The second-generation Chevrolet Equinox has been a raging success for General Motors. The vehicle sold over 240,000 units in North America in 2012, and that’s not even taking into account sales of the Equinox’s Theta platform mate — the GMC Terrain. The crossovers have been on sale since 2010, and it’s right about that time that General Motors begins planning for their replacements, which are due sometime in 2015 or 2016.
In doing so, General Motors is looking to negotiate a new labor deal at its CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, reportedly to decide whether producing the next-generation Chevrolet Equinox will be financially feasible at the facility. Earlier this week, President of Canadian Auto Workers Local 88 Dan Borthwick confirmed that GM asked to open labor negotiations early at the Ingersoll plant, whose contract is set to expire in September. In conjunction with GM’s Oshawa facility, the plant currently assembles both the Equinox and Terrain; it made 305,415 vehicles last year.
Successful negotiations, which are widely defined as being similar to the general CAW contract signed in the fall of last year, could result in GM building the next-gen Equinox and/or Terrain at the plant. The CAMI facility wasn’t covered by the CAW deal in 2012.
Getting new vehicles into any plant is usually of great importance for plant workers and management, alike, and CAMI is no exception: “There’s always concern about future products,” Borthwick said. “We can do everything we need to do here cost-wise, quality-wise and productivity-wise, and we believe if we do that we should have future generations of product.” The plant’s chapter will gather on February 10th to vote on wether to commence early negotiations with GM. Borthwick said that he hasn’t “heard any negative feedback” from members about approving early negotiations.
For the next-generation, the Equinox and Terrain are expected to move to GM’s next-generation Delta platform, dubbed D2XX shared with the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick Verano, Opel Astra, and other C-segment vehicles from General Motors. The move is part of the company’s global platform consolidation strategy, which aims to decrease complexity by cutting the amount of vehicle architectures and engines in half by 2018. Aside from allowing General Motors to become more profitable, migrating platforms will likely result in the 2015 Equinox shrinking slightly in size compared to the current model, which occupies a middle ground between compact and midsize crossovers.
Last week, GM North America President Mark Reuss stated that the automaker would soon announce $1.5 billion-worth of investments in its North American operations, but didn’t provide any specifics.
Comments
With Saab and Saturn gone, which vehicle, other than these two, are even still riding on the Theta platform? I cant think of any North American models off the top of my head, Opel or Holden, Chevy in South America maybe?
I hope we see an Opel Cascada (also on Delta architecture)fall into Buick’s line up soon. If the ATS isn’t getting a drop top Buick should.
I hope they don’t shrink the next gen Equinox too much.. GM should be selling the Chevy Trax ( http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/vehicles/chevrolet/trax/overview# ) in the US for a compact CUV. In Canada it’s starting price is less than the Nissan Juke, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Soul. It offers AWD, same 1.4L @ 138hp we all know about getting 30mpg city and 40mpg highway (28/36 for AWD). Rear seats fold 60-40 AND the front passenger seat folds flat. Has a good looking interior too, similar to the Spark and Sonic:
http://www.gm.ca/images/vehicles/2013/chevrolet/trax/chev_trax_int_ph_big_01.jpg
The SRX.
You can call it Theta premium, but it’s still derived from Theta.
And Captiva (Captiva 5 and Captiva 7).
The move to the new Delta is more for the loss of weight. I love my Terrain but his vehicle is way over weight for it to move into the future.
I see the new one about the size of the Escape and they will lose the V6 option.
The ball here is in the Unions hands. Be resonable and you will get the new product if now it can be move to another plant since GM has many available with people willing to work. THese deals with the unions on new product are GM’s best bargining chip. Lordstown was on the bubble with beeing too large and a union not willing to work with them. The union finally saw the writing on the wall and worked with GM for once and not only won the Cruzr but got the up date too. GM has been giving them more work of late so it was a win win for each side. I wish more unions would watch and learn.
@hyperv6 the move to D2 isn’t solely weight-related; it’s also a huge part of GM’s push to become significantly more profitable.
