2011 Chevrolet Equinox Sport Utility Vehicle Review & Performance

The Chevrolet Equinox is priced and equipped to compete with compact SUVs but it's larger than compact, smaller than midsize. Equinox uses the same Theta architecture that underpins the GMC Terrain. Theta has been updated since the first-generation Equinox, and that's a good thing because the old model didn't handle very well.

Up front, Equinox features Chevrolet's signature two-tier grille with gold bowtie insignia. The headlights wrap around the front fenders. Air ducts sit below the headlights and house fog lights in chromed bezels that bisect the openings. The lower front fascia is charcoal-colored plastic and it has an air dam in the center. The LTZ model and the 2LT with the Chrome Appearance Package add metallic trim pieces to the lower portion of the air dam opening. The hood has three character lines. The hood is shorter than that of pre-2010 models because Chevrolet moved the base of the windshield forward three inches, creating a more slippery shape. The Equinox has a 0.36 coefficient of drag.

Around the sides, the Equinox has pronounced fender flares and a wheels-at-the-corners stance, especially up front. The roof features wraparound side glass at the rear and tinted rear and rear side windows. All but the Equinox LS model has luggage side rails; they're charcoal on Equinox LT models and they add chrome inserts on the Equinox LTZ and the Equinox 2LT with the Chrome Appearance Package. That package also adds chrome door handles and side mirrors. Seventeen-inch aluminum wheels are standard and 18- and 19-inch wheels are available.

At the rear, the Equinox has dual round taillights, a takeoff of the Malibu design, and a roof spoiler. The tailgate opens upward, and a class-exclusive power, programmable tailgate is offered. Owners can program the tailgate to open to different heights so shorter drivers can reach it. Overall, the look is attractive. The LTZ's additional chrome trim adds a touch of class, especially with the chromed 19-inch wheels.

Chevrolet says the Equinox interior was inspired by the interior of the successful Malibu midsize sedan. While that may be true when it comes to aesthetics, it's not true in terms of execution. The Equinox lacks the Malibu's soft-touch surfaces and thoughtful flourishes of chrome trim. Instead, like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V that Chevrolet benchmarked when developing this vehicle, the Equinox has hard plastic on the entirety of the dashboard, as well as on the center console and door panels. Elements of the Malibu's attractive double-cockpit design are there, but we'd like to see more soft-touch surfaces, tighter gaps and some wood, aluminum or chrome trim.

There are some nice touches. The ice blue ambient lighting is a delightful feature. It's standard on all models, but you get more as you go up the range. Equinox LS models have it on the center stack surround and in the center console cupholders. Equinox LT models add it on the instrument panel and center console, and the Equinox LTZ gets it in the door handle recesses, in the footwells and in the door map pockets. Equinox offers dual-zone automatic climate control, a hard-drive audio system and a dual-screen rear DVD entertainment system.

The instrument panel is attractive. The speedometer and tachometer feature white numbers and black backgrounds. They are set in large pods and in between are water temperature and fuel gauges, as well as a digital trip computer readout. The base interior has a storage cubby at the top of the center stack. When the navigation system is ordered, it sits in this spot. The controls on the center stack are grouped in a tight bunch, with the radio buttons up top and the climate controls at the bottom. With the navigation system, there are 43 buttons, dials and knobs. It's a bit less confusing without the navigation system, but it's going to take some getting used to. All of the controls are easy to reach, and the area is trimmed in a good-looking clear-coated silver-painted plastic.

Space is not a problem in the Equinox. Cloth or leather, the front seats are comfortable and supportive. GM obviously spent some money here. They are especially attractive in leather, with their two-tone coloring and contrast stitching. The front seats have 10 inches of travel and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes, so everyone from the very short to the very tall will be comfortable.

The rear seat continues with the useful MultiFlex system, which includes a reclining feature and eight inches of travel fore and aft. With the rear seat all the way back, a tall rider can fit behind a tall driver. When the rear seat is pushed fully forward, rear cargo capacity is 31.4 cubic feet. The rear seat is also split 60/40 and it folds to open up a total of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The load floor is fairly flat.

