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By Tom StrongmanKansasCity.com
October 15, 2009
The new General Motors isn't bashful about touting the merits of new models and drawing comparisons to its competitors. That's the basis of its "May the best car win" ad campaign and its willingness to give your money back if you are not satisfied with your car after 60 days. The redesigned Chevrolet Equinox is a key ingredient in the company's recipe for the future, and it's pretty tasty. Compact crossovers are small enough to get reasonable gas mileage and be easily maneuverable in the city, yet they're big enough to haul a fair amount of cargo and still have room for five people. The Equinox can tow up to 3,500 pounds with the V-6, and 1,500 pounds with the four-cylinder. That means it can haul a small trailer for a couple of personal watercraft or motorcycles. Chevy says that target buyers are young couples, empty nesters and retired people. Chief competitors include the Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V and Ford Escape. The Equinox is one of the sharpest looking compact crossovers. The front has Chevy's signature grille, the beltline is high, and the windows are relatively low. It looks like a baby Traverse, only better. The 2010 Equinox rides on the same size wheelbase as the previous generation. It is available in front-wheel or all-wheel drive, with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 3.0-liter V-6. There are four trim levels. Prices begin at $23,185 for the LS, $24,105 for the 1LT, $26,190 for the 2LT and $28,790 for the LTZ. The base LS is $1,800 cheaper than the 2009 LS, and even the top LTZ is more than $1,000 less than last year's model. Chevy expects the 1LT to be the most popular model. Anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control and traction control are standard. The test vehicle from Chevy's press fleet came with every option. It had the V-6 engine, leather upholstery, rear-seat entertainment system with LCD screens in the back of each front-seat headrest, rearview camera, premium audio system, voice-activated navigation, power liftgate and power sunroof. The sticker price was $36,065. The direct-injection, 264-horsepower V-6 is smooth and strong. GM engineers have worked hard to make the engine quiet and efficient. The six-speed automatic transmission does a good job of balancing performance and fuel economy, which is rated at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway for all-wheel drive. For folks who don't need the V-6's towing capability, a 182-horsepower, 2.4-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder engine yields city fuel mileage of 22 mpg and highway mileage of 32 mpg. That's better than all of its competitors. The Equinox interior is nicely designed, and the fit, finish and quality of materials are as good as or better than the best in class. The center stack contains flush-mounted buttons for the audio and climate-control system. Blue ambient lighting highlights the console and cup holders. Because the four-cylinder engine may produce some low-frequency noise in certain driving conditions, Chevy uses active noise cancellation to make the cabin quiet. A microphone detects any booming sounds inside the vehicle and sends counteracting sound waves through the audio speakers. The Equinox has six airbags, including side-curtain airbags and pelvic/thorax seat-mounted side airbags. The steering wheel controls for cruise and audio are rotary knobs that can be rolled with a thumb. They're simple and intuitive. Rear-seat legroom is quite generous, thanks to the back seat that can be moved backward and forward 8 inches. Put the seat forward and it is easy for front-seat passengers to reach an infant in a child seat. Put it back and the legroom is like a limousine's. Storage bins are numerous. They include one atop the center stack and one under the center armrest that is large enough for a laptop computer. One drawback is that the rear cargo area is a bit narrow, and the low roof means some large items, such as a bicycle, may not fit easily. Price The base price of the test car was $27,195. Options included the V-6 engine, leather upholstery, rear-seat entertainment system with LCD screens in the back of each front-seat headrest, rearview camera, premium audio system, voice-activated navigation, power liftgate and power sunroof. The sticker price was $36,065. Warranty Three years or 36,000 miles with a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. 2010 Chevrolet Equinox 2LT Engine: 3.0-liter, 264-hp V-6 Transmission: Automatic All-wheel drive Wheelbase: 112.5 inches Curb weight: 3,770 lbs. Base price: $27,195 As driven: $36,065 MPG rating: 17 city, 24 hwy. To reach Tom Strongman, send e-mail to tom@tomstrongman.com.
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