“Arlis” from Glendale, Ariz., recently bought a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. Overall, his review is pretty positive. The Equinox works for him in many ways, but there are a few details he would change. Because he lives out West, he can’t help but notice when vehicles struggle on those treks up the mountains. Read Arlis’ full review after the jump and then write your own here.
Over the last few weeks, I was able to get into two crossovers with upgraded engines. While both offered more horsepower, I wasn’t completely floored by either, and it begs the question of whether they’re worth the additional cost compared to their basic offerings.
The redesigned 2010 Chevy Equinox is off to a fast start, selling more than 13,000 units last month. Good news for those new owners, the crossover earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick award. To receive the nod, a vehicle must earn a top score of Good in front, side and rear crash tests; it also must be equipped with stability control.
The 2010 Cadillac SRX and the new 2010 GMC Terrain crossovers also earned Top Safety Pick status.
In November, the IIHS will start including roof strength tests into their award program, which will make it much harder for vehicles to get a Top Safety Pick designation.
In a discussion about the best small SUVs on the market, the Chevy Equinox never attracted much notice. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley thinks the redesigned 2010 model is about to change all that, as Chevy ups its game with the 2010 Equinox. To find out what the key changes are, you’ll have to watch the full video.
2010 Chevy Equinox Review
More Chevy Equinox News
2010|Chevrolet|Equinox
Update: I've altered the headline after many complaints from parents, including me, about the rear headrests being fixed.
We’ve written about the new Equinox’s Eco mode, Mike Hanley has posted his full review, and I’ve already detailed the iPod interface, but how does the redesigned crossover hold up for families? I tested it out with my growing brood and found it to be an amazing choice for small families.
I preface that this only applies to small families, because only two child seats will fit in the second row. There is no third row. However, the typical American family has 2.1 children, and I’d bet the backseat could fit that one-tenth-sized child easily…
With that in mind, I loaded up our two seats: a forward-facing Britax Marathon for Carter, 16 months, and a rear-facing Peg Perego Primo Viaggio infant seat for our 1-month-old, Evie. I would consider both to be on the larger side of the car-seat world.
The all-new 2010 Chevy Equinox has a terrific new interior design and, in most models, an all-new stereo with a USB iPod interface. I spent some time testing the new system, and in most ways it shows that GM is at the forefront of utilizing this type of setup. Of course, with others like Hyundai and especially Ford fielding strong competition, GM better be at the top of its game.
Editor Mike Hanley heaps high praise on the redesigned crossover from GM, saying “the redesigned Equinox offers an excellent balance of size and efficiency, roominess and utility, quality and price.” But he also points out some flaws, like a firm ride and even firmer cloth seats. Overall, the Equinox stands out as a big winner. We’ll have more here on the blog next week regarding the 2010 Equinox’s iPod interface and family friendliness.
Hop in the redesigned Chevrolet Equinox, and you may notice an “Eco” button ahead of the automatic gearshift. It comes in four-cylinder versions of the Equinox. In other cars, “Eco” or “Econ” buttons can limit A/C usage or, in the case of the Honda Insight and Toyota Highlander Hybrid, scale back accelerator sensitivity. The goal is the same: Improving fuel efficiency.
The Equinox’s example is one of the few such buttons we’ve seen in a non-hybrid that actually influences the way the engine and transmission react. Thanks in part to that button, GM says the four-cylinder Equinox achieves an impressive EPA-rated 32 mpg on the highway. Eco mode doesn’t come without a cost to the driving experience, though. At a press event last Friday near our Chicago offices, GM program engineering manager Doug Smith gave us a rundown.
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