Managing over 300,000 units a year consistently on the sales chart, the Chevrolet Equinox is one serious player in the midsize SUV game. Though it might not come out as the most practical SUVs out there, it definitely gets its brownie points when it comes to cabin room and ride comfort making it a blind choice for many families nowadays.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox Dashboard
With Chevrolet bringing their A-game in quality and style with the latest generation, things did start coming more in favor for this SUV recently which is directly reflected in the spike seen on the sales chart. So, has the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox have what it needs to become your next family SUV and a daily driver? Does it match the practicality, usability, and comfort levels of rivals like the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, and the Mazda CX-5 for a base asking premium of $23,800? This section should give you a brief idea of that.
The Chevrolet Equinox’s interior has never been a benchmark in its segment but has been an amalgamation of some really appealing aspects. Firstly, the high mount seats are some of the comfiest we have been on for this class of midsize SUVs and the only one that we could tag as one that offers a real SUV-like driving experience. The seats themselves feel really good and are really supportive with enough room to move around on long trips, with enough range of power adjustments at the tip of your finders (trim dependent). Most of the controls fall in hand real easy and the forward visibility is also some of the best we have experienced. The center armrest is placed right where your elbows would go, but the leather surfacing on that just feels as hard as a rock.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox Front Seats
The rear seats are also pretty roomy and offer some of the best legroom in its class. Being the SUV with the longest wheelbase, this doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The seats also offer two steps of recline angles, which though, do not make a world of difference, is a nice to have feature anyways. The Chevrolet Equinox has always been known for its plush ride and it continues to be the same here, with some of the best road noise insulation in its class. Go for a higher trim and you get amenities like perforated leather upholstery, power drive seats adjustment even heating for the steering wheel and front seats get offered.
Model
2020 Chevrolet Equinox
2020 Honda CR-V
2020 Toyota RAV4
2020 Mazda CX-5
Passenger Capacity
5
5
5
5
First Row (Head/shoulder/legroom)
40.0/57.2/40.9
38/57.9/41.3
39.5/57.8/41.0
39.7/57.1/41
Second Row (Head/shoulder/legroom)
38.5/55.5/39.9
39.1/55.6/40.4
39.5/56.4/37.8
39.0/54.8/39.6
Though the bigger exterior proportions and longer wheelbase might suggest a bigger cabin, the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox isn’t any roomier than its competition here. Apart from maybe the rear leg room, the Chevrolet Equinox falls right in the middle of the pack in most measurements. The Honda CR-V is the vehicle here that has a broader cabin here and a trunk that measures 39.2 cu.-ft. is easily the largest in its class. The Toyota RAV4 and the Mazda CX-5 match the Equinox when it comes to front seat space, but do not feel all that accommodating at the rear as the Chevy does.
Some standout interior features of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox include:
8-Way Power- heated front seats with memory functionality
Leather wrapped steering with tilt/telescopic adjustment
Wireless phone charger
Polished metal cabin inserts
Dual-zone climate control system
Full leather interior upholstery
How intuitive is the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox’s infotainment system?
Chevrolet’s Infotainment 3 Plus system is something that we have been seeing popping up on different cars for some time now. It is one of the more user-friendly systems around with big icons and easy to navigate the menu. The standard system is a 7-inch unit but the higher trim does get you a slightly wider 8-inch unit. No matter what trim you go for a 6-speaker audio system and features like Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Bluetooth audio streaming, voice command support, and 4G LTE with Wifi hotspot come in as standard equipment.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox Infotainment System
That said, the bigger 8-inch unit also gives you access option to include turn-by-turn navigation and a 7-Speaker Bose Premium Audio system. Talking about usability, the screen feels quite slick and responsive with everything falling within one arm’s reach. However, the slightly tilted screen gets a lot of glare from the sunroof if you have the blinds open, affecting its usability on sunny days.
Standout infotainment features available with the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox:
7-Inch Infotainment 3 Plus touch screen (8-inch available)
Apple Carplay/ Android Auto connectivity/
4G LTE with Wifi Hotspot
Bluetooth hands-free
Optional Navigation
Voice activation system
6-speaker performance audio system (7-speaker Bose system available)
Steering mounted Audi controls
What are the creature comfort features inside the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
The base trims of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, apart from being functional, have nothing to write home about. But get a fancier trim and you get access to several premium features like a larger media screen, extensive leather trimming on both the dashboard and door panels, keyless ignition, dual-zone climate control, power front seats, memory-function for seats/exterior mirror, and a whole lot more. You also get 4 USB ports, 2 in each row, so that no one would end up with a dead phone battery. Taking a look at the steering wheel, you also notice that advanced safety equipment like Lane departure warning and forward collision braking are all part of the standard package with is a really nice add-on and does sum up to offer a better sense of security when driving the vehicle.
What is the cargo capacity on offer?
If we were to find one downside on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, it would and always have been the cargo area. Measuring in at just 29.9 cu.-ft., it might be a bit tight for your weekend family trips. Fit in two average-size strollers and you are almost done with most of the cargo floor space.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox Cargo Space
That said, the 60:40 split rear seats can be folded down to increase the room to 63.9 cu.-ft. The easy access rear seat fold mechanism on the trunk is a nice addition but is one of several features that are reserved for the higher trims, unfortunately.
Model
2020 Chevrolet Equinox
2020 Honda CR-V
2020 Toyota RAV4
2020 Mazda CX-5
Cargo Capacity to the second row(cu.-ft)
29.9
39.2
37.6
30.9
With a cargo hold that measures just 29.9 cu-.ft., you wouldn’t go wrong calling it the least practical SUV here. It always has been that way as far as we can remember, and the high loading floor it has is not helping improve things either. The Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 rule this aspect as they have done with every model year before with some of the most efficient use of the rear trunk area. Even the Mazda CX-5, which we expected to come at the bottom, manages to overshadow the Chevrolet Equinox here.
What are the other storage spaces inside?
As with any car these days, you get a small pocket in front of the drive selector that fits your phone which also doubles up as the wireless charging pad, if you have your vehicle equipped with that feature. Coming further back, the center armrest, hides a decently sized pocket, which we think is the most usable cubby hold in this SUV. You also get a couple of removable trays on top for god knows what. Then there is the regular crop of cup holders both at the front and on the rear bench armrest. You also get some space for knickknacks under the trunk floor, but sadly that is one feature that is reserved for the higher trims.
So, is the interior of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox luxurious and opulent enough?
In short, yes. The Chevrolet Equinox has been a midsize SUV that has been hanging around for a long time now with each generation bringing about some noticeable updates and improvements, eventually making it one of the most desirable vehicles in its segment. The comfort factor has always been there with this SUV since inception and the quality levels are something that Chevy has been tinkering around with each successive model year. You definitely are going to deal with a lot of hard plastics given the price range it competes in, but the overall appeal is more towards something that feels to be on the premium side and not towards something that looks compromised or cut corners on. As things stand, the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox gets a thumbs up from us.
