2023 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox will arrive as a carryforward model hence no changes are expected in its trim lineup. The base L trim was deleted during the 2022 facelift and the LS trim is the new base trim now. With an estimated starting price of $27,000, the LS trim offers a handsome set of features such as a full LED headlamp setup, keyless entry and ignition with push-button start, wireless Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay, and standard ADAS features among others. Climbing up to the LT trim will get you satellite radio, power adjustability for the driver’s seat, and the Convenience package from the LS trim as standard.

The Convenience package includes features like rear privacy glass and a multi-color instrument cluster display. The sporty RS trim gets no mechanical tweaks but plenty of visual upgrades such as 19-inch black painted alloys, a power-operated liftgate, and roof rails. The top-end Premier trim gets some creature comfort features such as ambient interior lighting, a hands-free liftgate, and memory settings for the driver’s seat among others.

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The base LS trim offers the best value for its price tag due to the standard features it offers. However, if you wish to have more creature comfort features, the LT trim would be preferable while the top-end Premier trim is best suited for feature-focused shoppers.

Release Date

The 2023 Chevrolet Equinox has been released and the production is all set to start in August 2022. We expect the SUV to reach the dealerships by October.

With development moving in the right direction, crossovers have been giving smaller vehicles stiff competition in terms of almost everything, including fuel economy numbers. The Chevrolet Equinox stands tall in this aspect with its 26 mpg of city mileage and 31 mpg of highway mileage. The vehicle returns a combined mileage of 28 mpg as well. The numbers are decent for the segment but its immediate rivals do offer better numbers. It also offers commendable driving range figures too due to its decent-sized gas tank of 14.9 gallons.

Both the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape share similar fuel economy numbers here but the latter benefits from a marginally bigger gas tank. Due to that, the Escape can go a respectable number of miles when compared to the rivals here. The Subaru Forester is almost as fuel efficient as the Equinox but its sizable 16.6-gallon gas tank allows it to obliterate a majority of the segment rivals in terms of driving range.

The interior of the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox will be similar to the outgoing model’s cabin, and it carries the style quotient like its exterior design. The design is ergonomic and the controls are easily accessible from the driver’s seat. However, the quality of the materials used inside might disappoint considering the price tag the SUV carries. The steering wheel misses out on the flat-bottom design but offers good grip however, it doesn’t offer rake and reach adjustment. Despite that, it gets leather treatment from the LT trim onwards and also gets a heating function on the top-end Premier trim.

The headroom and legroom are more than adequate for both the front and rear occupants while the seats offer a good amount of comfort as well. Other than the Premier trim, which gets leather upholstery, all the lower trims get cloth seats that are of decent quality. The driver’s seat gets power adjustment from the LT trim onwards and the rear seats get a remote folding mechanism as well. Moreover, the Confidence & Convenience package adds a heating function for the front seats too. The cargo capacity is modest at the most with just 29.9 cu-ft on offer.

The Honda CR-V has one of the comfiest and the most practical cabins in the segment and it is evident from the crossover’s interior dimensions as well. The CR-V also offers a segment-leading cargo capacity of 39 cu-ft. The Ford Escape’s cabin looks rather blunt when compared to the CR-V’s and the Equinox’s cabins. However, it doesn’t compromise the space for occupants and cargo. The Subaru Forester’s cabin looks quite busy due to the button-heavy layout along with that dual-screen infotainment layout. However, in terms of comfort and space for the occupants, the Forester is one the best and gives the CR-V tough competition.

Some of the key interior features available with the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox include:

• Power-adjustable driver seat
• Remote folding rear seats
• Illumination for the sun visors
• Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Ambient interior lighting

How intuitive is the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox’s infotainment system?

As standard, the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox will get a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay offered as standard. Moreover, OnStar telematics is standard along with 4 USB ports and Bluetooth. The top-end Premier trim gets a bigger 8-inch touchscreen display whereas the audio system upgrade is only available through optional packages. The user interface is easy to use and the graphics are crisp, making the experience smoother.

