2011 Chevy Equinox Review

Overview

In 2010, the Chevy Equinox had a lot going for it. Many critics noted the roomy feel to the car and the more powerful V6 upgrade that was available. Consumers agreed on the whole, and sales of the Equinox continued to remain strong through the year. Still, many were drawn away by competitive models made by Toyota and Honda, and Chevy has tried hard to lure those consumers back to GM once again in 2011.

The newest iteration of the Equinox exudes a sense of refinement and seems to stand out a lot more on the lot than previous years. There's a rear seat in that now slides back, creating a much wider spice that reminds one more of a limousine ride than a small crossover SUV. Other improvements include a much smoother ride and a slew of standard features with some luxurious upgrades such as a navigation system.

The 2011 Equinox engine offers you either a 182 HP 4 cylinder or a more powerful 264 HP V6. While the V6 does provide better accelerationl the 4-cylinder provides more generous fuel economy, so choose your preference carefully. The interior appears to have been re-designed to look more attractive and highend, and it features quality interior materials that were lacking in previous years. Still, cargo capacity is not the best, with the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV 4 (The model's fiercest competitors) offering more total space. That's a minor flaw in the overall package, but something to note if you're constantly using your car to haul things around.

Style and Trim

The 2011 Equinox is available in a number of different trims: LS, 1LT, 2LT, and the LTZ.

17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, air conditioning, power front seat adjustment, reclining/sliding backseats, an Onstar, six-speaker sound system, and satellite radio with an auxiliary plugin all come standard on the LS. The 1Lt adds some additional niceties, like tinted rear windows, roof rails, a leather wrap steering wheel, and an iPod/USB interface. If you opt for the V6 engine upgrade, you'll also get 18 inch wheels.

If you'd like even more bang for your buck, the 2LT gives you all of the features that the LS and L1T offer as well as foglamps, heated seats, remote ignition, auto dimming mirro, and eight-way power driver seat, a mounted review camera, and a full on 8-speaker Pioneer stereo. The LTZ adds automatic headlights, rear parking sensors, leather interior and driver memory functionality.

Performance

Each 2011 Equinox model comes with a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine. As we mentioned before you can also opt for a V6 with 264 horsepower. Each of these engines come with a six speed automatic transmission. While the models are front-wheel drive, you can opt for all-wheel drive as well. In terms of acceleration, the Chevy can zoom from 0-60 miles per hour in about 9.3 seconds. This is comparable to most of the other crossovers in the segment.

In terms of Mileage, the 4-cylinder Equinox brings in an EPA estimated 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the Highway. If you go with all wheel drive this will cut it down to 20/29, respectively. The V6 engine comes in at 17mpg city and 25mpg highway.

Safety

Always an important not for consumers, the 2011 Chevy Equinox somes with a number of safety features. These include side curtain airbags, front seat airbags, stability control, and antilock disc brakes.

While the 2010 Equinox pulled in top ratings for safety, it has yet to be tested with the updated 2011 crash test procedure.

Interior

The Chevy Equinox has made some serious improvements to its interior and now comes with a number of premium addons. The color schemes that are available catch the eyes nicel and help to complement the dash board well. The climate controls are top notch, and the cabin is spacious.

Driving It

As stated previously, the 2011 Chevy Equinox's 4 cylinder engine performs well when compared to others in the segment. The additional bonus of excellent fuel economy also helps bring in consumers as gas prices continue to rise. If you still want more power, you can always upgrade to the V6 engine for the 264 horsepwoer output.

In terms of ride, the Equinox doesn't have many problems with outside noise and the cabin is quiet even when cruising at highway speeds.