One of the most popular vehicles under the Chevrolet umbrella is the Equinox. This small crossover SUV has managed to make a mark in the industry for being an affordable, feature-rich utility vehicle with sporty handling, great drivability, and plenty of interior comforts. The 2021 Chevy Equinox continues the trend of being a go-to crossover SUV that combines style, sportiness, and a wide array of safety, convenience, and infotainment amenities into an affordable package.
The 2021 Chevy Equinox is available across four trims, including the L, LS, LT, and the luxury Premier trim. It is also available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations. Featuring an array of class-defining mechanical and interior accessories to improve the overall value of the vehicle, the Equinox has proven to be a consistently reliable entry in the SUV market, and the 2021 model year prevails in maintaining the status of being one of the more cost-effective and feature-rich vehicles for 2021.
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The 2021 Chevy Equinox is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with overhead cam design and direct-fuel injection that delivers up to 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain allows the Equinox to attain a tow rating of up to 1,500 pounds.
The 1.5-liter turbocharged engine is paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission, making driving easy and convenient, whether you're a veteran driver or a learner just starting out. For those who would prefer to control how the Equinox shifts, there are standard driver shift controls made available on all trim levels, allowing drivers to easily tap up or down to manually shift gears using clutch-free controls.
The engine makes use of variable valve timing, which enables the engine to more efficiently utilize the intake and exhaust to reduce the use of fuel required to keep the motor operational and the vehicle moving. As a result, you gain more fuel efficiency and lower costs in gas mileage, which is one of the reasons why the Chevy Equinox is so popular. The crossover SUV manages a very impressive 26 miles per gallon in the city and up to 31 miles per gallon on the highway. This makes it one of the more economical SUVs on the market when it comes to gas mileage.
Maintaining consistency in design for smooth driving and maneuverability has continued to be a top priority for the Chevy Equinox, which is why it comes with a 4-link rear suspension. This adds articulation around the rear axles to ensure that every bump, road undulation, or jolt that the vehicle receives while driving is absorbed by the suspension so the driver and passengers never feel any sort of major discomfort while on the road. The front of the vehicle is also kept stable to guarantee a smooth ride, thanks to the MacPherson strut front suspension.
With four-wheel antilock disc brakes, it means that no matter what the road conditions are – whether they're wet, slippery, icy, or muddy - drivers are never far removed from having complete control over the Equinox. The brakes are finely tuned so that even during hard braking, the wheels do not lock up or prevent drivers from making maneuvers to avoid hazards or potential accidents.
The Equinox performance is topped off with electronic stability control provided through StabiliTrak, which helps maintain stability and traction on the road using multiple vehicle sensors to make micro-adjustments to the vehicle when it's determined that there is wheel slippage or a loss of traction. Both the software and the mechanical design combine to deliver the smoothest and safest ride possible for the 2021 Chevy Equinox.
The Equinox seats up to five people across two rows, with a maximum cargo space of 63.9-cubic feet when the second-row seats are folded flat. You can enjoy a maximum passenger volume of 103.50-cubic feet, with up to 40-inches of headroom in the front and 38.50-inches of headroom in the second row.
Up to 8-way power-adjustable perforated-leather or premium-cloth seating is available for the Equinox in a jet black or ash-gray color scheme. There are also available ventilated and heated driver and front passenger seats, which allow for individual heating of up to three levels of warmth. A matching heated leather steering wheel is also available with a manual tilt and telescopic steering column. Optional dual-zone automatic climate control, all-weather floor liners, ambient lighting, assist handles, and protective seat covers are also available to enhance the luxury of your Equinox.
In addition to the comfort features that keep occupants from being restless while riding in the Equinox, there is a suite of infotainment features as well. These include the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus software, multiple USB ports and SD card reader support, HD and SiriusXM satellite radio, and a standard 6-speaker sound setup. However, if in-cabin audio is extremely important to you, an optional Bose premium 7-speaker surround sound system is also available.
The standard infotainment system for the 2021 Equinox includes a 7-inch diagonal color touchscreen, while the Premier trim comes standard with a larger 8-inch HD color touchscreen, complete with driver profile information, navigation, and app access. 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot compatibility is also included as a standard feature on all 2021 Chevy Equinox SUVs, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The infotainment suite is topped off with an available multi-color driver information screen that helps keep drivers aware and informed of the vehicle health for the Equinox.
Additional connectivity features include Bluetooth support, allowing occupants to connect their wireless devices to the vehicle, further enabling access to features such as hands-free phone calls and audio media streaming. Additionally, you can store your contact list via the Chevrolet Infotainment system and use voice-activated commands to place calls or charge smart devices with the optional wireless charging feature.
In addition to comfort features such as power locks, power windows, and adjustable power seats with available memory settings, the Equinox also features a healthy buffet of other technological amenities that improve the driving experience greatly. These include automatic start/stop technology, where the engine intelligently shuts off when the vehicle is brought to a halt, conserving fuel and reducing emissions output.
In-cabin microphones are also set up to distinguish between sound and vibrations coming from the powertrain, utilizing active sound dampening to cancel out unwanted sounds and vibrations coming from the vehicle and outside the cabin. This means that you get a quiet, safe ride every time you or any passenger steps foot inside the Equinox.
Other technology further helps define the Chevy Equinox experience, such as remote start, keyless entry, a power-programmable liftgate, universal home remote, a garage door opener, 120-volt power outlets, and HD Surround Vision. This last system uses multiple cameras in the front and rear of the vehicle to help with parking and avoiding objects in your blind spots. The HD Surround Vision is also complemented by the HD rear vision camera, allowing you to see what appears directly behind the vehicle in full high-definition rendering.
The multiple camera sensors also pair in functionality with other available safety and convenience features. These include systems designed to alert you to hazards and obstacles, such as the Rear Park Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert. The standard Automatic Emergency Braking will even bring your Equinox to a stop if the vehicle senses an impending forward collision. The safety features also work in tandem with driver convenience capabilities, such as Adaptive Cruise Control with a Following Distance Indicator and OnStar's connected services, so you're never out of reach of help during an emergency.
These safety technologies have proven to be invaluable tools for helping to keep drivers and passengers safe on the road. Of course, there are also all of the standard safety features, such as multiple airbags, rear child security door locks, and a tire pressure monitoring sensor. The very useful Teen Driver app will even allow you to monitor your teen's driving habits and ensure they follow safety protocols while on the road.