Some of the most notable infotainment features available with the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox include:

• 7-inch/8-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• Six-speaker audio system
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
•  Bluetooth
• Four USB ports
• Satellite radio
• 4G LTE(optional)
• OnStar telematics
• Navigation system

Over the years, the Chevrolet Equinox has become only better in terms of exterior design, and despite being made smaller by the brand, it still has a solid road presence. The front fascia looks bold with the restyled front grille and the sleek LED headlamp units. Apart from the front grille and the headlamp units, the front of the vehicle remains quite simple. Coming to the side profile, the vehicle is devoid of any sharp cuts or creases and it follows a traditional SUV design all the way to the rear end.

The plastic cladding under the vehicle makes it look slightly rugged but going off the roads isn’t truly this vehicle’s forte. At the back too, the restyled liftgate along with the tail lamp units gives the Equinox a distinct appeal but the overall design stays smooth. The RS trim gets a tweaked visual such as bigger 19-inch wheels, roof rails, and RS badging on the outside. The ground clearance of 7.9 inches allows it to go over seriously bad roads without touching its belly.

The Honda CR-V has an aggressive design to start with but it definitely looks more like a city utility vehicle rather than being rugged. The Ford Escape still continues with its car-like design and compact exterior dimensions. Moreover, the ground clearance is on the lower side when compared to the rivals. The Subaru Forester still looks like a lifted station wagon but it impresses with its 8.7-inch ground clearance, allowing it to scale some bad roads.

Some standout exterior features include:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlamp units
• Rear privacy glass
• Power-operated lift gate
• Roof rails
• 19-inch black painted wheels(RS trim only)

Modern crossovers use unibody platforms to enhance safety for the occupants and the Chevrolet Equinox is a safe vehicle as well. Since the 2023 Equinox is yet to be tested by both the NHTSA and the IIHS, the crash ratings are not available yet. However, it is expected to perform similarly to the 2022 model since there will be no upgrades in terms of safety. Moreover, apart from the basic safety features, the Equinox gets a few advanced ADAS tech as standard such as forward collision mitigation and lane keeping assist.

Some of the standout safety features include:

• Forward collision mitigation
• Lane keeping assist
• Rear seat reminder
• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• High definition backup camera
• Adaptive cruise control
• 360-degree surround view

2023 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2022 Ford Escape

The Ford Escape has been a solid competitor of the Equinox in the segment for quite some time now but it is known for its compact and car-like exterior appeal. Despite that, the Escape offers a spacious cabin with similar interior dimensions to the Equinox. Moreover, the Escape has a better performance department with quicker acceleration times and more output figures along with more fuel economy numbers, as compared to the Equinox. However, it does fall slightly short in terms of interior design.

2023 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2022 Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is known for its practicality and comfort and it got even better with time. In the segment, the CR-V has been giving its rivals a tough time for almost a decade now and the Equinox is among them. The CR-V beats the Equinox in terms of cargo capacity and performance but is surprisingly more fuel efficient too. Overall, the Honda CR-V poses a better alternative to the Chevrolet Equinox in almost every aspect.

2023 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2022 Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester is a rare breed of crossover that exists today and challenges almost every rival in the segment with its practicality and off-roading prowess. Moreover, it has similar performance stats to the Chevrolet Equinox and that standard AWD comes as a bonus. In terms of cabin space and comfort too, it is a couple of notches better than the Equinox as well. To top it off, the Forester has almost similar fuel economy numbers to the Equinox but it blows a majority of rivals out of proportion with its driving range figures courtesy of its sizable gas tank.

The Chevrolet Equinox has become a highly preferable crossover in its class, especially after its redesign. Apart from being stylish, it takes good care of the ride comfort as well as safety with its supple ride quality, standard ADAS features, and commendable crash ratings from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. It might not be the first choice for shoppers looking for a spacious cargo compartment in this segment, but it can be a trustworthy urban driving companion as well as a highway mile muncher. However, its rivals such as the Honda CR-V and the Subaru Forester fare better in terms of fuel economy and cargo capacity, in case you’re looking for those.