2013 Chevrolet Equinox - Review

The Basics:

The 2013 Chevy Equinox has been an unexpected sales powerhouse, and it's for good reason--it's one of the more spacious crossovers, and it offers a great mix of gas mileage and interior space for families, not to mention excellent safety scores.

The versatile Equinox was redesigned a couple of years ago, and for the first time in its history, it emerged as a truly competitive vehicle for the likes of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 and Venza. It looked the part, too, with crisper, sportier styling than its predecessor, with better proportions and many of the cues of the latest Chevrolet lineup. The Equinox's cabin, likewise, is a little edgier and adventuresome, with vents flanking the radio and climate controls and a design that's much closer to Chevy's new car models like the Cruze and Sonic than to its full-size SUVs or trucks.

For 2013, Chevrolet has upgraded the optional engine in the Equinox; it's now a 301-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 that, as we've sampled in the closely related Cadillac SRX, brings a quicker, more responsive feel without worse gas mileage. But our recommendation for most shoppers with the 2013 Equinox remains the fuel-efficient (and lower cost) four-cylinder models. With 182 horsepower, the 2.4-liter four idles smoothly, albeit with a somewhat clattery direct-injection sound, and once underway it's agreeable and unobtrusive. The combination comes with a stellar 32-mpg highway rating, too. The Equinox doesn't track as confidently on the highway as we'd like, but this is first and foremost a family vehicle.

That priority shows when you have the family get into the Equinox, or need to load some cargo. There's an excellent carlike driving position, while the cross-stitched dual-tone perforated leather in top LTZ models feels quite luxurious. Back seats aren't just for temporary duty either; there's enough space for two adults to sprawl out, with decent legroom, and the seatbacks are adjustable for rake. And with a deep center console, retractable cargo cover, stretchy net, and two deep cargo wells in back, the Equinox offers space for smaller items, grocery bags, or pieces of furniture.

The Equinox has been a consistent top performer in crash-tests and safety ratings. It's been named an IIHS Top Safety Pick, and it's earned top four- and five-star results from the federal government. Rearward visibility remains the biggest flaw in this area, but available features like a new rearview camera system, blind-spot mirrors, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning all improve the situation. For 2013 Chevrolet has expanded the availability of the latter two features to more models--this time with either engine.

Compared to other family vehicles that are equipped to a specific price point, the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox is a pretty impressive proposition, with good connectivity and infotainment features, a strong set of convenience features, and even some high-tech active-safety options. Last year GM sweetened the Equinox's feature set to include touch-screen audio system with a USB port across most of the lineup, and added its new voice-activated, touch-screen-based MyLink Connectivity system--for easier connectivity for hands-free calling or media access--as an option. The MyLink package includes smartphone connectivity, integrated Pandora and Stitcher app compatibility, and hands-free controls.

Now for 2013, you can get a true navigation system paired with the MyLink system. Chevrolet has also added a new Power Convenience Package that makes a power passenger seat, power programmable liftgate, and universal garage-door opener also available in LT models. A Safety Package can also be added to the LT.