heated. Vehicle includes a navigation system powered by OnStar (a subscription service after the first year).
And one isn’t likely to be disappointed in the vehicle’s fuel economy, estimated at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
By the way, the Equinox received five stars in government crash safety tests.
For those in the market for an affordable crossover that’s great on gas, loaded with features and top rated in safety, the Chevrolet Equinox is the one.
Stats: 2.4L, dual overhead cam, 4-cylinder engine, four-wheel drive, anti-lock brakes
Pricing: The Equinox offers three levels to choose from (LS, LT and LTZ) with pricing starting at $22,615. The 2LT test vehicle’s standard price was $25,445 with optional cargo management package of $245 bringing the total price (with destination charges) to $26,435.