2021 Chevrolet Equinox To Drop Turbo 2.0L Engine: Exclusive
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When it begins production later this year, the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox will not offer the turbocharged 2.0L LTG four-cylinder engine, GM Authority has learned. The change will make the turbocharged 1.5L LYX gasoline engine the sole powerplant for the compact crossover.
According to sources, the 2.0L turbo engine – which makes 82 horsepower and 57 pound-feet of torque more than the 1.5L LYX – represented only 7 percent of total Equinox sales volume.
| Engine | Transmission | Horsepower @ RPM | Torque @ RPM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo 1.5L I-4 LYX | 6-speed auto | 170 @ 5600 | 203 @ 2000 – 4000 |
| Turbo 2.0L I-4 LTG | 9-speed auto | 252 @ 5500 | 260 @ 2500 – 4500 |
For the 2020 model year, the turbo 2.0L was optional on the LT and Premier trim levels of the Equinox. For the 2021 model year, all trims will get the 1.5L as standard. However, the six-speed automatic transmission offered in conjunction with the base 1.5L engine in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 models will likely be replaced by the GM nine-speed auto for the 2021 MY.
The discontinuation of the up-level turbo 2.0L engine for the 2021 model year comes after GM dropped the 1.6L turbo-diesel LH7 engine for the 2020 Equinox. Additionally, the discontinuation of the boosted 2.0-liter engine represents a departure from tradition for the Chevrolet Equinox powertrain structure, which has been offered with a base engine and with an optional, more powerful engine through its three generations.
Chevrolet Equinox sales have been on a steady upward trajectory since its introduction in 2005. According to the GM Authority data center, Equinox sales hit a new record in 2019 with 346,048 deliveries. By comparison, 332,618 and 290,458 units were delivered in 2018 and 2017, respectively. In fact, the Equinox is GM’s second best-selling vehicle in the United States market, behind the Silverado.
The Chevrolet Equinox is produced across four plants around the world supplying global demand:
- GM CAMI plant in Canada
- GM San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico
- GM Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico
- GM Wuhan II plant in China
North American markets are supplied primarily by the CAMI plant, and to a lesser extent, by the two facilities in Mexico. The Wuhan plant exclusively supplies the Chinese domestic market.
2022 Chevrolet Equinox refresh was originally planned for the 2021 model year
GM originally planned to launch a midcycle enhancement (MCE / refresh) for the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox, which would deliver updates to the exterior and interior, while also adding a sporty-looking Equinox RS model. However, the refresh was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The refreshed model is now expected to launch for the 2022 model year.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Equinox will also gain a few other minor changes. Two of these include giving LT models the option for black leather seats, while giving the Equinox Midnight Edition a cloth seating option. We will outline the complete changes for the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox shortly, so be to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Equinox news, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock General Motors news coverage.
On a final (and related) note, GM will also discontinue the turbocharged 2.0L engine in the 2021 GMC Terrain, where it made up 27 percent of sales volume.
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For Chrissakes, GM…what in the hell?
Blazer offers 2.0T.
The 2.0t returns for 22′, isn’t GMA going to post it?.
Waiting patiently for the updates to the redesigned the 2021 equinox. I need the 2.0for towing. Now with the announcement it takes me out of the gm market. So disappointed
That is not a good move I know several people that bought a equinox for the 2.0 turbo. The reason they don’t sell more is because dealerships didn’t order them. None on the lots
The sales percentages are probably very true ,because it is very difficult to get or test drive the difference in performance .The 2 .0 Litre is quick and a pleasure to drive compared to the standard engine ,read any road test magazine ,they tell you straight up buy the 2.0 L. 252 engine ,bad move unless you boost the standard engine output !
Yep its just like GM and Cadillac !
Look at the CT5, you can’t even test drive one because GM is only pushing the 2.0T to the dealers.
I’ll bet you GM says ” Well a low % of CTS was sold with the 3.0TT ” Most were sold with the 2.0T !
Even though Cadillac should be the one here with the 2.0T dropped from its lineup !
Once again GM is relying on the dealer to tell them what the customer wants !
And once again the GM dealer has no clue !
The GM driver that wanted more than the average ” Good Enough ” blah, in a midsized vehicles, has already moved to another manufacturer.
O well, nothing new here.
The problem now lies with the fact that GM dropped its sedans because they wanted to focus on SUVs and CUVs. Now even those are becomming uncompetitive.
GM listens to their accountants too much rather than car guys in design or engineering.
Exactly. I have a 2018 2.0 which I ordered.
To many smaller suv’s
Trax, Trailblazer, Equinox, Blazer
Do away with the Equinox put the Blazer on a truck frame with a standard V6
I’m really confused with what GM is trying to accomplish. If they have no smaller/right sized CUVs for singles or couples with more powerful engine options, are they hoping they’ll just jump to the next size up?
If they used the 2.0T as the only engine for the Terrain, it would make sense to upcharge for the model and make even more money. GMC could have sportier compact that used the 2.0T/AWD/9AT combo that positioned slightly above the Terrain to go after models like the Evoque, X1/X2 etc.
