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But I'm not crazy about it. Our recently completed 2012 compact CUV comparo put many things into perspective. On its own, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has much going for it, however, when compared to a concise sampling of its nearest competitors, it's not as good as it should be.
The current generation Equinox first saw the light of day as a 2010 MY vehicle and the resulting slew of sales clearly demonstrated that GM knew exactly what the core of its buyers wanted.
With better engines, modern transmissions and a mature, more determined styling, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has much going for it on paper.
What's more, the Equinox is rated as one of the most fuel-efficient compact crossovers, which is reason enough for it to be on every CUV buyer's shopping list. But it all comes at a certain cost.
Not aging very well
It all begins with the fact that, in a few short years, it got old. When lined up with the 2013 Ford Escape or 2012 Kia Sportage, the Equinox looks like it was on the receiving end of a botched face-lift, leaving it bloated with miss-matched eyes and uneven ears. Current crossovers are svelte and tout like the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Mazda CX-5. The Equinox looks fat.
The cabin is thankfully better, in most regards, but the dive-away-from-the-driver dashboard is ill conceived. However, the centre stack's presentation is attractive. The 7" colour touchscreen display is the high point of the cabin with sharp graphics. On the other hand, the similarly shaped and coloured, as well as clustered, HVAC and audio controls take some time to navigate.
The seats in the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, which were immediately appreciated, lost some of their lustre on longer trips. Their soft and cushy nature provided no real support, and the material proved rough on bare skin. Although this is a letdown, the cabin's quietness at highway speeds made for a generally comfortable environment.
As for the driver's spot, finding a proper command position was easy enough. The vehicle's front visibility is seriously hampered by hefty "A" pillars and the large well designed mirrors. Take note of this before driving off the lot.
The 2012 Chevrolet Equinox's trunk was one of the least capacious of the group, which is counter-intuitive given that it was one of the largest. The reasoning lies in how narrow the space is: We noted that an average-size stroller didn't fit width-wise. That's a #fail.
4 is more
The Chevy Equinox can be powered by one of two equally interesting powertrains. The optional 264 hp 3.0L V6 has got plenty of heart but is far more glutinous, downing roughly a third more black gold than the tester's 2.4L 4-pot.
At 182 hp and 172 torques, the base engine is plenty capable. The 6-speed autobox manages the power thanks to properly geared cogs and a willingness to play along. In most cases, one does not go with the other, but GM pulls a serious tour de force with the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox.
This specific Equinox was a FWD model which helped on a number of levels including fuel consumption, which averaged 8.5L/100 km over the course of the week.
Where the absence of AWD did not help was under hard acceleration when the front wheels would complain about losing traction. I'm not talking about full-on launches, therefore appropriate winter tires will be a necessity when the weather gets ugly. The full-time, intelligent AWD is an undeniable added bonus for only $1,650.
Calm seas
On the road, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox is supremely relaxed and this may be its other best attribute. The ride is cushy and smooth, and given the well isolated cabin the occupants will probably never feel more at ease in another compact crossover.
Laden or not, the Equinox rides with sufficient confidence thanks to minimal body-roll and a generally uneventful drive. The offset to the Zen ride is handling: it cannot be considered sporty, but by the same token won't make you sea-sick.
Like most GM products, the Equinox's brakes feel great. The left pedal remains firm under heavy effort and the pinchers never lose their composure. Steering is at all times precise, with a tad too much hydraulic assistance.
The Equinox
Chevy's compact CUV, the GMC Terrain's twin BTW, has a starting price of $26,445. As tested, my FWD 1LT with Convenience package retails for $30,850; remember that this is without AWD.
By comparison, a 2012 Kia Sportage EX sports a sticker price of $29,995 and features a number of nice-to-haves including dual-zone climate control and AWD... The only downside to the Kia is its marginally smaller trunk.
There are more expensive equivalent crossovers such as the Volkswagen, however, both of these vehicles are far more appealing visually. Our comparo test will shed more light on other members of this highly competitive segment.
