The all-new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox hits the streets with a fresh face, a new drivetrain and completely revised architecture,

The new Equinox is a giant leap forward from the outgoing model. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

a triple-threat combination for the besieged American auto manufacturer.
 
The Equinox turns to the Chevrolet Malibu sedan and Traverse crossover for inspiration when it comes to the exterior design. Its front end comes complete with the distinguishable two-tiered grille, golden bowtie at centre, while other styling features include wraparound headlamps, a strong roofline, dual round tail lamps and more. Tying the new design to the road is a set of P225/65R17 all-season tires with 17” aluminum wheels.
 
Under the long hood is a new engine, GM’s 2.4L, 16-valve, DOHC, I-4 engine that produces 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque. Previously, the Equinox was only offered with a V6, so not only does the 2010 model look better, but it can get better fuel economy too.

Clean, attractive lines from every vantage point. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

On average, the 2.4 uses an estimated 9.2L/100km in the city and 6.1L/100km on the highway. Those results aren’t too shabby considering this crossover seats five and boasts a pretty decent number of horses under the hood. Plus, the Equinox has the best in-class highway fuel consumption with the 2.4L engine, which is something to brag about.
 
Contributing to the great fuel results is a six-speed automatic transmission, and an option to drive in an “eco” kind of way. The “eco” button is located just above the gearbox and, when pressed, allows the vehicle to change its shift points to maximize fuel economy. This is especially useful when driving in stop-and-go traffic or when you’re just

A stylish interior, the Equinox is also well put together. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

inching along; something I am very familiar with! But if power and a V6 engine are what tickles your fancy the Equinox can be equipped with a 3.0L V6 that produces 264 horsepower and 222 lb-ft of torque.
 
The new Equinox interior is a treat too. First off, the dash is anything but boring. The use of different colours, including ambient “ice blue” lighting, and textures, makes it aesthetically appealing. Also, I’m a huge fan of the positioning of the air vents, primarily the vents to the left of the “floating” centre stack and to right of the driver’s door. I know it sounds like an odd thing to be excited about, but I’ll tell you why they’re great. In the winter months I find my hands get quite cold, and to warm them up

Lots of room in back. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

when driving I usually angle the heating vents towards my hands. Now, when the vents are horizontal and further away it’s a lot harder to get the heat to blow directly on my hands. With the Equinox’s vents close to the steering wheel and vertical, my hands were nice and toasty all the time and it didn’t take a lot of fiddling around to make it happen.
 
Also great are the multi-toned, premium cloth seats. They’re comfortable and chic looking. The combination of Jet Black and Light Titanium colours with red stitching definitely brightens the cabin. The only negative comment I heard about the interior was in regards to the middle seat. A group of friends and I went out for lunch and poor Michelle,

Loads of room for cargo. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

who is 6 feet tall got stuck in the middle. She had no problems with the leg or headroom, but the seatback was rather stiff and uncomfortable. Next time I told her to bring a pillow! Nevertheless, I didn’t hear any qualms from anyone else.
 
When driving the Equinox, I found that the cabin was rather quiet. When accelerating, I expected the higher revs of the 4-cylinder engine would be a lot more audible from inside the cabin, but that wasn’t the case and I’m glad. I also felt the firmness of the 4-wheel independent suspension was to my liking. The front-wheel drive compact crossover (four-wheel drive is optional) performed admirably on

The Equinox is one solid offering from the reborn Chevrolet. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

the roads and had good form when it came to taking corners. Where it lacked was in the rear visibility department. Backing up and parallel parking were challenging activities, but nothing I couldn’t overcome. Now, if this were the 2LT model I would have had the assistance of a rearview camera. Oh well, maybe next time!
 
Pricing the 2010 Equinox is quite favourable, with an MSRP of $27,725 excluding freight & PDI, and comes with quite a lot of standard features including 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, six airbags, StabiliTrak® electronic stability control system, Traction Control, and more. The optional XM satellite radio ($260) and a rear cargo cover ($90), which were also equipped on the LT model, brought the price as tested to $29,425 (including delivery charges, but before taxes).
 
Overall, I’m impressed with what Chevy has done with its Equinox. It looks good, drives well and feels nice. With a product like this, the Equinox is bound to do well.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(K05) Engine Block Heater

(UPF) Bluetooth