Is the 2022 Chevy Equinox worth buying?

Chevrolet's entry in the hot compact crossover SUV segment is the Equinox. It holds five people, offers between 29.9 and 63.9 cubic feet of cargo space, supplies up to 8 inches of ground clearance, and tows as much as 1,500 pounds of trailer. A turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is the only powertrain choice, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is an option.

Hallmarks of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox include inoffensive design, a roomy passenger cabin, good gas mileage, intuitive technology, and an attractive base price. Chevy last redesigned the Equinox for the 2018 model year. Nearly half a decade later, it gets a mild refresh. An electric version of the Equinox is coming for the 2024 model year, and it will offer more dramatic styling, a high-tech cabin, and undoubtedly better performance.

If you'd rather not wait for the 2024 Equinox EV, highlights of the changes for 2022 include:

• Updated exterior styling
• Improved interior trim
• New RS trim level
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Available front and rear parking sensors
• Automatic Parking Assist available with Premier trim
• Integrated turn signal indicators on some trims
• Fresh paint colors

The new RS trim joins the 2022 Equinox model lineup, slotting between the popular LT and the upscale Premier. The Equinox LS continues as the base trim level. Prices start at just over $27,000 when you include the destination charge to ship the Equinox to your local dealership.

Previously, J.D. Power reviewed the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premier with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. This review focuses on the Equinox's updates for 2022 and how they potentially impact its overall appeal to consumers.

Photo: Christian Wardlaw

The Chevrolet Equinox competes in the Compact SUV market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the J.D. Power 2021 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 51 percent of new Chevrolet Equinox buyers are male (vs. 50 percent for the segment), and the median age of a new Equinox buyer is 65 years (vs. 60).

As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated the Equinox in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:

• Exterior styling
• Driving feel
• Feeling of safety
• Getting in and out
• Setting up and starting
• Fuel economy
• Interior design
• Powertrain
• Driving comfort
• Infotainment system

In the 2021 APEAL Study, the Equinox ranks eleventh out of 14 Compact SUV models.

What Our Independent Expert Says About the Chevrolet Equinox - Find the best Chevrolet deals!

In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes an Equinox RS equipped with the following options:

• All-wheel drive
• Iridescent Pearl Tricoat paint
• RS Leather package
• Infotainment package
• Advanced Safety package

The test vehicle's price came to $37,465, including the $1,395 destination charge.

Sharper Looks, New RS Trim

Photo: Christian Wardlaw

Styling updates sharpen and modernize the Equinox's appearance, but they are so subtle that most people might not notice them. Unless you're looking at the new-for-2022 Equinox RS, fresh wheel designs are the most noticeable change.

RS stands for "Rally Sport," but in most cases, it denotes a sportier-looking Chevy rather than one promising added performance. Here, the Equinox RS brings blacked-out exterior trim, dark gray 19-inch wheels that match the lower body cladding, red "RS" badges, and a body-color lower rear bumper insert. On the test vehicle, that trim piece looked out of place, like a gray section of the bumper had fallen off to expose the underlying bodywork.

Inside, the 2022 Equinox RS has an all-black interior with cloth or leather upholstery and red contrast stitching. It also has a sporty RS shift knob. The Equinox is roomy inside, and during a road trip, my family of four (including a tall teenager) was comfortable. The RS trim's effective dual-zone automatic climate control easily combatted Chicago-area temperatures in the mid-90s. Ventilated seats would have been nice during the muggy weather, but they're available only with Premier trim.

Added Parking-Assistance Features

Chevrolet reports that it has added front and rear parking sensors as available features on the 2022 Equinox and that an Automatic Parking Assist system is optional with Premier trim. Automatic Parking Assist can help drivers park by steering the SUV into a space.

These new parking-assist systems join a roster of safety features that includes standard Chevy Safety Assist on all trim levels. On the 2022 Equinox, this package of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) comes with forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights.

Additionally, the Equinox RS adds a standard Driver Confidence Package II with blind-spot warning, a lane-change alert system, and rear cross-traffic warning. The test vehicle also had the optional Advanced Safety package with adaptive cruise control, a high-definition surround-view camera, and heated exterior mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators.

In addition to the ADAS, the Equinox has a rear-seat reminder system to help prevent drivers from accidentally leaving a child or a pet in the back seat. Through the Chevrolet Connected Services technology, Teen Driver is also standard. It gives parents of new drivers the ability to limit certain vehicle features. It also supplies them with a driving report card that tracks numerous data points related to speed, ADAS activation, and other factors.

I put the 2022 Equinox's front and rear parking sensors to good use in downtown Chicago. Whether cramming the SUV into underground garages or squeezing into parallel spaces on city streets, they definitely came in handy.

