2014 Chevy Equinox

It’ll probably be all new with new platform

@mpanage6 Not likely for 2014.

However, the all-new Equinox will come for the 2015 or 2016 model years.

At that point, it will switch to the all-new and more compact D2 architecture:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/06/next-generation-chevy-equinox-2015-delta-platform/

maybe there will be tweaks on the styling dept but….

Yeah, perhaps some minor styling/facelift items, but nothing major.

I think they should just do some facelift like maybe the Nox will have the face of the Impala with nicer materials inside and for Terrain it’s the face of the Acadia with again nicer materials with at least some HID’s for those two…. It’s sad that the Theta twins doesn’t have it because the Edge, and I think the new Santa Fe has it too. Even in the compact class the Kia sportage has HID’s. Along with some LED daytime running lights.

Yupp, that’s spot on. The soft-touch is nice for sound deadening and giving an overall upscale feel.

because really if they did that on the Lambdas then they might as well do it on the Thetas and then keep everything competitive. What I would like to see though on the next Equinox/Terrain is that have more cargo volume though.

Vic — as you know, the next-gen Equinox will move to the next-gen Delta platform:

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/06/next-generation-chevy-equinox-2015-delta-platform/

In doing so, it will become smaller than the current vehicle, which may create a space for a vehicle larger than the current Equinox but smaller than the Traverse — a midsize ute the size of a Highlander, for instance.

I believe the Terrain will make the move to the smaller D2/Delta 2 architecture with the Equinox, but that’s not confirmed just yet.

shoulda said Edge

What do you mean by that? The Edge is a rather pointless midsizer since it doesn’t offer a third row… thus not giving a large enough value-add for shoppers to move up from the Escape.

Well that’s kind of like saying Toyota Venza was pointless compare to the highlander just because it doesn’t offer a third row. And besides the Next RAV4 is not gonna have the third row too.

The Venza makes sense because it shares most of its mechanical bits with the Highlander and Camry, but sells for a much higher price — thereby being a “specialty” vehicle that’s low in volume but high in profit margin. It serves a particular type of demographic that isn’t looking for a third row.

As such, Toyota has the major segments covered with the RAV4 (compact CUV) and Highlander (Midsized CUV), while any Venza sales are just gravy (extra volume and, more importantly, extra profit).

Ford, however, is less competitive due to the Edge not offering a third row. It’s much more of a direct Venza competitor, but puts Ford at a disadvantage when it comes to families looking for a 3-row crossover. Ford’s only option in that regard is the Explorer, which is larger and more expensive than the Highlander, as well as the C-MAX, which isn’t a CUV at all.

By the same token, Chevy has a similar problem. Its only 3-row offering is the huge and expensive Traverse… until the next-gen Equinox comes along and creates room for a true midsized crossover with room for 3 rows.

As for the next-gen RAV not having 3 rows — that’s a good thing, since that 3rd row was pretty much unusable for anyone over 5 feet in height.

Or not unless you want chevy to do like how Hyundai is doing like offering 2 santa fes? One being a short wheelbase(santa fe sport) and then long wheelbase(santa fe)? I don’t know if you can’t put the Tucson against the CR-V/Rav4?? because the space in the trunk for the current equinox would be useless for third row because the space is already less then what CR-V and Rav has

And you forgot the Flex.

@vic1212 it’s all about space efficiency.

The fact that the next-gen Equinox will be smaller and on a proper compact platform simply makes more room for another crossover in the midsize class with a third row.

The perfect architecture for such a vehicle is the next-gen Epsilon (E2).

So then the next Nox would it be about as a size of a Tucson?

Give or take… Although the defining vehicle in the segment is the RAV4 and the CR-V, so I’d be looking at those two as the benchmark. The class hovers around 180 inches in length.

Come on Alex just say it! The mid sizer your referring to will most likely be the the Trail Blazer; built on the same platform as the Colorado/Canyon! They have it Thai and Aus and I could swere something was leaked about a new mid sized SUV (NOT a CUV) was going to be built along with those new mid-sized trucks.

but then wait if that midsize crossover has a third row, wouldn’t that hurt sales to the lambdas? like how Flex sales are hurt because of the Explorer?

@vic1212 That’s not the point. Ultimately, offering crossovers in proper classes allows GM to better serve the needs of customers.

I’ve already mentioned this, but the only way a customer looking for a 3-row CUV can buy a Chevy right now is to purchase a Traverse at $30,000. Or they can buy a $28,000 Highlander or a $24,000 Kia Sorento. This leaves Chevy not price-competitive — offering too much car for what’s needed.

