Our Opinion - 2026 Chevrolet Equinox Review The tough exterior of the 2026 Equinox makes it look like a family car when parked next to the powerful Tahoes and strong Silverados in the Chevy showroom, but the rest of it is just a bad version of the popular small SUV formula. Its main rivals, the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, have faster engines and better gas mileage than this one’s four-cylinder turbocharged engine. Even so, Chevrolet has a lot of standard technology, like two digital dashboards and nice features that help the driver. The car is also very useful, with a big trunk and enough room for people in both rows of seats. Even though it works well and looks good, the Equinox is just a middle-of-the-road option in a market that is already full of winners. What's New? After a big redesign for the 2025 model year, the Equinox doesn’t get many changes for 2026. Roof rails are no longer part of the Convenience II package for LT cars. On the other hand, black roof rails come with the Midnight Edition package or the optional sunroof on LT cars. All trims now come with a choice of drive modes, and on the Activ and RS trims, Iridescent Pearl Tricoat paint has been replaced with Polar White Tricoat paint. Pros and Cons Pros Excellent Google-powered infotainment system. Loaded with standard features. Cons Weakness in the engine. It’s not very sporty, but it’s the RS type. Engine, Transmission, and Performance All Equinox models come equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 175 horsepower. The turbo is combined with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) in front-wheel-drive models, while an eight-speed automatic transmission is used in all-wheel-drive versions. We liked how comfortable the Equinox was to drive, how smooth the ride was, and how heavy the progressive steering was. Off-road capability and back-road sports are not included in the equation. Safety Chevrolet includes many cutting-edge driver-assistance technologies as standard on the Equinox. For example, adaptive cruise control with lane-centering is one of these technologies. Additional features include a 360-degree camera system, rear pedestrian detection, and traffic sign recognition. The following are important safety features: Most automatic emergency braking systems can detect who’s on the road. Lane departure warning and lane-keeping assistance come standard. Adaptive cruise control, also a standard feature, helps keep the car centered in its lane. Internal and External Cargo Capacity The Equinox cabin is big enough for adults and can fit a lot of bags or groceries. Inside, the design is sleek and clean, with materials that look good and the right amount of digital and real buttons. You can get fake leather and cloth upholstery as normal, but the top-of-the-line Activ trim has a mix of vinyl and microfiber that makes it look and feel more luxurious. The shift lever is placed on the column, which makes room for storage in the center console. The console has two cupholders, wireless charging for smartphones that can be ordered separately, and a rotary knob for controlling the entertainment system. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The most fuel-efficient Equinox is the one with front-wheel drive, which gets 26 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. Even though the all-wheel drive type gets 24 mpg in the city, it gets 29 mpg on the highway, which makes it a better choice for people who want to go on long road trips. We’re not sure about this prediction, though, and want to see how fuel-efficient the Equinox really is on our 75 mph highway route. Any new information that comes in will be added to this story. Infotainment and Connectivity The dashboard of every Equinox model has two big digital screens. In the middle of the dashboard, at a slight angle to the driver, there is a tall 11.3-inch multimedia screen. It shows the newest Google-based infotainment system from Chevy. It has Wi-Fi hotspot access and Google Maps guidance. There is a stand-alone 11.0-inch digital gauge set in front of the driver that can be reconfigured to fit your needs. Range, Charging, and Battery Life In our tests, the all-wheel-drive Equinox took 8.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, which is less than most cars in its class. Towing and Payload Capacity The Equinox can only pull up to 1,500 pounds, so you’ll need to add the extra all-wheel drive system. Front-wheel drive models can only pull up to 800 pounds. Price and How to Choose There are many different grades and choices that can affect the cost of the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. There are three types in the Equinox line: LT, RS, and Activ. We suggest that you move up to the RS or Activ trim. Since they both start at the same price, you can choose between the RS’s faster look and the Activ’s more rugged look. Each case has more features than the original LT, like different wheel styles and a two-tone paint job on the outside.
