Chevrolet introduces a completely overhauled (redesigned and re-engineered) Equinox crossover for the 2018 model year, delivering an all-new vehicle that is more modern, fuel-efficient, and slightly smaller than the model it replaces.
While its predecessor — the second-generation Equinox — was a “tweener” vehicle straddling the compact and midsize segments, the 2018Â Equinox will be repositioned directly into the compact crossover segment.
To note, we initially believed that the all-new, third-generation Chevrolet Equinox will be a 2017 model year vehicle. However, we now believe that the all-new Equinox will launch for the 2018 model year, with the 2017 Chevy Equinox receiving minor updates for its final model year in production.
The exterior design of the third-generation Chevy Equinox will be all-new, while representing an evolution of Chevy’s global design language.
Stay tuned for more information on the exterior design of the 2018 Equinox.
The 2018Â Chevy Equinox is available as a four-door compact crossover (CUV/SUV).
This section currently unavailable and will be updated when we get more information.
The interior of the 2018 Chevy Equinox is all-new and offers more room, more technology, greater comfort, and increased ergonomics.
The cabin arranged featuring a “down-and-away” instrument panel coupled with a low windshield base for greater outward visibility. The vehicle also gets several nifty design cues such as available denim-style seat fabric, and a new “kneeling” rear seat, which allows the bottom seat cushions to tilt forward when folding the seatbacks.
Cargo areas comes in at 63.5 cubic feet.
The 2018 Chevy Equinox features various advanced in-vehicle technologies that allow for a more connected and safer driving experience, including a new Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system with seven- and eight-inch touchscreens featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Complementing the new MyLink system with Apple CarPlay and Google Auto will be OnStar with 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot. The feature allows up to seven devices to connect to the hotspot simultaneously. It comes with a complimentary six-month trial period, while the 4G LTE-based Wi-Fi has a 3-month or 3-gigabyte trial, whichever comes first.
The 2018 Equinox will ride on GM’s new D2XX vehicle architecture, which succeeds and combines the Delta 2 platform and Theta platform.
Other vehicles using GM’s D2XX platform include:
- 2016 Chevy Volt (and newer)
- 2016 Chevrolet Cruze (and newer)
- 2016 Opel Astra K (and newer)
- 2018 GMC Terrain (and newer)
- 2016 Buick Envision (and newer)
- Second-generation Opel-Vauxhall Antara
The 2018 Chevy Equinox offers three turbocharged engines, including the segment’s first turbo-diesel. The lineup is intended to provide customers more choices when it comes to performance, efficiency and capability in the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.
“With three choices, customers can select an engine that offers more of the attributes that are important to them: efficiency, performance and capability,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president, Global Propulsion Systems. “The advantage for each is the power of a larger engine and the fuel economy of a smaller engine.”
Engines
The new Equinox is the first Chevrolet model in North America to offer an all-turbocharged, multi-engine propulsion lineup that consists of:
- Gasoline-powered turbo-charged 1.5L LFV inline-four cylinder (standard)
- Gasoline-powered turbo-charged 2.0L LTG inline-four cylinder (optional)
- Diesel-powered turbo-charged 1.6L inline-four cylinder (optional)
1.5L Turbo Offers Excellent Fuel Economy
Part of GM’s new family of Ecotec small-displacement engines with direct injection, the 1.5L turbo LFV offers a GM-estimated 170 horsepower (127 kW) and 31 mpg highway (FWD configurations).
2.0L Turbo Raises The Performance Bar
With a GM-estimated 252 horsepower (188 kW) and a wide torque band for strong pulling power and acceleration, the available 2.0L LTG turbo offers a higher degree of performance. It also offers a GM-estimated 28 mpg on the highway (FWD).
Ninety percent of the engine’s peak torque is available from 2,000 to 5,600 rpm, along with maximum torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. That strong, sustained torque production helps the new Equinox offer a 3,500-pound (1,585 kg) max trailering capacity that is equal to the current model’s capacity with the available V-6 engine.