Other than that, the Equinox will be nearly the same exact size as the new Escape. Luckily, it won’t have the 3-foot-long dashboard seen in Ford’s C-segment vehicles (Focus, Escape, C-Max).
How is the Trax mileage so much better than the Encore? The standards must differ dramatically, because the Encore only gets 33 Hwy. The weight difference cannot account for that much. Quoting numbers like this, if on a different basis, adds to consumer misinformation. A high mileage Trax would be a hot-seller in the U.S. What will hurt the Encore most is its mileage numbers. That and the fact that luxury buyers demand comfort, and expect better-than-average acceleration.
@VeranoHatch is the Trax’s mileage *really* that much better?
*Edit: saw Andrew’s comment. That’s rather interesting… are you sure it’s 40 MPG on the highway? U.S. galons, right?
As far as compact CUVs go, the Equinox will be it (think new Escape), creating space for a mid-sized crossover based on next-gen Epsilon/E2XX.
If the union doesn’t want to play nice then move the work to a right-to-work state where people appreciate a good job.
When exactly will the next gen Equinox actually be available?
The new model was expected as a 2015 so I would expect late 2014.
Springhill is always available if they do not want to play nice.
@hyperv6 I think it will be slightly later than that… the Cruze will be the first to get the D2xx treatment, with the Equinox (and probably global Captiva replacements) to follow shortly. Heck, we may even see some other exciting stuff from this architecture, like a compact Buick!
Please don’t reduce the size of the Equinox! I like the size of my 2012. If they shrink the new model I guess I’ll be looking for a different SUV down the road at Trade In time!
Brad — it’s very likely that you won’t even be able to tell the difference when sitting inside of the new Equinox. That, and a smaller Equinox makes room for a truly mid-size crossover on the Epsilon/E2XX platform, possibly with a third row. Either way, the result will be better vehicles, no matter if you’re looking at the compact or midsize crossover offerings from Chevy.
Profit is something we never have to bring up as it should be the point of any improvment.
The real issue is the weight of the present vehicle is over 4000 pounds even with only two wheel drive. I know I own one. While MPG is not bad it is slipping to the others in the segment and with the coming CAFE will need improving.
This is also a pre chapter 11 platform that did not have a lot of the new tricks added to it when built. GM can make a much stiffer and lighter platform.
The SRX will be here before 2016 as will a smaller SUV. One of these I am sure will be on the new platrform and with that the others will not be behind much.
The S2XX sill be improved over the present but do not expect anything radical in changes.
There is some wasted space in the present vehicle I see being better used and the overal size will be a little more efficent.
While the moving back seat is nice I suspect it may be gone. To be honest other and my self seldom move the back seat.
I love my GMC but I could give you a list of things I could see changed here that could or should be looked at to keep this in the lead in the segment.
For GM, profit isn’t always a given. For years, GM produced a significant amount of vehicles only to sell them with gift baskets full of cash, resulting in decreased profitability, and sometimes in losses. For years, GM also had a wide range of vehicle platforms for vehicles that were in the same size/class (Cruze/Equinox, Astra/Antara, etc.). This is all changing now now with the New GM, since the drive is to be more profitable by NOT giving away cars and by making better world-class cars, rather than market-specific junkers. All that is to emphasize that profit hasn’t been a given, and it really still isn’t — given that GM is significantly less profitable than its closest competitors.
In addition, when you mention things like “SRX will be here before 2016”, etc. — are you referring to inside information that you know yourself, or are you speculating?
PLEASE don’t make the current Equinox Any Smaller!!! I own a Canadian Built 2012 Equinox LT2 which I adore for these reasons:
I am a Born and Bread Canadian Male!
I am 5Ft 11inches tall, approx 280lbs.
I can’t fit in a car, they are Too Small for me as my head hits the roof/headliner with the driver seat all the way down and back. I have a very long torso for my body type. Also most cars don’t have much cargo space!
