Because the 3 broke so unexpectedly last week and because Layla and I needed to get around, we decided to rent a car for the weekend. Even though I made a reservation for a compact, Avis didn't have any available, and so they gave me the Chevy Equinox like the one pictured at the top of this article.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take pictures of my own and, you know, upload them to the WikiMedia Commons like I usually do. All I have are pictures I found on the web.
The short short story: the Equinox is the worst SUV I've ever driven. The interior—which is usually the only thing worth looking forward-to in a car which isolates you from the road as much as possible—was near-Classic in quality.
Particularly odd was the gear-shift indicator, placed just above the gear selector on the center console. In contrast to the usual "PRND2L" indicator, this one was arranged "P R N D L4 L2." L4? L2? What's this nonsense all about? You can see most of this in the picture below. The odd button-looking things just in front of the gear selector are really just small plastic bits with lamps inside. They're not buttons.
Apart from that, the overall feel was terrible and the fittings looked like something cobbled together by recent design-school graduates—or so said Layla. And indeed, I agree wholeheartedly. The two redeeming qualities of the car were the 3.4L V6 (which is only an OK engine, not a great engine) and the price, and the price is really only a sure thing if your rental car agency is often out of Aveos.
So, as usual, I heartily recommend you stay away from the Equinox. American design mediocrity at its finest.
P.S.
I chatted with a rental car guy after dropping the car off for a few minutes and he pointed out that there aren't any Honda rentals anywhere, really. I've never noticed that, but I'm pretty damned sure he's right. It turns out that the management at Honda forbids it because they don't want to tarnish their image. And, if their cars are going to be rented alonside the Equinox, I don't blame them.
Subarus are rarely seen as rentals for the same (or similar) reason.
A coworker of mine drives an Aveo because it was the cheapest car he could buy. I think that the only thing that made it 5 figures was the automatic transmission. It's a less bad car than could be expected for that price.
Like most hilariously tiny vehicles, the Aveo really isn't all that bad until it's been driven for about a year or two—at which point, the bargain-basement switchgear starts busting left and right and the hard-plastic interior starts rattling like a damned baby toy. There are few experiences I've had that are worse than riding around in a three-year-old three-cylinder Chevy Metro (a.k.a., the Geo Metro after Geo was sent a big SIGKILL).
this kind of scares me, i was looking into getting an equinox. I don't know anything about cars! I just liked the look and liked it when I test drove it.
You should consider the Toyota RAV4 and the smaller Hyundai crossovers (the Santa Fe and the Tuscon). They're endlessly better vehicles in build quality.
--D
I Own a 2007 equinox and it is a great car. More cargo space than the ones above and the all wheel drive makes it really appealing. The inside on mine doesn't look like the one above. I looks much more modern and sleek. Even has a plug in for an MP3 player. I been looking at the 2010 model and it gets 24c and 32h for MPH and looks even cooler. I think Chevy is raising it's bar. You can consider the above "foreign" Cars but I think the new Equinox deserves another look.
GM has indeed made tremendous progress in terms of interior build quality in the 5+ years since the first Equinox was designed. As have the other American manufacturers.
But, I haven't driven a revamped Equinox.
--D
You can be a naysayer if you would like about the Equinox. I believe that GM has finally gotten the message and has put foreign car makers on notice. The new 2010 Equinox delivers 32mpg and has more power in the 4 cylinder model than last year's 2009 model. That is better than most hybrid SUVs and the famed Honda Accord. Competitors will have to take note and step up their game from this point on
I can and will. The 2005 model was absolutely ghastly.
The new model may indeed be quite better but that's not the car I'm talking about.
--D
I can attest to a turn around on all accounts for the 2010 Equinox. As the say in Michigan, "the new Equinox is the roxors."
L4 and L2 are for low gear for 4wd(L4) and 2wd(L2) you idiot, think before you write.
I can't tell if you're joking.
I challenge you to find me some documentation stating L4 is for 4WD and L2 is for 2WD. Because in the real world, L4 is for 4th gear and L2 is for 2nd gear.
I'm planning to buy a 2005 equinox, is it really that bad? Cause I'm planing to stay with it some years. Some advise?
Hi Yavi-
The Hyundai Tucson is, in my opinion, a much better vehicle than the Equinox. Prices are about the same and they're in approximately the same class (the Equinox is a bit bigger).
--D
how stupid can u be read the owners manual
morans
I recently bought a 2006 Chevy Equinox. I test drove the KIA and Hyundai "award winning models", and the Equinox was far superior.
The Equinox rides better, runs better, and looks better. The Sportage and Santa Fe seemed like pretty good cars, until I drove the Equinox. With more power, better interior, and better road feel, it was a no brainer to go for the Equinox. The one I bought is a 2006 model, and it still feels like a new, clean vehicle, while the others seemed kinda "ragged out" after just a couple years. Plus it doesn't look (or feel) like an economy car turned SUV, because it is not.
After a couple months, I'm finding that the Equinox gets around awesome in the snow, and is comfortable to drive long distances. To make a long story short, it is the best small SUV that I have driven - that's why I bought one.
BTW - The shifter on all modern small cars and small SUVs is in the center console for better shift mechanism engineering, and for use in overseas models, that have the steering on the opposite side. Plus it is statistically proven that the center shifter is a safer, more natural position, as opposed to a column shifter (on the steering wheel).
On the Equinox, the L4 is for taking the vehicle out of overdrive into 4th gear. This is done for various reasons such as pulling a trailer on the highway, or driving on steep highway roads. L2 is for keeping the car from going over 2nd gear for driving at low speeds, such pulling a heavy load down small roads, or going up steep hills. The adjacent buttons illuminate, letting you know what shift position is engaged.
Isn't the Santa Fe (even the 2006) available with a more powerful engine than the Equinox?
I haven't driven and of these lately so I can't comment on road feel.
I'm not sure I buy the comment that the Equinox is not derived from a car-based platform. The Equinox is based on the Theta, which is derived form the Equinox, which underpins some pretty car-like cars. Even if that link weren't there, it's still a unibody chassis with a transverse engine. That's a car.
Thanks for backing me up on the L4/L2 point. The prior commenter was way out in the weeds on that one.