I won’t miss the 2.0 Turbo. I’m still missing the 3.6 V6!
Perhaps you should look at a Blazer, then. That’s what replaced the old mid-size Equinox.
So when they bring out the RS version of the Equinox for 2022, and probably have it somewhere around 42,000 dollars if not higher, It’s gonna have a 1.5 turbo 170hp engine?? Good luck getting anyone to buy it. I would think at least for that package option GM would offer something more substantial than that.
RS has become a “sticker, wheels, and ground effects” package. GM CEO’s infinite “lack” of wisdom is bringing the company down. There is no more “Rally Sport” behind the RS badge anymore … just Really Stupid!
RS has ALWAYS been a trim package look back at the first gen Camaro – the SS had a RS trim option
@Alibabalou – At various times, for various models RS *has* denoted a suspension upgrade. The first-gen Cruze had a softer suspension for the LS and 1LT and a firmer suspension for the 2LT and LTZ. Opting for an RS package for the 1LT netted you the firmer suspension.
Typical GM Not Knowing What Consumers Want…Bring Back The Avalanche And El Camino Too…Also The Trans Am!!!
Yeah, a lot of bad moves lately. Somebody needs to be fired!(shaking my head)
The moves they’ve made in recent years are the reason they’ve been able to weather the current economic disaster without aid from the gov. Meanwhile companies like Ford have made decisions that people have cheered in approval, yet they’re on the verge of financial collapse and have mentioned the possibility of seeking help from the government.
I am sure the new Bronco lineup and the new F-150 are destined to be big failures….
…and certainly don’t forget about the Chevelle!
And The GTO And NOVA!!!
They already resurrected the nova nameplate once … proving that the top execs have lost touch with history of the company and where they SHOULD be taking it.
I was with you until you started mentioning vehicles that no one IRL actually wanted.
The Avalanche and El Camino come up a lot in the comments on this site. If you point out the low sales numbers you’ll just get down votes.
They did bring back the GTO and Nova already, so I’ll consider that sarcasm.
Hello GM ..please don’t get rid of the turbo 2.0 ..as a matter a fact build a more torquer more Hp Turbo
Maybe some type of Hybrid will be offered?
We do know that GM Management is primarily investing in all electric, however, since we still see growth in Hybrids like the RAV4, maybe GM will still consider the hybrid option?
My wife has a new RAV4 Hybrid for work, and it is a pretty fast vehicle, with great wide range power/torque.
GM has given up Hybrid powertrain and only focus in pure EV.
Yeah, they are focusing so hard on pure EVs, that they’ve only brought one to market and it’s years old.
Lol true
Remember GM Management sinking millions into the development of the Ballard Fuel-cell. And that faded away pretty quickly.
I got a 2018 with the 2.0 engine when it was first available. Love the power and driving experience. I will think long and hard before trading for a lesser engine Equinox.
Wow. Extremely bad move. They must have eventual warranty cost issues on the drivetrain that we don’t know about.
Just another GM vehicle out of consideration! I have the 2.0 in my 2018 Premier and find the power level more than adequate. Not to say the engine is faultless. Fuel economy is abysmal. Mileage was basically the same as the 3.0TT in a CT6 I had.
With that being said, I had a Equinox 2020 with the base engine when my car was in the body shop , and the base engine is a dog, a very slow one!
Nobody is buying a midsize CUV for its 0-60 prowess. Fuel economy and emissions regulations drive these kind of decisions. All manufacturers are being forced to shrink displacement to meet emissions requirements and CAFE averages. Giving the Equinox a big turbo 4 cyl or V6 could be a big enough GHG hit that GM would be forced to do things like cutting the 6.2 option from the full-size SUV’s.
I Purchased The 2018 Midnight Special (Black-Black Wheels) For My Wife…A Real Sleeper…AWD…She Loves It!
I Purchased The 2018 Midnight Special (Black-Black Wheels) For My Wife…A Real Sleeper…AWD…She Loves
GM and Chevy made a terrible mistake by removing the 3.4 L V6 engine. My 2009 Equinox has this engine (made by GM-SAIC) and in eleven years it had just one problem: a bad #1 spark plug (supplier problem) , which was replaced at no cost in 2016 by GM’s lifetime warranty for the plugs. That is all it had, and it still runs strong (does 60 MPH at 1700 RPM), but gets only 18 MPG. Most of us prefer a better engine than a better MPG figure. The engine hardly dirties the oil, so I change it only once every year.
Bring back the 3.4 L engine for the next model years, and make every buyer happy!
Why would they put a V6 in a compact CUV? Remember, the Equinox is not as big as it was in 2009.
Why would they make it smaller. If your changing the design, discontinue the model and come up with something new including a new name. Take the Blazer for example, put it back on a truck frame with a V6 or V8. If you are going to re-release it make it better then it was not some mediocre design of a previous model.
I refer you to the latest failure of the Nova …
Well, so the Nox will continue to be spanked by VW Tiguan and Jeep Compass in Brazil. Nobody likes the 1,5 here.
