2018 Chevy Equinox to Be Smaller, More Expensive
Details about Chevy Equinox are Equally Impressive and Disappointing. We Consider the Implications of Both Notions
The Chevrolet Equinox, Chevy’s best-selling crossover is getting a major remake for 2018. The new third-generation CUV is getting loaded down with new equipment, like larger infotainment screens, a pile of crash avoidance tech and a trio of new engines.
Thrown into the mix are some new transmissions. The new engines consist of a pair of small turbocharged four-cylinder units in 1.5L and 2.0L flavor. A 1.6L diesel four is coming as well. The 2.0L gets the transmission upgrade with a nine-speed unit.
The new Chevy Equinox is moving over to the same Delta platform as the Cruze. This strategy should bring improvements in driving dynamics. It also brings substantial weight savings to the tune of 400 pounds, a drop of nearly 10-percent.
That all sounds pretty great, and it should make the new Equinox an ever stronger competitor in the market.
But that is where the good news stops. You see, for all the good changes, there are a few that we are not overly fond of. While the new engines provide more torque across the lineup, these new engines also mean the Equinox has measurably less horsepower than the outgoing car. And while the new Delta underpinnings cut weight dramatically, the 2018 Equinox had to shrink a lot to fit the new bones; losing more than five inches in the wheelbase length.
Finally, and perhaps most damningly, the new Equinox is the most expensive ever with a base price of $24,574. That’s a gain of nearly $1,500 dollars over the old model for a car with less horsepower and less interior volume.
The thing we loved the most about the Equinox was its larger-than-average size compared to the competition, and its available 300 horsepower V6. An American-sized crossover with American-sized horsepower, it was offered for a cheaper price than the competition from Japan. The market will decide if GM made the right choices. But from where we are sitting it seems like the Equinox has moved backwards.