During a side trip to western Michigan, I also sampled the wide range of ADAS on the test vehicle, coming away impressed with its accuracy and effectiveness. Not only that, but the tech is also subtle, except for the forward-collision warning system. Shortly after my family and I packed into the Equinox at O'Hare Airport, we sought a restaurant on unfamiliar local suburban streets. Traffic ahead came to an abrupt stop, and just as I reacted, the Equinox did it for me with a blaring warning and immediate emergency braking. Yep, it's effective.

Regarding safety ratings, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the 2022 Chevy Equinox a Marginal rating in the new side-impact test. Previously, the SUV rated Good in this assessment. Otherwise, the Equinox's crashworthiness rates highly, but the IIHS has not determined whether the SUV is eligible for a Top Safety Pick rating because the organization has not evaluated the new headlights.

A Small but Worthy Change

Photo: Christian Wardlaw

Chevrolet says it has added wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to the 2022 Equinox, a feature that came in handy during testing. Driving in unfamiliar surroundings always requires navigation assistance, so we used Apple CarPlay extensively to find destinations in Chicago, northwestern Indiana, and western Michigan. It worked beautifully.

However, it is worth noting that even without pairing a smartphone to the infotainment system, the Equinox's embedded connected navigation technology is excellent in its own right. This feature is standard with the optional 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an upgrade over the standard 7-inch system. Natural-voice-recognition technology and fast, responsive software make the infotainment system a pleasure to use.

Not only that, but the clean graphics, intuitive interface, and handy stereo controls underneath the display screen add to the ease of use. Equinox owners rate the infotainment system as their least favorite thing about this SUV, which suggests to me they haven't used similar technology in some of this Chevy's rivals. The tech in the Equinox is a great example of how infotainment is done right.

Well, except for the optional Bose sound system. It's not very good, but then, few compact crossover SUVs offer top-notch audio quality.

Acceleration is Off the Menu

After the 2020 model year, Chevrolet put the Equinox's optional turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine on hold. But now, it's clear this robustly powered engine is not coming back. It made 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, supplied speedy acceleration, and provided a maximum tow rating of 3,500 pounds.

So, that leaves the Equinox with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder developing 170 hp at 5,600 rpm and 203 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 rpm and 4,000 rpm. It pairs with a 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive or AWD. The maximum tow rating is 1,500 lbs.

With AWD, the Equinox RS test vehicle was EPA-rated to get 27 mpg in combined city/highway driving. I averaged 26.6 mpg over 500 miles of travel. That means the 15.6-gallon fuel tank should give you 375 miles of range between fill-ups. (Yes, I know the math says the range would come to 414.96 miles, but then you'd drain the tank dry, leaving you to push the Equinox to the gas station.)

You can make your peace with the 1.5-liter turbo. There is a lag when you step on the accelerator, and then the torque comes on fast. You'll teach yourself how to ride the wave of torque in the middle of the rev range, and it will feel strong enough in most driving situations. Also, it effortlessly cruises at posted speed limits, even with four people aboard and a fully packed cargo area. The 6-speed automatic is a good match for the powertrain.

Chevrolet bolts in a fully independent suspension, and the RS sits on 19-inch wheels with 235/50 all-season tires. The ride is firm enough to communicate necessary surface information to the driver, and the Equinox remains planted and composed over the imperfections of midwestern highways. The wider rubber and good body roll control even make it a little bit fun to rip around cloverleaf-style highway on- and off-ramps.

I did not venture off-road, and June is one of a handful of months that it doesn't snow in Chicagoland. It didn't even rain during a multi-day visit. However, we did find that we needed to be careful when parking nose-in or parallel to city curbs. The forward-view camera came in handy for the former. But on at least one occasion when parallel parking, the bottom of the Equinox's doors came quite close to the curb and sidewalk pavement when my wife and kids exited the vehicle, despite its higher-riding SUV status.

Photo: Christian Wardlaw

Like many of its rivals, Chevrolet designed the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox to function as a tool that makes daily living easier. It looks, feels, operates, and drives like Chevy averaged the results of numerous focus groups, then went down a list and checked off all the must-have boxes. Chevy honed and refined it to the point where few things about it cause irritation.

Unfortunately, that process also squeezed every ounce of personality out of this product.

Does every vehicle need to spark an emotional connection or elicit a smile? No. Sometimes, you just want a good car at a reasonable price, something you don't need to think about because you know that it will start every morning, safely carry the people who matter the most, and hold whatever you need to haul home. For many people, that might be reason enough to smile about owning an Equinox.

Christian Wardlaw is a veteran digital automotive journalist with nearly 30 years of experience in test-driving vehicles. He has held editorial leadership roles with Edmunds, J.D. Power, the New York Daily News, and others. In addition to JDPower.com, his work has appeared in numerous new- and used-car buying guides, newspapers, and automotive industry trade journals, including Autotrader, Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, Kelley Blue Book, WardsAuto, and more.

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