2025 Chevrolet Equinox: A Traverse shrunk in the wash

Chevrolet's Equinox, the brand's bestselling nonpickup model, receives a long overdue redesign with a hunky makeover for 2025. Nearly every Chevy crossover and SUV — the Trax, Trailblazer, Blazer and 2024 Traverse included — has been significantly upgraded in the last two years.

The 2025 Equinox, set to arrive in dealerships by late 2024, starts at $29,995 with shipping for front-wheel drive. The base LT and sporty RS return.

It features larger screens, enhanced safety options and the first-ever outdoor-inspired Active trim, with muscular body lines influenced by Chevy's lineup of larger light trucks, especially the 2024 Traverse.

Standard gear across all models includes heated front seats and steering wheel.

The Equinox, with over 4 million units sold in the U.S. over the past two decades, is a core workhorse for Chevrolet in a cutthroat segment. Sales rose 0.6 percent in the first half of 2024, placing it fourth among compact crossovers, behind the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue.

Now in its fourth generation, the compact crossover is 2.5 inches wider and debuts with a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine delivering up to 203 pound-feet of torque.

We've collected some early reviews from automotive journalists.

"Credit Chevrolet's brainstorm to inject its SUV lineup with truck DNA. The coolest thing about Chevrolets after all are the pickups (well, after the Corvette, but modeling Equinox after a mid-engine, two-door supercar didn't make sense) — the big, bad Colorado and Silverado.

So Equinox rummaged around the pickups' western, cowboy wardrobe, and — voila! — cool, dude.

Chiseled bod. Wider, high-noon stance. Bold face. Squared-off wheel arches. Activ trim with off-road rubber. Dress it in Cacti Green. All that's missing is a scarf and cowboy hat."

— Henry Payne, The Detroit News

"Looking like a Chevy Traverse that's been shrunk in the wash, the redesigned two-row Equinox is a stocky, handsome thing with a Silverado-inspired snout that lends it some visual heft at the curb. The new Equinox's wheel openings are more squared off, adding to its rugged flair, and you can now opt for a contrasting roof color. Different grille treatments distinguish the three trim levels — base LT in chrome, the RS in gloss black and the Activ in dark chrome — with the Activ leaning into the off-road shtick with 17-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires (19s and 20s are available, depending on the trim).

Exterior dimensions are similar to before, save for a 2.5-inch increase in width, which adds some welcome elbow room inside. The back seat's flat floor is adult friendly, and cargo room is essentially unchanged at 30 cubic feet in the way back and 64 cubes with the rear seats folded — more than you get in the Equinox EV but not class-leading. Interior material quality, however, has improved, with even the base model cutting back on the hard, grainy plastics in direct view. Or at least accenting them with nicer bits of finish, whether it be dollops of chrome, piano black, or the textured pieces dressing up the dash, vents and door panels. The faux leather upholstery on higher trims is pleasing enough, with the RS adding red contrasting stitching and the Activ sporting microfiber seat inserts.

The overall theme of the Equinox's dashboard also mimics that of the larger Traverse as well as the EVs, which isn't a bad thing. The centerpiece is the 11.0-inch configurable instrument display and adjacent 11.3-inch touchscreen running General Motors' Google-based infotainment system with standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It's a crisp, easy-to-use interface that elicits few complaints in practice, though we're still not fans of locking headlight controls behind a screen. We could also do with less gloss-black trim that will quickly attract dust and fingerprints, but at least there are physical buttons and knobs for the climate controls. The center console benefits from the relocation of the Equinox's gear selector to the steering column, which cleans up its design and frees up space for additional storage cubbies, including an available wireless charging dock."

— Mike Sutton, Car and Driver

"The Equinox's cabin design largely mimics what you'll find in the Blazer EV and Equinox EV, with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.3-inch central infotainment screen — a huge improvement over the puny 7-inch screen in the old SUV. Don't fret, there are still physical climate controls below the center display. And thankfully, unlike Chevy's EVs, the gasoline-powered Equinox still includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its tech roster.

