Chevrolet pulled the wraps off of the now compact 2018 Equinox yesterday evening. In the process, we were able to sneak a few words in with Steve Majoros, Director of Chevrolet Marketing, during its launch in Chicago, Illinois.
Obviously, we focused on the biggest news of the evening: the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox will arrive with a 1.6-liter CDTi turbo-diesel engine option. So, we asked when potential buyers will be able to scoop one up for themselves.
Majoros stated the diesel engine option would launch “shortly after” the 2018 Equinox does in the first quarter of 2017, which spans January through March. We think it’s safe to say an early second quarter launch is feasible for the 2018 Equinox and its new turbo-diesel engine.
The 1.6-liter CDTi turbo-diesel engine will also likely be found under the hood of the 2017 Chevrolet Cruze diesel, which shares identical architecture with the 2018 Equinox. The engine hails from Europe, specifically, GM’s Opel subsidiary where it has been branded as the “whisper diesel“.
However, GM’s latest nine-speed automatic transmission will not be fitted to the 1.6L turbo diesel, and Majoros was unwilling to expand on what will provide shifting duties.
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Love hearing this but wondering what transmission will be used with the diesel.... also wondering what kind of MPG the Cruze Diesel will return if this gets 40 mpg highway (per GM Testing)
The Diesel will probably get the 6 speed automatic that is already used with the Astra.
The Astra gets with that automatic a combined rating of 4.5L/100km which translated to 52MPG (but I have to say that the testing is done differently in Europe)
I just came back from Europe where I rented an Opel Mokka CDTi diesel for a two-week, 3000 mile road trip. I'm thinking the new Equinox diesel will basically be the Opel Mokka CDTi. I liked the car. It had a good quick acceleration surge on the highway. The car's dashboard statistics reported 5.5 liters fuel consumption per 100 km, or 43 mpg, for my mostly highway driving.
The car had an impact warning system for parking and low-speed driving. (It may have had a high-speed system also, but it never activated.) The parking warning system was somewhat annoying, going berzerk when I passed through toll plazas and when I was parking in the tight European garages.
What an uggo CUV. Reminds me of the 2005 Honda CRV with that hoary great (kinda random) pillar between the rear passenger door and the rear wraparound window. Bleccchhh. I guess there's no accounting for taste...