In the end, it's all there but the way it comes together doesn't make it my pick in the category.
 |
The current generation Equinox first saw the light of day as a 2010 MY vehicle and the resulting slew of sales clearly demonstrated that GM knew exactly what the core of its buyers wanted.
With better engines, modern transmissions and a mature, more determined styling, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has much going for it on paper.
What's more, the Equinox is rated as one of the most fuel-efficient compact crossovers, which is reason enough for it to be on every CUV buyer's shopping list. But it all comes at a certain cost.
Not aging very well
It all begins with the fact that, in a few short years, it got old. When lined up with the 2013 Ford Escape or 2012 Kia Sportage, the Equinox looks like it was on the receiving end of a botched face-lift, leaving it bloated with miss-matched eyes and uneven ears. Current crossovers are svelte and tout like the Volkswagen Tiguan or the Mazda CX-5. The Equinox looks fat.
The cabin is thankfully better, in most regards, but the dive-away-from-the-driver dashboard is ill conceived. However, the centre stack's presentation is attractive. The 7" colour touchscreen display is the high point of the cabin with sharp graphics. On the other hand, the similarly shaped and coloured, as well as clustered, HVAC and audio controls take some time to navigate.
The seats in the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, which were immediately appreciated, lost some of their lustre on longer trips. Their soft and cushy nature provided no real support, and the material proved rough on bare skin. Although this is a letdown, the cabin's quietness at highway speeds made for a generally comfortable environment.
As for the driver's spot, finding a proper command position was easy enough. The vehicle's front visibility is seriously hampered by hefty "A" pillars and the large well designed mirrors. Take note of this before driving off the lot.
The 2012 Chevrolet Equinox's trunk was one of the least capacious of the group, which is counter-intuitive given that it was one of the largest. The reasoning lies in how narrow the space is: We noted that an average-size stroller didn't fit width-wise. That's a #fail.
 |
| The cabin's quietness at highway speeds made for a generally comfortable environment. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre) |
4 is more
The Chevy Equinox can be powered by one of two equally interesting powertrains. The optional 264 hp 3.0L V6 has got plenty of heart but is far more glutinous, downing roughly a third more black gold than the tester's 2.4L 4-pot.
At 182 hp and 172 torques, the base engine is plenty capable. The 6-speed autobox manages the power thanks to properly geared cogs and a willingness to play along. In most cases, one does not go with the other, but GM pulls a serious tour de force with the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox.
This specific Equinox was a FWD model which helped on a number of levels including fuel consumption, which averaged 8.5L/100 km over the course of the week.
Where the absence of AWD did not help was under hard acceleration when the front wheels would complain about losing traction. I'm not talking about full-on launches, therefore appropriate winter tires will be a necessity when the weather gets ugly. The full-time, intelligent AWD is an undeniable added bonus for only $1,650.
 |
| At 182 hp and 172 torques, the base engine is plenty capable. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre) |
Calm seas
On the road, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox is supremely relaxed and this may be its other best attribute. The ride is cushy and smooth, and given the well isolated cabin the occupants will probably never feel more at ease in another compact crossover.
Laden or not, the Equinox rides with sufficient confidence thanks to minimal body-roll and a generally uneventful drive. The offset to the Zen ride is handling: it cannot be considered sporty, but by the same token won't make you sea-sick.
Like most GM products, the Equinox's brakes feel great. The left pedal remains firm under heavy effort and the pinchers never lose their composure. Steering is at all times precise, with a tad too much hydraulic assistance.
The Equinox
Chevy's compact CUV, the GMC Terrain's twin BTW, has a starting price of $26,445. As tested, my FWD 1LT with Convenience package retails for $30,850; remember that this is without AWD.
By comparison, a 2012 Kia Sportage EX sports a sticker price of $29,995 and features a number of nice-to-haves including dual-zone climate control and AWD... The only downside to the Kia is its marginally smaller trunk.
There are more expensive equivalent crossovers such as the Volkswagen, however, both of these vehicles are far more appealing visually. Our comparo test will shed more light on other members of this highly competitive segment.
In the end, it's all there but the way it comes together doesn't make it my pick in the category.