Chevrolet brings turbine-style vents to the Equinox's dashboard, giving the whole front setup more space and a modern feel. A pleasing alteration in the new Equinox is the placement of the gear selector — it's a column stalk. You will still find a knob on the center console of the RS and Activ trims, but this one is for the drive modes: Normal, Off-Road and Snow. This shift in placement — no pun intended — opens up more storage space in the center console, which is quite nice. Speaking of nice, I like the standard six-speaker audio system, as well as the updated materials throughout the interior.

The Equinox will now offer more standard safety and driver assistance technology than before. The standard Chevy Safety Assist suite includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, forward collision alert, front pedestrian and bicyclist braking, and lane keeping assistance with lane departure warning. Making this all standard gives the Equinox a great competitive advantage in the compact SUV class."

— Alberto Hernandez, Edmunds

"I'd never describe the 2025 Equinox as 'aspirational.' (Name a volume-selling compact SUV that is.) But it's certainly more youthful — joyful, even — than the crossover it's replacing. The Equinox remains the value-minded purchase this nameplate's always been, starting at $29,995 delivered. It promises a hell of a lot of car for under $40K and, more importantly, one you might not only choose because the math adds up.

It all looks good, but what impressed me the most were the materials. The Equinox RS adopts a subtle geometric pattern and red sheen to its hard plastic accents, while the Activ features GM's Evotex faux-leather upholstery in a Maple Sugar suede that looks rich and feels robust. Chevy says this is actually the first time it's done Evotex in a microfiber style, and the company has nailed it. The rubbery, soft-touch dash and armrest treatment on the Activ is unique as well, though I'm not a huge fan of the nylon-esque material that normally covers those touch points on the LT and RS. It feels chintzy at the expense of probably being durable and easy to clean.

Fuel economy appears to be a step behind segment rivals. Averaging 25 mpg during predominantly city driving, which is accurate to Chevy's estimates, the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue promise 27, 28 and 29 mpg city, respectively. However, the Equinox's starting price also undercuts all three, and only the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson are cheaper. The Equinox also packs perhaps the most robust offering of standard safety tech in the segment, including Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, which uses the vehicle's cameras to scan for perpendicular traffic running stop signals before you cross, and Side Bicyclist Alert."

— Adam Ismail, The Drive

"The 2025 Equinox now looks great inside and out, but apart from interior passenger room, it is objectively lacking compared to virtually everything in its class — and perhaps more glaringly, has stagnated or regressed compared to the 2024 model.

Lest you think me hyperbolic, let me paint you a picture. The 2025 model carries over the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder along with its rated output of 175 hp — a figure that was and will continue to be among the lowest in the segment. The six-speed automatic transmission from the 2024 is gone, replaced here by two different transmissions. Front-wheel drive models get a continuously variable transmission, while those equipped with all-wheel drive are paired with GM's eight-speed automatic.

Torque also differs by drivetrain. While AWD models achieve the same 203 pound-feet of torque as every 2024 Equinox produced, FWD models are now restricted to just 184 pound-feet. Again, this is the only engine offered in the 2025 Equinox. There's no hybrid as most others offer (Ford, Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai and soon Mazda and Subaru), no plug-in hybrid (Ford, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai) or even a high-output turbo or other performance upgrade to be found. The Equinox EV exists, but that's by virtue of marketing and not any sort of mechanical relationship.

This is the part where you probably expect us to let Chevy off the hook for the CVT on the grounds that it'll be more fuel efficient, but this is perhaps where the Equinox has most significantly regressed. Both the front- and all-wheel-drive variants of the 2025 match their 2024 equivalents for city fuel economy, but fare worse on the highway in the EPA's test. FWD combined fuel economy is worse, too."

— Byron Hurd, Autoblog

"The 2025 Equinox, despite sharing its engine with the old model, just doesn't feel as hesitant or lazy as before. Credit its two new transmissions. The front-wheel-drive models use a continuously variable automatic transmission no matter the trim level, from the entry-level LT all the way to the Activ. This CVT doesn't behave like you'd expect a transmission of this type to; it helps the Equinox accelerate with a sense of urgency, rather than ropey laziness like some CVTs can, only really buzzing the engine to redline when you ask for maximum speed. Otherwise, it and the turbo engine deliver a smooth and effortless feeling off the line — a far cry from how the 2024 Equinox's traditional torque-converter six-speed automatic felt.

