2023 Chevrolet Equinox Review: Likable — in Park

The verdict: A handsome cabin and drama-free controls make the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox a likable compact SUV — until you put it in Drive, where its slow, loud powertrain and unpleasant ride disappoint.

Versus the competition: Although the Equinox’s multimedia system is a win, the compact SUV fails to stand out in other areas, and it offers fewer standard safety features and alternative powertrains than many of its competitors (though an all-new Equinox EV is coming for 2024).

The Equinox was updated for 2022 with lightly revised styling and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. It carries over with minimal changes for 2023; see the model years compared. The Equinox competes in a crowded compact SUV class against the likes of the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4 (see them compared).

Clean Cabin, Glitch-Free Controls

I tested a top-of-the-line, all-wheel-drive Premier trim, which had a pleasant cabin with a sharp-looking two-tone design and decent materials quality. This trim also delivered on the features front, with goodies including a heated steering wheel, hands-free power liftgate, heated front seats and available ventilated front seats.

A touchscreen sits in the center of the dash, and it’s easy to see and reach. It’s a 7-inch touchscreen in lower trims, while the Premier gets an 8-inch screen; the larger screen is available on LT and RS trims. The system is refreshingly simple to use, with an intuitive menu structure, clear graphics and quick response time. Connecting to wireless Android Auto was also seamless.

Below the touchscreen are large audio buttons and a dial, as well as clear, easy-to-use climate controls. Climate functions are also accessible from the touchscreen. Other cabin highlights include storage spaces for small items, like a roomy center console and a sizable open bin under the dashboard controls. The front USB ports are also handily placed near the storage areas for easy connection.

Poky, Loud Power

The Equinox could use an update in both refinement and efficiency. The sole powertrain is a 175-horsepower, turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. It’s just not enough; despite being  turbocharged, it’s anything but peppy, with sluggish response from a stop and weak midrange power for passing.

Others in the class aren’t much zippier, but they are quieter. The Equinox suffers from lots of loudness — wind, road and engine noise pour into the cabin. What’s worse, the noise is often paired with a good deal of vibration in the steering wheel and gas pedal, especially at highway speeds. That’s matched with poor ride composure, which shows up as shaking and bouncing inside as roadway bumps shimmy into the cabin.

Adding to the Equinox’s unrefined vibe is its engine stop-start system, which lacks smoothness; the engine lurches to life and shudders to a stop. There is thankfully an Off button near the climate controls, but the system reengages every time the Equinox is turned back on, which is annoying.

It might be worth suffering through such an unrefined stop-start system if it improved fuel economy, but it doesn’t. Gas mileage is another Equinox disappointment, with the 2WD base trim getting an EPA-estimated 26/31/28  mpg city/highway/combined. That’s less than base 2WD versions of the CR-V (28/34/30  mpg), Tucson (26/33/29  mpg) and RAV4 (27/34/30 mpg). Those looking for a more fuel-efficient compact SUV will be able to find one: The RAV4, CR-V and Tucson are available in hybrid configurations, and the RAV4 and Tucson add plug-in hybrid versions, as well. The Equinox, meanwhile, is gas-only — for now, at least. An all-electric Equinox EV is coming for 2024, which should widen its appeal and keep it relevant among efficiency-minded shoppers.

Decent Room

The cabin is comfortably roomy for four adults — five in a pinch — but some competitors offer more space. The Equinox’s backseat has 39.9 inches of legroom, which is less than the CR-V and Tucson but more than the RAV4. Rear headroom is a similar, with the Equinox offering 38.5 inches — less than the Tucson and RAV4, slightly more than the CR-V.

For families with kids in car seats, this Chevy’s backseat is where it’s at. The Equinox’s exposed, easy-access Latch anchors make installation a breeze, and its tall, stable buckle stalks mean older kids in boosters should be able to buckle up without help. Check out our full Car Seat Check.

The Equinox’s cargo area was roomy enough for a full grocery run for my family of five, but on paper the space again falls short of key rivals. According to Chevrolet, the Equinox has 29.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seat, which is well shy of what you’ll find in the CR-V (39.3), Tucson (38.7) and RAV4 (37.6).

Two cargo niceties do stand out, however. There’s a compact underfloor storage space that’s handy for corralling small items, and a pair of handles inside the cargo area quickly and easily fold the split backseat flat.

Safety and Value

The 2023 Equinox looks like it should get some points when it comes to pricing: It starts at $27,995 (all prices include destination) in its base front-wheel-drive trim, which is less than base versions of the CR-V ($32,905) and RAV4 ($29,310) but slightly more than the Tucson ($27,745). Its rivals, however, have more standard safety and driver-assistance features.

The 2023 Equinox comes standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which includes forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian braking, a following distance indicator, lane departure steering assist with lane departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights. Options include adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning.

In addition to having the Honda Sensing suite of active-safety and driver-assist features, the CR-V also has standard blind spot monitoring and a new Traffic Jam Assist system that automatically steers the car to help drivers maintain their lane position at speeds below 45 mph. The 2023 RAV4 also has more standard safety features than the Equinox, including road sign recognition and full-speed adaptive cruise control with lane-tracing assist, which provides light steering assistance to help center the vehicle in its lane.

While the 2023 Equinox has a few things going for it — namely no-nonsense controls and a car-seat-friendly backseat — many competitors have those attributes and comfortable road manners and more efficient powertrains. The Equinox needs to be better if it really wants to compete.

More From Cars.com:

• 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV: An Electric Compact SUV for the Masses
• Up Close With the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV: Hitting the Sweet Spot for Sporty EVs
• Which Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Are Most Available?
• GM Plans to Double Super Cruise Road Network
• Shop for a 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

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