Considering all the comfort and highest interior enhancements on offer for a reasonable price, it has to be the Chevy Equinox 2011 LTZ with FWD that stands out among all. With the comparable towing utility, best-in-lineup interior convenience, and top-notch economy, this trim gives you the most satisfaction. 

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox LS introduces itself at a price tag of $22,995 and owns features like the 17-inch alloy wheels, 6-speaker audio unit, and Graphic Interface Display. The next trim is the 1LT costing $24,160 for which one gets to use the Bluetooth Connectivity along with Premium Cloth Seats.

Pay $2,060 more than what you pay for the Equinox LT1 and you would rev the 2LT configuration that brings in Automatic Climate Control and Heated Front Seats. While the best among all of them is the LTZ edition with assets such as the Perforated Leather-Appointed Seats and Digital Music Storage for an MSRP of $28,570. 

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox houses an ECOTEC 2.4L Inline-4 engine under the hood that punches out 182-hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that transfers the power through an FWD layout. There’s an optional 3.0L V6 engine available as well that cranks out 264-hp and 222 lb-ft of torque while keeping other configuration as it is, thereby, making the Equinox more potent and quicker. 

Choosing the V6 does not only make the 2011 Equinox faster but rather allows you to tow 3,500 lbs too at the same time, that being 2,000 lbs more than that of the base engine, with an increment of $1,500 in your budget. On other hand, the optional AWD platform gives the excitement of higher traction that seems to be lacking in the FWD outplay. Also, the scope of refining the handling dynamics and steering pursuit is pretty much lively for this boxy SUV. 

In terms of performance, all the rivals with their base engines have a similar towing capacity, however, the RAV4 seems to have some 100 lbs payload capacity than the Equinox 2011. Speaking of the power curve, the 2011 Ford Escape, it has 11 hp lower surge than the Equinox horsepower which tends to affect it a little on the straights. 

The 2011 Chevy Equinox MPG returns some of the most efficient figures in the marketplace with EPA ratings of 22 MPG in the city, 32 MPG on the highway, and 26 MPG combined for the FWD layout. However, they go down with a thirstier V6 engine that offers 17/25/20 MPG in city/highway/combined respectively for the same FWD configuration.

The Chevrolet Equinox AWD has been engineered out to have a mileage of 20/29/23 MPG in the similar city/highway/combined driving conditions. On the other hand, the V6 powertrain in pairing with AWD drops down by 1 MPG across all formats as compared to the FWD. As far as range is concerned, 468 miles of combined range is within your gas pedal which may increase to 601 miles when its 18.8-gallon fuel tank is completely filled. 

Being 4 MPG more efficient than the 2011 CR-V, RAV4, and Escape on the highway, the Chevy Equinox turns out to be a good affair for your economy. Its 3.5-gallon bigger fuel tank further gives it an edge against the CR-V by 101 miles during your daily combined commute while the RAV4 lags behind the Equinox by 71 miles at the same time.

Step inside the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox interior and the generic premium cloth-finish manually adjustable seats are the first ones to get your vision for the LS and 1LT trims. In addition to that, we have nothing better than the manual climate control inside these trims as well, however, the Leather-wrapped Steering Wheel does get a mention from Equinox 1LT onwards.

Moving to the higher configurations such as the 2011 Equinox 2LT and Equinox LTZ interiors, the Automatic Climate Control keeps the ambiance calm and so does the heated front row. Moreover, the Eight-way Power Driver Seat is also called upon for your convenience for these two top-end editions where the LTZ has the privilege of leather upholstery too. Meanwhile, a cargo capacity of 31.4 cu-ft is standard throughout the lineup which can expand to 63.7 cu-ft at its best.  

As per data, the 2011 Equinox cargo space has been arranged to be 5 cu-ft less practical than the RAV4 but it tries to compensate for that with its 1.6 inches better 2nd-row legroom. On the other hand, the CR-V appears to be having 4.3 cu-ft more accommodating in its cargo volume, unlike Ford Escape which is at par with the Equinox 2011. Also, a Graphic Interface Display sits right in the middle for control settings which stays common throughout. 

