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General
Motors' first action may not be positive when we
tell you the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox is Lexis-like.
GM
would much prefer we said that new (and pretty much
all-new) Equinox is good enough to be badged as a
Cadillac. But the reality is that GM's top brand
has yet to regain its title as "standard of
the world." Meanwhile, for most American car
buyers, Lexus has become the new synonym for quality.
Interestingly
enough, "quality" was only the third of
five attributes potential buyers told Chevrolet they
wanted in a compact crossover. Even before development
of the new Equinox began, Chevy was out doing "garage
visits," in places such as Denver, Ann Arbor
and Philadelphia, seeing first-hand how people lived
with such vehicles.
During
those visits and at subsequent consumer clinics in
a variety of locales, the folks from Chevy heard
the same thing over and over: No. 1, we want fuel
economy. No. 2, value; which in the consumer's mind
means paying a fair price and getting a product that
seems to be worth even more. No. 3, quality, which
people saw not only as build-quality but as a quiet
interior, refinement of all details, and all the
latest in safety equipment. No. 4, styling. No. 5,
the availability of all-wheel drive.
Maybe
this is a new era for GM, because it actually built
a vehicle that meets that criterion.
Equipped
with a new 2.4-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder
Ecotec engine, the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox will be
rated at 22 miles per gallon in town and at 32 on
the highway. That about equates to the city miles
of a Ford Escape (20/28) but the highway mileage
of the Escape Hybrid (34/31). For the sake of comparison,
the Honda CR-V, the best-seller in the category,
earns 20/27 fuel-economy figures while the Toyota
RAV4, second-best seller in the group, gets 22/28.
All
of those figures are based on compact crossovers
equipped with four-cylinder engines and automatic
gearboxes. Not only is the Equinox's new Ecotec fuel-efficient,
but it benefits from being linked to a standard six-speed
automatic transmission.
For
those who seek even better mileage - at least in
town - the four-cylinder Equinox has an ECO mode
button on the center console that changes shift points
so as to provide another mile per gallon of fuel
savings when the vehicle is driven at speeds of less
than 45 miles per hour.
The
new Equinox four-banger provides not only fuel economy,
but 182 horsepower and an 8.7-second sprint from
a stop light to 60 miles per hour. For those who
prefer more power, there's a new 3.0-liter direct-injection
V6 that provides 264 hp, 18/25 fuel economy and a
7.8-second 0-60 mph acceleration time.
Though
second in importance to potential buyers, we're going
to leave the value part of the package until later,
in part because when it came to the development of
the new Equinox, engineers set their own goals: No.
1, fuel economy; No. 2, refinement (including a quiet
cabin); No. 3, safety.
In
addition to the new powertrain, the engineers did
things such as install a new rack-mounted electric
power steering system, fitted low rolling resistance
Michelin tires and worked with the GM design staff
to lower the car's aerodynamic coefficient of drag
from 0.42 for the current generation to 0.36 for
the new one. They also reduced the vehicle's mass
with such an eye to every pound that while all Equinoxes
will have a 20.9-gallon fuel tank, four-cylinder
models will have that tank set up so it accepts only
18.8 gallons, good for cruising range of around 600
miles yet making the car nearly 20 pounds lighter
as it leaves a filling station.
Part
of the new Equinox's quality shows in its "acoustic
performance," which is measured not in acceleration
times but in the noise and vibration that reaches
the vehicle's cabin. This is a particular issue in
vehicles with four-cylinder engines, which don't
have the inherent balance and smoothness of a V6
or V8.
Thus
the four-cylinder Equinox engine gets special sound
insulation not only on the engine itself but is the
first GM production vehicle to feature active noise-cancelling
technology. This luxury car feature is included only
in the four-cylinder model, making it even more desirable,
what with better fuel economy and a lower price point.
By
the way, all of the new Equinoxes benefit from refinements
such as a stiffer (and thus quieter chassis), new
front body mounts, hydraulic rear bushings and rear
shock bushings, triple-sealing around the doors,
acoustic front and front-door glass, and state-of-the-art
liquid-applied sound insulation.
Refinement
also is enhanced in such features as new seats, with
standard power for the driver's side, and with rear
seats that offer eight inches for fore/aft travel
- with more than sufficient leg room even when slid
full forward - and with reclining seat backs. We'll
get to other interior design and refinements in a
moment. First, we need to talk about those safety
features, which include eight standard airbags, stability
control with rollover mitigation, enlarged brakes,
OnStar telematics, a new generation of child safety
locks and eight standard airbags.
For
those who want more, the Equinox can be equipped
with a rear-view camera - with the image either on
the navigation screen or in the rear-view mirror
for cars that don't have nav, and parking assist
sensors.
Other
features include XM satellite radio, Bluetooth hands-free
cell phone connection, a USB port for your personal
music device, rear-seat DVD entertainment with screens
mounted in the back of the front headrests, even
a power programmable rear lift gate that can be set
to open to your specific height requirements.
Even
the cloth seats feature contrast stitching and a
two-tone color scheme. The two-tone ivory and black
leather interior likely will be popular, but the
two-tone brownstone and black setup is downright
elegant. With well-done brushed and bright chrome
accents, the Equinox provides a luxury setting for
those seated inside.
Styling
of the new Equinox was based on cues from the Chevrolet
Malibu mid-size sedan and the Chevrolet Traverse
mid-size crossover. The design features such details
as rocker panels built into the door, thus providing
easier entry and exit from the vehicle. The overall
look has real presence, and that presence is felt
by the driver as well. The car has a substantial
and secure feel, even though it's a compact crossover
that gets great mileage.
O.K.,
back to our consumer criteria: All-wheel drive is
available, and basically costs you 1-3 miles per
gallon but provides enhanced traction for inclement
conditions.
And
now, pricing: base price for the Equinox LS is $23,185,
or $1,825 less than the current model. The volume
version, known within Chevrolet as the 1LT, will
run $24,105. The top-of-the-line version is the LTZ
is $28,045.
We
spent most of our time at the vehicle's press launch
driving a 2LT. Base price on that version is $25,445
and includes the four-cylinder engine, 17-inch wheels,
roof rails, fog lamps, rearview camera (without nav),
premium cloth seats, 8-way power driver's seat, automatic
climate controls, XM radio, Pioneer audio system,
self-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth and USB audio
port.
With
optional heated leather seats, power lift gate and
"custom" audio, the as-tested price was
$27,340. Not bad for a Lexus-like vehicle.
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