Anyone who avoided the first-generation Equinox due to its cumbersome handling characteristics no longer has to worry about that problem. The Equinox is now more carlike. The copious body lean is gone and passengers can ride in comfort without their heads being tossed side to side with every flick of the steering wheel. The steering is light and somewhat numb, and the brakes are easy to modulate, but the new Equinox is every bit as good as a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 in terms of handling.

It rides well, too. With the standard 17-inch wheels, the Equinox absorbs even sharp bumps without disrupting passenger comfort. The available 18-inch wheels also provided a comfortable ride on rough Southeast Michigan streets. Our only complaint was a bit of body drumming over washboard surfaces.

The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine benefits from direct fuel injection, which improves both power and fuel economy. It provides usable power from a stop and on the highway, and it even offers decent passing punch. Chevrolet quotes a 0-60 mph time of 8.6 seconds for a front-wheel drive model, which is respectable for a four-cylinder-powered vehicle of this size. The 2.4-liter engine is rated at 182 horsepower at 6700 rpm and 172 pound-feet of torque at 4900 rpm.

Fuel economy for the 2.4-liter four-cylinder is an EPA-rated 22/32 mpg City/Highway on an Equinox with front-wheel drive. That's class-leading fuel economy. Not even the smaller RAV4 or CR-V can match the Equinox's 32 mpg Highway figure. And thanks to plenty of sound-deadening material and acoustic glass in the windshield and front windows, the 2.4-liter is smoother and quieter than most four-cylinder engines.

The 3.0-liter V6 is rated at 264 hp at 6950 rpm and 222 pound-feet of torque at 5100 rpm. Fuel economy is an government-rated 17/25 City/Highway mpg with front drive. With the V6, the Equinox has a towing capacity of 3500 pounds.

We found the 3.0-liter V6 didn't feel that much stronger than the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Chevy says a front-drive Equinox with the V6 can accelerate to 60 mph in 7.8 seconds. That's less than a second quicker than the four-cylinder, which is significant but not life altering. We think the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is the right choice and the best value.

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox LS 2WD ($22,745) and LS AWD ($24,495) come with cloth upholstery; air conditioning; cruise control; tilt/telescoping steering column; AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo; auxiliary input jack; XM satellite radio; power windows, locks and mirrors; remote keyless entry; four-way power driver's seat; 60/40 split-folding rear seat; floor mats; driver information center (which now includes a compass); six months of the OnStar Directions and Connections plan; and P225/65R17 tires on painted alloy wheels.

Equinox LT 2WD ($23,910) and LT AWD ($25,660) get upgraded cloth upholstery, deep-tinted privacy glass, heated mirrors and a roof rack. New for 2011 are Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls.

The 2LT ($25,970) and 2LT AWD ($27,720) get automatic climate control, eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, 250-watt Pioneer audio system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with a rearview camera display, remote engine starting, and fog lights.

Equinox LTZ ($28,320) and LTZ AWD ($30,070) add leather upholstery, a rear cargo cover, cargo net, roof rack cross bars, memory for the driver's seat and mirrors, heated front seats, rear park assist, automatic headlights, power rear liftgate and chrome exterior trim.

Options include the V6 ($1,500); a Cargo Management System ($245) with a rear tonneau cover, a cargo net and roof rail crossbars; a Trailering package ($350) with a 4-pin wire harness and a trailer hitch receiver; a Bluetooth Package ($225) with Bluetooth connectivity and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with additional controls; power rear liftgate ($495); sunroof ($795); rear park assist ($195); Driver Confidence Package ($845) with remote starter, eight-way power driver's seat, and rearview camera; leather seats ($800); 18-inch alloy wheels with P235/55R18 tires ($250); and 19-inch wheels. The available navigation system has voice recognition and comes with a 40-gigabyte hard-drive, premium speakers and a USB port ($2,145). The rear DVD entertainment system comes with a screen in the back of each front seat and the USB port ($1,295). The availability of many options depends on trim level and other options, so see your dealer for details.

Safety equipment includes dual threshold front airbags, curtain side airbags, front side airbags, a tire-pressure monitor, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, hill start assist, traction control, and GM's StabiliTrak electronic stability control. A rearview camera and rear park assist are optional, and we recommend them. All-wheel drive enhances stability in slippery conditions.