1.6L Turbo-Diesel Delivers Maximum Efficiency And Capability
The 2018 Equinox is slated to be the only competitor in the North American compact SUV segment with a diesel choice for customers seeking the ultimate in fuel economy and SUV capability. It is expected to offer a GM-estimated 40 mpg highway.
The 1.6L turbo-diesel is an all-new design, with output estimated at 136 horsepower (101 kW) at 3,500 to 4,000 rpm and 236 pound-feet of torque (320 Nm) at 2,000 rpm. A variable-geometry turbocharger helps generate a broad torque band that makes the engine very responsive at low rpm. It also features stop/start technology and is one of the industry’s most refined diesels.
Transmissions
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox offers two transmissions:
- The gasoline engines are matched with GM’s all-new 9T50 nine-speed automatic transmission
- The turbo-diesel engine is matched with a yet-undisclosed transmission
Nine-Speed For Efficiency And Refinement
The all-new 9T50 nine-speed automatic transmission features a higher 7.6:1 overall ratio to enhance efficiency while smaller steps between the gears (compared to six-speed designs) enhance refinement.
An on-axis design, where all the gears are in line with the crankshaft, and GM’s first application of a selectable one-way clutch help reduce the package size of the 9T50, making it roughly the same size as a six-speed transmission.
The 2018 Chevy Equinox rides on an all-new architecture known as the GM D2XX platform. More rigid and lighter than before, it delivers great driving dynamism while also playing a significant role in enhanced safety and fuel efficiency.
Chevrolet states that crossover customers “want a vehicle that can manage everything from comfort and connectivity to efficient performance and safety”. The brand goes on to state that the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox “delivers on all counts — especially when it comes to protecting its passengers.”
The vehicle offers a suite of active safety technologies and adaptive crash-avoidance features that help provide peace of mind on the road for adults as well as new teen drivers.
Teen Driver technology allows parents to set certain vehicle controls and review an in-vehicle report card with their teens, helping to encourage safe driving habits.
“The Chevrolet Equinox ramps up its awareness and protection capability with an even broader range of available technologies designed to assist drivers in everyday situations,” said Ray Kiefer, General Motors Active Safety technical fellow. “From daily driving to parking and crash avoidance, it can help the occupants avoid trouble altogether.”
Available advanced active safety features to enhance driver awareness on the road include radar- and camera-based adaptive technologies that can provide alerts or warnings about potential threats, allowing the driver to react and make changes to possibly avoid them, including:
- New Safety Alert Seat
- New Surround Vision
- New Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator
- New Low-Speed Forward Automatic Braking
- New Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- New Rear Seat Reminder
- Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
The expanded safety features provided by the all-new Equinox are rooted in a stronger body structure and a range of available advanced driver safety assistance features. New for 2018 is Surround Vision, a technology that provides a literal look at the 2018 Equinox’s perimeter. The available system uses strategically-located cameras on all sides of the vehicle to provide a 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the vehicle, helping drivers quickly view the surrounding area at a glance for more confident maneuvering when reversing, parking or trailering.
Equinox models without Surround Vision offer a standard rear-vision camera system.
Also new are IntelliBeam headlamps, which offer automatic high-beam control.
When it comes to traditional passive safety features, there are six standard air bags, including frontal driver and passenger air bags; roof rail-mounted head curtain side air bags that help protect the front and outboard rear seating positions; and front-seat-mounted side-impact air bags.
Additional safety features include:
- Front passenger seat occupant sensing system; rollover sensing and protection system
- Collapsible pedal assembly to help protect against lower-extremity injuries
- Three-point safety belts in all five seating positions, safety belt retractor pretensioners and lap pretensioners in the driver- and front-passenger positions, and front safety belt load limiters
- LATCH child seat latching system in the rear seat
- Tire pressure monitoring system and daytime running lamps
All of the Equinox’s crash-avoiding and passenger-protecting technologies are built into a stronger body structure that incorporates high-strength steel in key areas to help prevent intrusion into the passenger compartment.