So what if you opt for the Equinox's all-wheel drive option? That nets you an also-new eight-speed automatic transmission. (All-wheel drive is optional on every 2025 Equinox, even the active-looking Activ.) Again, this eight-speed represents a night and day difference from the six-speed it replaces, helping keep the engine feeling like it was in the boost and generating enough power. We even managed to bark the front tires with little effort in the Chevy's two-wheel-drive mode; as before, you can select between 2WD and AWD with a pushbutton on the left side of the dash and within easy reach for the driver.

An AWD-exclusive off-road driving mode is included on all AWD Equinoxes — including the sporty looking RS with its optional 20-inch wheels and 235/50R20 Michelin Primacy All Season tires — but that mode only relaxes the traction and engine controls to allow for more tail wagging on dirt and wheelspin when powering out of slick but shallow mud or loose gravel. Front-drive Equinoxes have only Normal and Snow/Ice modes."

— Justin Banner, Motor Trend

"A more exciting design gets tamped down by the powertrain, which is merely adequate. It matches a 175-hp 1.5-liter turbo-4 with either a CVT and front-wheel drive or an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive. Torque rises from 184 pound-feet in FWD versions to 203 pound-feet with AWD. The RS and Activ models have a set of drive modes, including Normal, Off-Road, and Snow, tapped via an oversized console-mounted knob.

The FWD model with the CVT drives best. It feels lighter, the continuously variable transmission keeps the small turbo-4 in the power band more of the time, and it can spin the front tires. The AWD model's 8-speed automatic transmission is a bit lazy, while smooth, and causes the turbo-4 to get caught flat footed too often. Steering is nicely weighted at all speeds, though don't expect much feedback through the wheel.

The suspension tuning is among the best in its class. The simple passive dampers provide a quiet, controlled ride that is never sporty. Even over broken pavement or cobblestone roads the Equinox isn't upset on its optional 20-inch wheels.

Front-drive models can tow up to 800 pounds; it's 1,500 pounds with all-wheel drive.

With a marginal gain in wheelbase, the new Equinox quotes space for up to five people. It's 2.5 inches wider than the outgoing model and feels slightly more spacious than before. By the numbers, it sits on a 107.5-inch wheelbase, and is 183.2 inches long overall. Those figures make it about 1.5 inches longer in wheelbase and more than 5 inches longer overall than the next-smaller Chevy Trax crossover.

Four passengers will find good comfort in the Equinox. It has 40.9 inches of front and 39.9 inches of rear legroom, and 39.2 inches of front and 37.8 inches of rear headroom (with a sunroof). Synthetic leather is available on the base model and standard on others. The Equinox's fold-down rear seatbacks turn its 29.8 cubic feet of cargo space into 63.5 cubic feet."

— Joel Feder, The Car Connection

"I thought the chunkier tires would have translated into more road noise in the cabin, but there was no audible difference between the Activ and the RS models. The 1.5-liter engine is the same as before, capable of scooting you into traffic or past a semi without hesitation, but don't expect a kick in the butt when you slam the accelerator. You're well aware of when the engine is working—just give it time to do its job.

The transmission has no trouble picking a cog despite the two additional forward gears, but the box feels like it needs a moment to perform the necessary calculations before shifting. It's like Chevy programmed the computer to measure twice and shift once. But once the ECU has decided what the transmission should do, it shifts quickly.

All-wheel-drive Equinox models get the added benefit of a new Off-Road mode, in addition to Normal and Snow modes. Off-Road mode allows more wheel spin and vehicle yaw, but the dirt road Chevy selected for us, with its 20 mph speed limit, didn't really allow for evaluating those claims. Not that I was expecting to scale a mountain in rural Minnesota."

— Anthony Alaniz, Motor1.com