Chevrolet is planning on heavily overhauling its crossover portfolio. While a refreshed 2016 Equinox will hold things over in the meantime, 2017 will be a big year for the bowtie and its crossovers.
The report comes from Automotive News, who have sources whispering a new model will arrive to sit between the Equinox and Traverse. How will Chevrolet make room for this new model? The Equinox will be shrinking come its third generation.
Word is the 2017 Equinox will move to the smaller D2XX platform, currently underpinning the 2016 Chevrolet Cruze, and the upcoming crossover will sit on C1XX underpinnings, the crossover variant of GM’s E2XX midsize vehicle platform.
C1XX is allegedly a very flexible architecture, with the capability of underpinning mid-size and full-size crossovers. It will also reportedly underpin the upcoming 2016 Cadillac XT5, and rumors still persist we may see two different-sized wheelbases from that vehicle alone.
According to the report, the 2017 GMC Acadia will also be affected by this move, as the Acadia takes on a more mid-size, three-row crossover footprint.
Moving the Chevy Equinox down in size will give the brand a more formidable trio to fight the Escape, Edge and Explorer, as Chevrolet looks to continue filling in its crossover niches, something it began with the introduction of the Chevrolet Trax.
Comments
This answers a lot of open speculation we have had.
So Caddy won’t have Exclusivity to nothing, guess that’s how they think a Luxury Brand suppose to be, the Europeans is Back to laughing at us!!!!! 😉
The fact is Cadillac will share platforms but the new ones are much more expandable and will vary greatly. Just as the CTS and Camaro may share but are much different
Also the new Cadillac just started in August of last year so you will get Cadillac only engines and I mean not shared corporate engines in the coming years and more specific Cadillac designs.
Most companies do this anymore so no one is going to be laughing too hard. It is not just by change Audi VW and even Lamborghini all share models. Same with the W engines with Bentley and VW. Or Even now Toyota and BMW will share some platforms.
Great. Just what we need. Another f-ing crossover.
I think your response best sums up my feelings. Couldn’t have said it better myself. I remember several articles with GM stating that their suv/cuv line up was full. But I’m patiently waiting for a new blazer, as I am building my 2000 Blazer ZR2 into off road vehicle, keeping it cheap as this Blazer is just to hold me over.
Then GM announce a new suv, but give us a Trax. I don’t think it’s needed, but whatever.
Then GM totally revamps the Chevy line up, okay, good, now that we have all the bread winners out of the way they can start working on our Blazer.
And now GM makes one more announcement about a new suv to slot between the Equinox and Traverse. Perfect, here comes our Blazer…And its a Crossover! God D*** it, GM!
Will it have a shiftable t-case with high and low? Will it have locking rear e-diff? Will I be able to fit 35’s or maybe just 33’s under it with a lift kit?
Hey GM your Tahoe is too damn big, I smashed the panels on my K5 on the trails in AZ because it was to wide to fit down the them. I couldn’t image having to deal with a longer wheel base of the Tahoe (116) on the trail, the K5s 106 inchs was just right.
And how can people say its too expensive to build a body on frame suv like the blazer, GM already has everything it needs? They build them for third world countries already. Why won’t they take the Colorado, cut 17 inches out of the wheelbase, and weld on a hatch and tail gate on the back of the cab, and give it rear coils springs. It seems like it would be a lot cheaper to engineer the back half of a vehicle, than a brand new cuv.
Wtf GM, your fans/customers are getting restless, do you want us to defect to Jeep/FCA?
What if I like the Jeep? Then maybe we’ll trade the wife’s 09′ Impala SS in for a new Charger instead of a CTS. Heck, if I get one dodge (Jeep) in my driveway, I mine as well have two.
Should be interesting. All of Chevys cars and trucks within the next year will all be new. There suvs besides the Tahoe and Suburban need help. Hopefully in the next year they will all be redone. The trax was outdated when they pulled the cover on it.
Since the Trax already occupies the Cruize based CUV slot, this new line up will be a little congested on the bottom end, or….? Perhaps the Trax which is coming up on a world wide release of a new model gets smaller?
The Trax is a Sub-Compact CUV based on the Sonic’s Gamma ll Platform, not the Cruze’s Compact Delta ll architecture (now called D2XX).
Thanks for being accurate! +1
You are of course correct on the platform.
However, here in the US the Cruize and Sonic are both sold with the same two engines (1.8 liter base and 1.4 liter Turbo upgrade). The Sonic functions in the Chevy lineup much like the Cruize Hatchback that we don’t get would have. Yes, the hatchback is less expensive but most Americans consider hatchbacks to be “cheaper” than sedans – but the price of an actual Cruize hatchback would have been more than the Cruize sedan costs.
The current Trax motor in the US is the very same 1.4 liter Turbo used in both the top of the line Cruize and Sonic cars.
I still don’t see much room for a Cruize based CUV unless they put something stronger than the new 153 hp 1.4 liter Turbo that will gradually replace the 138 hp version as production builds.
I am assuming (you know what that means) that the new Equinox will get the 160 hp 1.5 liter Turbo now showing up in the new Malibu. It has good torque but I don’t believe Honda will be especially worried about the “nox” competing well against their CUV’s.
As a long time GM fan one can only hope.
Chevrolet should revive the Blazer name; that vehicle was between the size of an Equinox and Traverse right?
Good Idea!
But it cannot make the Terrain the compact crossover since GMC is already positioning that car to midsize
Well from what I have heard the Terrain and Nox will remain smaller and the Acadia will fill the mid size slot with a larger model taking the place of the Acadia.
Note we should expect some changes with GMC and there is a chance they may change things up a bit.
Also factor in that most GMC dealers are also tied to Buick who also is getting a another CUV.