Objectively, this doesn’t come as a big surprise. The 2.0T LTG motor is being sunset across the board, and has either been replaced or on its last legs in products that are due to end or be completely revised.
Don’t be surprised when the refreshed (and delayed from 2021) 2022 model goes on sale early in 2021 with the 2.0T LSY with 237-hp & 258 ft-lbs. as the upgrade engine. The launch of the refresh was delayed by one MY, so likely that the powertrain transition was as well. If my suspicion is right, the LTG wasn’t intended for 2021 MY production in the first place, so there may be no supply chain in place.
Whether the LSY is a competitive upgrade motor is an entirely different discussion…
Finally someone brings up the fact that it is coming back in 2022. They had poor sales on the 2.0L partially because it required premium fuel. The revised 2.0L is to be of slightly less power and will run on 87 octane.
The new power plant hasnt been made in enough volume yet for production to implement the engine for 2021 which is why it was pushed back a year.
You could use 87 octane or low octane gasoline in the 2.0T LTG since last decade. Nothing new.
The new LSY has lower peak hp but better, more drivable torque curve which yields better mpg.
What I don’t get is that they have two competing vehicles on the lot side by side. One just takes away sales from the other. That being said, they should mothball either the Equinox or the Blazer, or better yet, make the Blazer what it’s supposed to be and put it on a Colorado chassis instead of disemboweling it into another crossover.
Equinox with 1.5l is not a rocket as comments indicate but buyers of Equinox are price sensitive, looking for utility to carry stuff, some basic safety features, fuel economy and reasonable good looks. Equinox sells very well on these features making it one of the top volume crossovers in the market. Granted a 6.0l would propel the vehicle to 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds but give it a break, Equinox works and hits a volume market.
Exactly. Compact SUV buyers don’t care about 0-60 times. It’s about price and fuel efficiency. With the current transmissions, the 1.5t’s 200 lb-ft is more than adequate for the purpose the Equinox serves.
This is a head scratcher. As others mentioned, maybe the LTG is being dropped in favor of the LSY. I call BS on the 7% take rate. When we bought our 2019 Equinox, a nationwide inventory search showed a 75-25 split between the 1.5 and 2.0. I love the 2.0L we bought, lots of power and 32 mpg highway without even trying. But I only feed it 94 octane.
If both you and GMa are right, that means that in one year the 2.0t’s share went fron 25% to 7%. Weird. The Equinox with the 2.0t was an enjoyable. The handling wasn’t terrible, and the 2.0t was a rocket.
The introduction of the LSY later on (or potentially something even better!) is a possibility.
As far as the take-rate goes, an inventory search in a specific area at a limited point in time does not make for a solid base from which to draw any statistical conclusions. In other words, the assumptive figures you cite are incorrect.
The actual, real-world take-rate for the LTG in the Equinox is 7 percent, just as we reported.
I have a 2018 Terrain Denali and the 2.0 was standard, I would not have purchased the smaller engine Terrain. I was planning to purchase a 2021 Terrain Denali but now that the larger engine is not available I will be looking at other vehicles. I’m very disappointed by this move because I loved my Terrain.
I have a 2018 with AWD. The small engine is a joke that’s why I had to order one with the 2.0.
Perfect power to pass going uphill or toe a small trailer. Big mistake to drop the 2.0.
Have to look at other manufacturers in 2021.
I can’t imagine what you people are talking about. I drove a 2018 1.5 L for 3 years plenty of power plenty of torque ..no torque steer. I purchased a 2020 1.5 L ..A great vehicle plenty of power, great for passing, excellent miles per gallon. And I’m not paying for high octane fuel like I would with a 2.0 liter. If you haven’t tried it don’t knock it. All you’re doing is discouraging potential buyers from considering this great vehicle.
Clearly you never test drove a 2.0L. It had more pick up than the V6 Blazer which is a heavier vehicle. I love my Quin with his very fast 2.0L (well for a CUV).
WOW. I love that engine with the 9 speed in my equinox. Guess I know what I won’t be buying again!!
I have a 2018 Terrain with the 2.0T. My lease is up in November and I am just hoping there are still some 2020s left with the 2.0T. There is no way I go from the 2.0T to the 1.5T. They really believe a Terrain Denali at $45,000 is going to sell with 177hp??
You know it was a big enough slap in the face when you took the v6 away a few years ago, so now you’re taking away the 2.0 motor,once again general motors just keeps reducing the amount of choices, in every aspect of their vehicles, just least a 2020 terrain Denali, I can’t imagine it with the smaller motor, once again GM’s arrogance shows through decisions are strictly made on cost not on customer satisfaction so these sell the most that’s only offer these the heck with everybody else, because the electric vehicle looms that’s where all their money is going now That’s why they’re not giving you choices, so disappointing.
This is a big mistake. My 2018 has the 2.0 and good power. The base engine just doesn’t have the power. Maybe if you could get the 2.0 across all models it would have helped instead of upgraded models.