2008 Chevrolet Equinox Quality Review

For a crossover SUV, the Chevrolet 2008 Equinox has a surprising amount of interior space to deliver, but some materials are incongruous with more luxurious design elements.

The "roomy and versatile cabin" impresses Edmunds, while ConsumerGuide says there’s "plenty of headroom and legroom up front." MyRide.com finds the "front seats uncomfortable" and "lacking anything resembling lateral support." The most remarkable element of the interior's accommodations is the vast amount of rear seat hip and legroom, though. Chevy has put the rear seat on sliding tracks so that it moves forward and back up across an eight-inch range. The rear seat's back also folds forward in a 60/40 split, and the right front passenger seat folds flat into a table as well. Car and Driver applauds how the "Multi-Flex rear seating aims to provide flexibility for passengers and cargo." Reviewers at Kelley Blue Book note "more rear-seat legroom than even the biggest SUVs." Edmunds praises the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox as having "lots of stretch-out room for both rows," while ConsumerGuide grumbles that the "bench seat is hard and flat," though at least "there's plenty of headroom."

Behind the seats, though, the cargo area is about the size of that in the smaller Ford Escape. Families are sure to like the "height-adjustable cargo shelf [that] serves as both a security cover and a picnic table," Car and Driver says. Elsewhere inside, Chevrolet augments the front console with several "hidden storage compartments," Edmunds reports, and in the back, space is further increased by "integrated storage bins." The storage capacity of the interior is also singled out and praised for "69 cubic feet of total cargo capacity," placing the Equinox "among the class leaders."

Edmunds says the Chevy Equinox delivers a "quiet, well-insulated cabin." However, most remain unmoved by "subpar interior materials" and workmanship. That’s a common complaint among several reviewers; Car and Driver says "less than impressive interior materials make Equinox feel less refined than its competitors." Kelley Blue Book reports, “As for materials in the Equinox, Chevrolet has created an "interior marked by ill-fitting plastic, ho-hum cloth upholstery and a general lack of sophistication." MyRide.com bemoans "stalks for the turn signals and wipers felt brittle when used."

Noise is another common grievance. "Wind noise is obvious at highway speeds," says ConsumerGuide. The poorly insulated 2008 Chevy cabin is further assailed by "tires, which roar on smooth road surfaces."