I have to either drive an SUV, Pick-Up Truck or Van to fit in the driver’s seat comfortably without my head hitting the roof/headliner or requiring a convertible top/sunroof to stick my head through of which can be very chilly with the roof open in Canada during the winter!!!!
I don’t like Pick-Up’s too much because of their openness and instability.
I don’t like Van’s because of there looks and instability.
I like SUV’s because of their stability, looks, driver comfort, performance, sportiness, passenger space, cargo space, ride height, ground clearance, overall adaptability and appearance!
I love the adjustable back seat in my 2012 Equinox! When I have passengers I put the seat all the way back for their leg room comfort. When I am carrying cargo by myself I put the rear seat all the way forward, fold both sides down and I love the interior space the Equinox provides in this configuration! What I miss is that the front passenger seat doesn’t fold all the way flat for storing long items from the back. My 2003 Saturn Vue did!
I just tried sitting in a new Camaro at the dealership here with the driver’s seat all the way down and back as confirmed by the salesman, my head still hit’s the roof/headliner. While in the driving position my eyes were looking right at the top of the windshield and the side pillars were blocking my peripheral vision. Ditto for most cars of any manufacturer I have tried in the past!
Again for a Born and Bread Canadian, Please Do Not Make the Next Version of the Chevrolet Equinox Any Smaller or Remove the Adjustable Rear Seat!
Thanks!!!
Brad Drewery
Brad — I doubt you will actually notice the “smaller” nature of the next-gen Equinox. The space that is likely to shrink will be the hatch/trunk area, not the front or second rows.
The market, along with the industry, is moving to compact and midsize crossovers — leaving the “no-man’s-land Equinox” squarely in, well, no-man’s land. What I’m hoping for from GM is that the next-gen Equinox becomes the size of the new Ford Escape (riding on the next-gen Cruze/D2XX platform), while a new, mid-sized crossover becomes the size of a Toyota Highlander (and rides on the next-gen Malibu/E2XX platform). This will allow those that find the next-gen compact Equinox to small to step up to a mid-size CUV without going for the humongous Traverse.
@hyperv6 what the hell is a S2XX?
So what is the Chevrolet Trax for Alex??? Why does General Motors need to downsize the next version of the Equinox/Terrain when the Trax is now available?
Here’s the specs of the 2013 Trax.
Drive – All-Wheel (AWD) — O O O
Drive – Front-Wheel (FWD) S S S S
Engine – 1.4L turbocharged ECOTEC® I-4 with VVT Horsepower – 138 @ 4900 rpm; Torque – 148 lb.-ft. @ 1850 rpm
Recommended fuel: Regular unleaded
Max engine speed (rpm): 6500
Transmission – 6-speed automatic Hydra-Matic 6T40 with tap up/down shift control O S S S
Transmission – 6-speed manual with shift indicator
Exterior Dimensions:
Wheelbase (mm / in.): 2,555 / 100.6
Overall length (mm / in.): 4,280 / 168.5
Overall width (mm / in.): 1,776 / 69.9
Overall height (mm / in.): 1,674 / 65.9 (with std. roof rails)
Track (mm / in.): front: 1,540 / 60.6
rear: 1,540 / 60.6
Base Curb weight (kg / lb): FWD Manual: 1,363 / 3,005 FWD Automatic: 1,382 / 3,047
AWD Automatic: 1,476 / 3,254
Min. ground clearance (mm / in.): 199 / 7.8
Interior Dimensions:
Head room (mm / in.): front : 1,005 / 39.6
rear: 985 / 38.8
Leg room (mm / in.): front: 1,037 / 40.8
rear: 908 / 35.8
Shoulder room (mm / in.): front: 1,374 / 54.1
rear: 1,340 / 52.8
Hip room (mm / in.): front: 1,313 / 51.7
rear: 1,274 / 50.2
Capacities:
Seating capacity: 5
Cargo volume (L / cu. ft.): 530 / 18.7 (rear seats up)
1,371 / 48.4 (rear seats down)
Trailer towing maximum (kg / lb): Towing not recommended
Fuel tank (L / imp.gal.): 53 / 11.7