The 2018 Chevy Equinox sheds 400 pounds from its predecessor while manageing 63.5 cubic-feet of cargo area.
Currently, performance figures for the 2018 Chevy Equinox are not available. However, Chevrolet states that the vehicle offers a 3,500-pound (1,585 kg) max trailering capacity that is equal to the second-generation’s capacity with the available V-6 engine.
Maximum fuel economy figures for the 2018 Equinox are as follows:
Engine | Fuel Type | Drive Wheels | City Fuel Economy (MPG) | Highway Fuel Economy (MPG) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1.5L I-4 LFV Turbo | Gasoline | FWD | TBD | 31* |
2.0L I-4 LTG Turbo | Gasoline | FWD | TBD | 28* |
1.6L I-4 Turbo | Diesel | FWD | TBD | 40* |
*GM-estimated figures
The third-generation Chevrolet Equinox is slightly smaller and 400 pounds lighter than the second-generation model it replaced. We will provide more specific details on the differences of the third- and second-gen Equinox when more information become available.
The 2018 Chevy Equinox will carry a starting price of $24,475, which includes destination, but not taxes and other dealer fees.
Expected prices are as follows:
Vehicle Trim | Engine | MSRP |
---|---|---|
L | 1.5T | $24,475 |
LS | 1.5T | $26,405 |
LT | 1.5T | $27,645 |
LT | 2.0T | TBD |
Premier | 1.5T | $31,685 |
Premier | 2.0T | TBD |
Diesel | 1.6 Turbodiesel | TBD |
Vehicle Trim | Engine | MSRP |
---|---|---|
LS | 1.5T | $28,155 |
LT | 1.5T | $29,395 |
LT | 2.0T | TBD |
Premier | 1.5T | $35,330 |
Premier | 2.0T | TBD |
Diesel | 1.6 Turbodiesel | TBD |
We expect the 2018Â Chevy Equinox to be available in the following trim levels:
- L
- LS
- LT
- Premier (replacing LTZ)
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox was unveiled on September 22nd, 2016 at a special event in Chicago. The event coincided with the autumnal Equinox.
For North American markets, the 2019 Chevy Equinox is assembled by GM Canada at the GM CAMI factory in Ontario.
Where
The third-generation Chevy Equinox will be available in those markets in which the Chevrolet brand is currently available:
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Central and South America
- Russia and CIS (pending the brand’s return to the Russian market)
- Australia and New Zealand (as Holden)
- Asia
- China
- ASEAN markets
- Africa
In international markets, it’s possible that the 2018 Equinox will replace the Chevrolet Captiva.
When
In the United States, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox goes on sale in the spring of 2017 with the 1.5L LFV gasoline engine. Models with the 2.0L turbo gasoline engine and 1.6L turbo-diesel will go on sale in the summer 2017.
Rollout in other markets where GM sells Chevrolet vehicles will follow.
We expect the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox to also serve as the replacement for the Chevrolet Captiva, Chevrolet Captiva 5, Chevrolet Captiva Sport, and Holden Captiva/Captiva 5 in those markets where those vehicle have historically been available. Whether or not the Captiva name will be replaced by Equinox is unknown as this point.
We will update this section when we know more.
Chevrolet repositions the 2018Â Equinox to compete directly in the mainstream compact crossover segment against the:
- Ford Escape/Kuga
- Jeep Cherokee
- Nissan Rogue
- Toyota RAV4
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai Tucson
- Kia Sportage
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Mazda CX-5
- Subaru Crosstrek
- GM’s own GMC Terrain
Prior to its reveal in September 2016, the 2018 Chevy Equinox has been captured undergoing testing various times:
2018Â Chevrolet Equinox specifications are currently not available. We will update this section when we know more.