Now does that mean GMC will follow Chevy . We have the Acadia and Terrain , which leaves a hole in the middle . Buick seems to be covering 3 or 4 suv’s , Cadillac will have the XT5 and a smaller ute plus a 7 seater that they haven’t confirmed yet but we all know is coming ( aka baby Escalade ) .
This is a great move for Chevy and Buick but GMC should retain its three model strategy given the brand shares space with Buick.
GMC needs a Wrangler off road sort of vehicle and possibly something benchmarked against Renegade but would have trouble selling a smaller Terrain.
The CUV is the modern station wagon.
It is the modern station wagon, minivan, hatchback, SUV and sedan all wrapped up on one package.
It has more utility than a wagon or hatch. It is more manly than a Minivan and make it look like a truck and people will buy it even based on a sedan platform for more money.
Styling is the one area that is tough as styling a 2 box design is very limiting.
I’m not a fan of a smaller Equinox. The only way I end up liking the idea is if they were to bring a RWD product into the mix, say Trailblazer-esque.
Paul I too was hoping for an Alpha based model but the cost and the weight is just too much moving to the future.
They have to consider the weight factor here and a unibody FWD/REW is much easier to remove weight from.
These platforms will be around as we enter into the new CAFE era in 2025 and they will be called to do things we never could imagine MPG wise.
The Trailblazer was very heavy and to do something like it today would be very expensive and nearly come to the price of a Tahoe. As it is I expect the Tahoe to shrink and it will be more Colorado sized in the next gen. This is pure speculation on my part but a very realistic look as sales of the large SUV lines shrink each year. I expect the next Tahoe to be about Dodge Journey size. The Suburban may remain to pick up the larger sales.
I think if you let this play out there will be something for everyone with a little compromise. The fact is with the coming regs few of us will get all we want including GM.
I know you are fair minded so I think you can follow where I am going here.
When I was car hunting end of last year…. I was considering not getting a truck… I could deal with a crossover or SUV that wasn’t HUGE but also not small… as I still do need a truck but not as much. I found the GM lineup horrible and got a Silverado LTZ because I had little choice if I was going to stick to GM and since I had GM points to discount the price I had to stick with GM. Next time they may nt be so lucky as I am not using the GM card anymore… I want my options open. I liked the Mercedez M Class… That is a good size and nice. Why can’t GM come up with something like that. The Explorer is pretty nice too. But I like GM if at all possible. It will be years before I get another vehicle so let’s hope they get it right as they are loosing market share constantly. And a Cadillac needs to not look like a Chevy,.
They have been gaining market shares in the US and most in the CUV segment as the Nox. Terrain and Encore has been putting up big numbers. These are some of the best sellers in the segments they are in.
Please, please don’t make the next version of the Chevy Equinox smaller. I thought it was built in Canada for Canadians! I am a Canadian and I cannot fit in a passenger vehicle as my head hits the roof of most with the driver’s seat all the way down and back. The Impala, Malibu, Camaro, Cruze are all difficult for me to get in or out. Don’t even ask me about getting in the back seat of one of these. I need a vehicle that I can comfortably fit in for long drives and get in and out of without hitting my head. The current Equinox version fits my Canadian size. I have to either drive an SUV or Pickup Truck to fit in comfortably. I see this downsizing occurring every where now. I have to buy larger clothes to fit as news sizes are made smaller. I have to buy shoe sizes larger because I don’t know what any of the European, USA or Canadian sizes mean between manufacturers and styles as they are all over the place! I have a leather jacket that is about 10 years old. To get the same jacket from the same manufacturer now, I have to go up 2 sizes to fit the same way my old one does! There does not seem to be any standards in sizes anymore. Who are vehicles being built for today? What Country are they being designed in? To keep up with the European/Chinese market the North American market is losing customers! I would think North American vehicles built by North Americans would be sized for the North American market! With the current vehicle size trends, In the future am I going to have to buy a Bus or Semi Truck to fit in comfortably!
Brad that is why they are making a new mid size similar if not a little larger than the present Nox to fit big Canadians!
In stead of just 3 sizes they will have 4 sizes with the Nox moving down just a little and an Explorer sized one to fill the gap. If that is not big enough the Traverse or what ever they call it will still be there.
You are not losing a model you are gaining one to fit normal sized people who want a little smaller but not Trax small.
See you get your Horton’s and get to eat it too Eh.
Now that GM is using the Volt’s D2XX platform for the Equinox, it is perfect to become an EREV CUV for the 2017 MY, after the 2016 Malibu becomes the next EREV sedan.
This is why you have not seen them do anything with the present Nox. The D2XX will cut a lot of weight and will have been designed physically and aerodynamically for hybid or electric use. I expect in a year or two after the intro you will see something.
To do it on the last model would have been a disaster. Adding batteries to a model already 4100 pounds would not have worked all that well.
This is often why we wait for some of the things we wish for. You just have to wait for the right platform to be ready.
I love my Equinox LT. I am planning to buy a new one like this. If they are messing with a good thing, my next car will not be a GM!!!!
I think once again GM is making a huge mistake as they will be losing millions of customers that are absolutely in love with the Equinox in its current size and form. Being an employee at the factory that builds the Equinox/Terrain CUV’s we have not been able to keep up with demand for theses vehicles for the past 6 years! We have been working 24 hours a day, 6 days a week-plus shipping about 60000 bodies that we welded up, out to the Oshawa assembly plant on top of that! That doesn’t include any units that have been assembled in Tennessee at the former Saturn facilities. I have been an autoworker for 27 years and have never seen a model increase its demand year over year through its model life like the current Equinox has. Therefore the general consensus is to refine and update the Equinox to stay very current and competitive, but not as to lose the interest of the people that love it now!