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Chevrolet Equinox - What the Auto Press Says

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox ranks 4 out of 21 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 20 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Equinox, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Previously a good - but not great - entry within its class, the Equinox gets a much-needed makeover for 2010. With more power, a revamped interior and better fuel economy, the 2010 Chevy Equinox now has what it takes to become a class leader.

Even better is the fact that Chevrolet isn't charging a premium for the improvements. In fact, they've dropped the price of the new Equinox by more than $1,000. "All new for 2010, the second-generation Chevy Equinox is more attractive, more refined, more powerful, more fuel efficient and more feature-filled than its predecessor," says Kelley Blue Book. "Overnight the Equinox has gone from outdated to outstanding." Reviewers offer mostly praise for the updated Equinox. It's a finalist for the coveted 2010 North American Truck of the Year accolade and one of three nominees for Road & Travel Magazine's International Truck of the Year award. However, several reviewers still have lingering complaints about the SUV's ho-hum driving experience.

Be sure to check for current Chevrolet Deals that may be available on a new Equinox.

The Equinox comes in several trims -- the base LS, mid-level LT, luxurious LTZ, and performance-minded Sport. The Equinox comes in either front- or all-wheel drive.

• "Chevrolet's second iteration of the Equinox is a long way removed from last year's model. While it is not particularly exciting to drive, it is more than capable of running with the competition. More important, the Equinox offers style and value with the capabilities and functionality demanded by the class." -- Automobile Magazine
• "On sale now, the 2010 Chevy Equinox expands the General's roster of seriously competitive players. It may be relatively bland to drive, but this new Equinox is good enough at crossover-y tasks (like family-hauling, cargo-carrying, and commuting) to establish a fan base moving forward. That's a good thing, as GM needs all the good players on its roster it can get." -- Car and Driver
• "With the 2010 Equinox, Chevrolet has a product that genuinely outperforms its best competitors in the areas of NVH [noise, vibration and harshness], accommodation, and fuel economy. That it does so with better content and more than competitive pricing marks a return to the ‘more than expected' philosophy that brought about Chevrolet's postwar golden age." -- Motor Trend
• "With the Equinox, GM figures it's providing more interior room, more standard equipment, higher fuel economy and better design at competitive pricing. After this first look, we're inclined to agree. You'd have to put a gun to our heads to get us to buy an entry-level compact SUV, but if we had no choice, we'd go for the new Equinox." -- Jalopnik
• "GM is pricing the new Equinox very aggressively and greatly reducing the number of buildable combinations. Most items are now packaged in four trim levels and, including colors, there are now about 1,200 different combinations that the plant can build compared to over 10,000 previously." -- Autoblog

Equinox Performance - 7.8 (Good)

Most test drivers feel that the 2010 Equinox performs much better than the previous model, though there is still general agreement that the overall driving experience leaves something to be desired. Automobile Magazine says: "Driving the Equinox is a passive experience. Power delivery is smooth, but slow." The reviewer adds, "For highway cruising and picking up the kids, it's a very safe bet. But who invented the rule that says family cars can't have feeling in the steering wheel?" A major plus is the Equinox's excellent fuel economy, which beats even the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid on the highway. Read More

Equinox Exterior - 9.1 (Excellent)

Though the Equinox hasn't gotten too drastic of an exterior makeover, Chevrolet has added front-end elements from the Malibu sedan, as well chrome wheels. Edmunds says the result is "improbably, is a really very handsome thing that looks upscale -- not only more upscale than the styled-by-origami 2009 Equinox but also more so than its raft of competitors." Read More

Equinox Interior - 9.1 (Excellent)

Nearly all test drivers applaud the 2010 Chevy Equinox's interior, including its comfortable seats, tranquil noise level and pleasant styling. "The 2010 Chevy Equinox features the most stylish, most contemporary interior in the category," says Kelley Blue Book. "It's also the best-looking interior we've ever seen in a bow tie-badged car. There are some middling materials here and there, including some cheap-looking plastic-chrome accents, but they don't detract from the fact the Equinox has a luxury-grade interior." Above all, reviewers are impressed with the Equinox's noise damping, which is a huge improvement over its predecessor. Read More

Equinox Safety - 10.0 (Excellent)

The Equinox earns excellent crash test scores from the federal government  and insurance industry. It also comes with plenty of accident avoidance features, including Traction Control. Read More

Equinox Reliability - 5.0 (Mediocre)

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Chevrolet offers a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty. Read More