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Entry-level Equinox is Chevy's bid for a balance of style, size
Tom Incantalupo
Newsday.com
ROAD TEST
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Another small SUV has hit the streets courtesy of Chevrolet: the Equinox, elbowing into an increasingly crowded arena with an entry that's a generation ahead of its trucky predecessor in handling and comfort and, at least in some ways, ahead of its competition.
In a week of tough driving that ranged from Manhattan gridlock to hilly interstate, my test Equinox was a loyal companion, well-controlled thanks in part to a fully independent suspension. It was peppy enough, comfortable and reasonably quiet for a truck. I got one complaint from a rear passenger that the seat was too hard but, otherwise, I can find no serious flaws. With the boilerplate caution that any new model carries a degree of risk for reliability, this little SUV seems worth a look.
Just one engine and one transmission are offered: a 3.4-liter V-6 and a five-speed automatic.
The 3.4 is an old GM engine but it gets the job done with minimal noise and vibration. It's not as impressive or potent, however, as the Honda-built V-6 in the Saturn Vue described in this space April 9. Even though it shares some structural basics with the Vue, the Equinox is a roomier vehicle, with a 6-inch-longer wheelbase and a 7-inch-longer bumper- to-bumper length.
Even in the base model I sampled, the interior was well-appointed, with a two-tone black and beige dashboard trimmed with aluminum-looking plastic. Gauges are clear and controls well-located and intuitive in their operation.
Competitors in this class include the much smaller and four-cylinder-only Honda CR-V; the slightly smaller four- or six-cylinder Toyota Highlander; and the four- or six-cylinder Ford Escape.
The Escape, a big seller that's been freshened for '05, is available with a 200-hp. V-6 in a version that begins at $23,370 with freight and front-wheel drive.
The Highlander's six-cylinder engine blows this Chevy away, with 230 hp., and the Toyota is available with a third-row seat. But six-cylinder versions start at almost $26,000. Toyota's smaller RAV4 is cheaper but available only with a four-cylinder engine.
Full Review here
Tom Incantalupo
Newsday.com
ROAD TEST
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Another small SUV has hit the streets courtesy of Chevrolet: the Equinox, elbowing into an increasingly crowded arena with an entry that's a generation ahead of its trucky predecessor in handling and comfort and, at least in some ways, ahead of its competition.
In a week of tough driving that ranged from Manhattan gridlock to hilly interstate, my test Equinox was a loyal companion, well-controlled thanks in part to a fully independent suspension. It was peppy enough, comfortable and reasonably quiet for a truck. I got one complaint from a rear passenger that the seat was too hard but, otherwise, I can find no serious flaws. With the boilerplate caution that any new model carries a degree of risk for reliability, this little SUV seems worth a look.
Just one engine and one transmission are offered: a 3.4-liter V-6 and a five-speed automatic.
The 3.4 is an old GM engine but it gets the job done with minimal noise and vibration. It's not as impressive or potent, however, as the Honda-built V-6 in the Saturn Vue described in this space April 9. Even though it shares some structural basics with the Vue, the Equinox is a roomier vehicle, with a 6-inch-longer wheelbase and a 7-inch-longer bumper- to-bumper length.
Even in the base model I sampled, the interior was well-appointed, with a two-tone black and beige dashboard trimmed with aluminum-looking plastic. Gauges are clear and controls well-located and intuitive in their operation.
Competitors in this class include the much smaller and four-cylinder-only Honda CR-V; the slightly smaller four- or six-cylinder Toyota Highlander; and the four- or six-cylinder Ford Escape.
The Escape, a big seller that's been freshened for '05, is available with a 200-hp. V-6 in a version that begins at $23,370 with freight and front-wheel drive.
The Highlander's six-cylinder engine blows this Chevy away, with 230 hp., and the Toyota is available with a third-row seat. But six-cylinder versions start at almost $26,000. Toyota's smaller RAV4 is cheaper but available only with a four-cylinder engine.
Full Review here
