The steering wheel is perfectly shaped and excellent to grip. The front seats are large, supportive, and offer a wide range of adjustment. SeatsComfort is one of the Equinox's strengths. In addition to chrome trim, the test vehicle had red exposed seat stitching, red storage area liners, blue accent lighting, black seats, and a gray headliner. Furthermore, the test vehicle's dashboard and front door panels were obviously misaligned, and the transmission shifter–a component that an owner uses every single time they drive the vehicle–felt and sounded clunky and unrefined when selecting a gear.Ĭhrome exterior mirror caps and a chrome transmission shifter surround intend to give the Equinox LTZ a fancier appearance, but on bright and sunny days they produced significant sun flare and glare, nearly blinding the driver. InteriorHard plastic prevails within the Equinox, and though it avoids a shiny sheen in most locations, in others the inexpensive and unrefined finish is difficult to reconcile with the SUV's price tag. While the minor changes serve to better align the Equinox with other contemporary Chevrolet models, the company should have conserved that cash for a significant upgrade to the interior. ExteriorChevrolet unnecessarily spent money updating the 2016 Equinox's exterior styling, which already ranked as owners' favorite aspect of the SUV. What Our Expert SaysIn the sections that follow, our expert provides his own assessment of how the new 2016 Equinox performs in each of the 10 categories that comprise the 2015 U.S. Owners indicate that their least favorite things about the Equinox are (in descending order) fuel economy, engine/transmission, climate control system, infotainment system, and visibility and safety. Owners indicate that their favorite things about the Equinox are (in descending order) exterior styling, interior design, seats, driving dynamics, and storage and space. Fuel economy is a little more important to them, too, but otherwise their preferences align with the rest of the Compact SUV segment. $90,130 segment average).Ĭompared with the segment average, more Equinox buyers identify as retired, and twice as many of them strongly agree that they prefer to buy from a U.S. 56 segment average) and earning a median household income of $80,909 (vs. Power data shows that 52% of Equinox owners are women, and are a little older and about 10% less affluent than the average for the segment, at 58 years of age (vs. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, SM the Equinox slipped another two rank positions to seventh place out of 12 models in the Compact SUV segment. Since 2012, owner satisfaction with the performance and design of the Equinox has been dropping, and in the J.D. The price came to $34,620, including the $895 destination charge.Before we discuss the results of our evaluation of the new 2016 Equinox, it is helpful to understand who bought the previous version of this SUV and what they liked most and least about it. And for many buyers, the middle of the road is a comfortable place to be.What Owners Say For this review, our expert evaluated a Chevrolet Equinox LTZ with all-wheel drive, extra-cost Siren Red paint, both of the available Driver Confidence option packages containing driver-assistance technologies, and an Enhanced Convenience option package. It isn’t the prettiest, nor is it the most engaging, but like that businessman drone, the Equinox gets the job done. During a week of mixed driving, I averaged 11.1 L/100 km overall. The V6 is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that goes about its business with little drama, but as far as efficiency goes, there’s no getting around the fact that this is a heavy vehicle with a powerful engine fuel consumption for the 3.6-litre V6 AWD Equinox is rated at 14.8 L/100 km in the city and 9.9 highway, compared to 10.5/7.3 for the four-cylinder. Equipped with this powertrain, the Equinox has a max towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, compared to 1,500 with the four-cylinder. of torque, it’s one of the more powerful engines in the compact crossover segment. While the base model’s four-cylinder engine has been criticized for being harsh and underpowered, the LTZ’s 3.6-litre V6 is quiet and refined, and doles out power in a satisfyingly linear progression. Article content 2016 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

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