The 2020 Chevy Equinox and the 2023 Chevy Equinox both made the “Best Choices – Used” list of passenger vehicles for teenagers compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports, with earlier model years also appearing on the “Good Choices” list.
Safety was the foremost factor in choosing vehicles for the Best Choices and Good Choices lists, the IIHS report states, noting that “the combination of immaturity and inexperience makes driving especially risky” for teens, though reliability and price are also considered.
The 2020 and 2023 Chevy Equinox models achieved good ratings throughout the crashworthiness tests with the exception of side impacts with a newer, more rigorous test, which yielded marginal results. The Equinox offered good results for frontal impacts with varying degrees of overlap, roof strength in case of rollover, and head restraints.
Older Chevy Equinox model years had either Acceptable or Marginal results for headlights, with illumination good on the right side of the vehicle, but poor on the left side both on straightaways and curves. These results were due to the use of halogen headlights, with the newer vehicles featuring brighter and more effective LED headlights instead.
IIHS counted the Chevy Equinox in the “Small SUVs” category, while the GMC Terrain, which also made the list, fell into the “Midsize SUVs” category. Vehicles that achieved the Best Choices list, such as the 2020 and 2023 Equinox, all met certain parameters as well. Only vehicles equipped as standard with automatic emergency braking systems that achieve an “advanced” or “superior” score in IIHS tests make this list.
Also included are 4 out of 5, or 5 out of 5, reliability ratings from Consumer Reports, 3 out of 5 or better emergency handling ratings, and 145 feet or less of dry braking distance when coming to a stop from 60 mph. The 2020 and 2023 Chevy Equinox crossovers were also the cheapest vehicles in the “Small SUVs” category at an average used price of $13,800.
Vehicles in the Good Choices category, such as the 2018 to 2019 Chevy Equinox, must reach most of the same ratings as the Best Choices vehicles. However, they either lack standard automatic emergency braking systems, or those systems failed to offer “advanced” or “superior” performance when put through IIHS crash testing.
As a reminder, the most recent of the Equinox models, the 2023 model year, got a new engine, with the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LYX being retired in favor of the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LSD gasoline engine. The crossover also got a new-for-2023 e-boost braking system.
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This is one of the best examples of used GM vehicles that can fulfill the transportation needs of new college graduates who have few funds to buy a new domestic vehicle. And this is another reason why we never need to buy cheap imports. There are hundreds of thousands of very good but used vehicles for sale every day. Some are released from rental fleets with high mileage but in excellent conditions. GM should be promoting this solution to reduce imports sales and extend their influence with used vehicles, while gaining sales of replacement parts. The next benefit is creating GM owner loyalty which promote future new vehicle sales after the owners improve their income.