So chances are that a midsized crossover with 3 rows wouldn’t take sales from the Traverse, but would actually attract a segment of buyers that Chevy is currently not serving at all.

As for Ford, the Flex has always been a niche vehicle. It and the Explorer share much of their underpinnings. Ultimately, the money flows to Ford whether customers opt for the Flex or the Explorer.

@Fyeoms There is the possibility of a Epsilon-based crossover, as well.

So maybe offer a XL7 sized crossover??

Why do that when Toyota has clearly shown the way with the RAV and Highlander?

Here’s the lineup:
Compact CUV
Midsize CUV (3 rows, $25,000 base)
Full-size CUV (move upmarket to start at $35,000).

Isn’t Highlander already marketed as being full size and midsize?

Perhaps it’s marketed to those buyers, sure. That doesn’t mean it’s competitive though.

that highlander isn’t competitive?

It’s not competitive against the Traverse since it is noticeably and significantly smaller, especially when looking at the third row and remaining cargo volume.

The point I’m trying to make is that just because a company markets its vehicles against others in a different class — as Toyota does with the Highlander vs. the Chevy Traverse — doesn’t make the comparison right. It’s just that Toyota doesn’t a have a fullsize crossover right now (a weakness) just how Chevy doesn’t have a midsize crossover (also a weakness). So they both invent competing vehicles which may not be in the same class.

BUT Honda?

The same with Honda and the Pilot.

But then wait what would Santa Fe and Tucson count?? because Santa Fe was suppose to be midsize but it still compares with CR-V somehow and kinda makes Tucson subcompact?

Santa Fe is a weird one; it has two variants (LWB and SWB); the LWB is definetely a midsizer… the short is an in-between — like the current Equinox. Tucson is based on the Elantra — so it’s a compact, even though proportionately it’s a bit smaller than compact.

From @empanage6 in another discussion that is being moved here:

“So. There will not be a re-do for the Nox in 2014. And it will go to a CRV type in 2015 0r 2016. So. I think I’ll go over to Ford and try the Edge for 2014.”

So the other day I saw the new Ford escape and I definitely think that it looks smaller than my terrain not just the length wise, but also width… my terrain seems shorter in width then our srx v8 but then the escape looks much narrower than my terrain

Answer would the swb Santa from compare to the edge?

@vic1212 Look at it this way: which platform is the CUV built on?

In the case of the Escape, it’s the Focus — a clear-cut C-segment car. Therefore, the Escape is a compact CUV.

The Santa-Fe is built on the Sonata architecture. The “real” Santa-Fe is the 3-row variant that’s not out just yet. The Santa-Fe sport currently on sale is the SWB version. So this makes the LWB Santa-Fe clearly a midsize crossover (as is the Highlander), while the SWD is an in-between size — just how the Equinox/Terrain are between segments.

The Edge doesn’t really follow this, as it’s built on a collection of architectures. The next-gen will use the new Fusion/Mondeo architecture — thereby making it a thoroughbred midsizer.

Make sense?

So then would the Theta be the mixed bag of architectures?

Theta is part Delta, part Epsilon, and some unique parts… so yes, a mixed bag is a good way of describing it.

what would the current Gen Rav4’s architecture being counted as?? Mixed bag too?

The RAV is Corolla-based, although all FWD Toyota vehicles share a common architecture.

isn’t that for the last gen that it’s based on the corolla? because if it’s the current gen (I always have a question about this) how do you put a 3.5L in there?

Just because an engine isn’t available in the car (3.5 in Corolla) doesn’t mean it doesn’t fit 😉

I guess….. whatever flows…btw have you ever got a chanced to drive a dart or journey?

I think it takes time to actually either do a refresh or a fully redesign since all we heard right now is that the Nox/Terrain would go delta platform and that’s it

@empanage6 The reason there’s no info on the 2014 Equinox yet is because it’s simply not available outside of GM… however, we expect to have details outlining the changes of the 2014 Equinox in late April/early May.

For starters, the 2.4 liter Ecotec should be replaced by the all-new 2.5 Ecotec as the base powerplant, and other changes (colors, equipment groups/trim levels, etc.) will likely be in store, as well.

For 2015 (perhaps 2016), an all-new Equinox will arrive on the iterated Delta vehicle architecture shared with the next-gen Cruze, among other vehicles. But that is obviously not for 2014…

Just stay tuned to the GM Authority blog (gmauthority.com) or sign up for the newsletter to be the first to find out once we publish the 2014 Equinox info 🙂

Alex

You are very welcome, Richard. My pleasure 🙂

I just wish they would add rear air vents to both vehicles