The Chevrolet Equinox 2011 flaunts a 6-speaker audio unit too that finds its sweet spot inside the LS and 1LT. While the Equinox 2LT and Equinox LTZ settle with the Pioneer Premium 250-watt 8-speaker Sound System. Further extending these feature assets, the 1LT integrates Bluetooth Connectivity that continues for other higher trims but the Digital Music Storage retains its stance of exclusivity for the LTZ.

• Manual/Automatic Climate Control
• Manual/Power Seats
• Heated front seats
• Cloth/Leather upholstery
• AM/FM stereo
• XM Radio10 with three trial months 
• CD/MP3 player and six-speaker system
• 6-speaker audio unit

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox is no different in its design silhouette. And the halogen headlamps with automatic exterior lamp control continue to define the front fascia in conjunction with the split grille having that bow-tie emblem embossed right in the center. 

Also, the Chevy Equinox 2011 rides on the 17-inch Alloy Wheels, 18-inch Machined-aluminum Wheels, and 19-inch Chrome-clad Wheels as per trim specific. Further, on top, it attaches roof rails for luggage management that goes inherent for all except Equinox LS.  

Based on the figures, the Chevrolet Equinox 2011 weighs 100 lbs less than the CR-V but is 518 lbs heavier than the Ford Escape because of which Equinox might be a difficult one to handle at tight corners. However, its 1.1 inches higher ground clearance than the CR-V could prove to be pretty handy for the underbody panels and platform bed on the off-road terrains. 

• Standard 17-inch alloy wheels
• Tinted rear windows
• Roof rails
• Fog Lamps
• Automatic headlamps
• Optional 19-inch chrome-clad wheels 
• Front and rear body-color bumpers with bright front and rear lower

The 2011 Chevy Equinox has got an overall 4-star NHTSA safety rating and a "Good" rating by the IIHS in all parameters. On top of that, the IIHS has marked it with the "Top Safety Pick" award as well. Apart from these, we have got a series of safety features too, among which a few of them have been mentioned below:

• Daytime Running Lamps with Automatic Exterior 
• Lamp Control 
• LATCH (Lower Anchors and Top tethers for Children) system
• Automatic Crash Response 
• Power rear door child safety locks 
• StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System 
• Traction Control and rollover mitigation 
• Theft-deterrent system: content-theft alarm 

2011 Chevrolet Equinox vs. 2011 Honda CR-V

The 2011 Chevy Equinox and the 2011 Honda CR-V have got similar towing power at their ends. However, Equinox seems to outclass its rival with a better range and fuel economy scale. This stays true in the overall cabin spaciousness as well but unfortunately misses having a parallel cargo volume. All in all, it has to be Equinox that gets our preference. 

2011 Chevrolet Equinox vs. 2011 Toyota RAV4

The 2011 Chevy Equinox has been designed to be better off in the range coverage without compromising on its payload and towing utility. That being said, its practicality to seat 5 passengers is also impressive despite not having comparable cargo capacity to the RAV4. However, the RAV4 is slightly better in its dynamic pursuit. Therefore, one can go for either of them as per requirement. 

2011 Chevrolet Equinox vs. 2011 Ford Escape

The 2011 Chevy Equinox has a clear edge over the 2011 Ford Escape in almost all domains right from higher range to cabin roominess. The interior ambiance and tech-ends can be placed on the same level just like their towing prowess. But, if looked at holistically, the Equinox 2011 proves to be a reasonable proposition. 

To conclude, the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox is a strong competitor in its segment. It is generously loaded, the standard engine offers refined ride quality, while the optional V6 adds more grunt and swiftness. The interior layout offers segment-leading space. However, the safety aids do lack as compared to some of the Japanese rivals, but it’s still fitted with adequate tech and should be fine for most of us out there.