2018 Chevrolet Equinox showroom impression

[regfootball]

Well, pure coincidence, didn't even know it was out yet.  2018 Chevy Equinox in the showroom when i picked up my Malibu from service today.

Wow, very different than the current one is all I can say.

Shape looks good mostly, apart from clumsiness and awkwardness in the greenhouse and proportion of top to bottom.  The design continues on Chevy's current themes inside and out, but is definitely less butch and less crisp than the current Nox.  The greatly reduced wheelbase is definitely noticeable.  Somewhat feminine and some Euro look to it also (as if it would compete with Renaults and Peuguots in France).

I sat in it, the front feels a fair amount less spacious.  I felt constricted by the console and the whole thing feels narrower.  Seating is nicely upright though, and the interior materials are nice quality and consistent with the new Cruze and Malibu.  The design of the dash is plainer than before, but definitely very functional and not unattractive.  Oddly enough, the rear was quite comfortable for me.  The rear bottom was nicely high and good head room.  Much foot clearance under the front seat.  Legroom was good but not as much as the current model when the seat is adjusted back.  Overall the interior feels noticeably downsized......will be interesting to see if repeat buyers bolt for the refreshed Escapes and RAV's and Crv's.

Usable trunk space might be about the same.  Trunk looks to be a little cheaply trimmed out but certainly not any worse than a Kia or Hyundai.

It is bigger than a Trax, of course, but i'm not sure it feels like a whopping step up.

I will say this.  The seats felt REALLY nice and were sculpted very nicely.  Very supportive.  Seem like a huge upgrade over my new Malibu's crappy seats.

Should be interesting to see how the market receives this smaller Equinox.  It will probably draw in some new customers who like it smaller and more efficient.  Those who saw the current Equinox as a mid sizer in drag will likely not dig the new one.

I like it for what it is but i have some doubts about how well it will do in the market.  The RAV and CRV got larger and luxed, and Ford has been refining the enormously popular Escape with a new one out soon too.

The downsize here will make more sense when Chevy plugs the gap between this new one and the upcoming Traverse...with the Blazer or Trailblazer that is new Acadia sized.

 

 

Edited March 3, 2017 by regfootball

[hyperv6]

We saw it and the Terrain last week. The wife was not impressed at all. It sits lower than our Terrain.

The interior is not a lot different size wise. Believe it of not the vehicle is only 3 inches shorter and the width is just a little wider. 

Space inside is packaged better with less wasted space so cargo room is still similar in usability.

At this point she saw a Acadia Denali and said we may need to look at it when we replace her ride in the future. 

I see some folks will abandon this but I see other will adopt it that would not have before. 

But like us those who leave may just move to the Acadia.

 

[ocnblu]

When I first sawr the new Equinox and read of the availability of diesel, I was excited.  After that pause to take it all in, however, I realize there is absolutely ZERO testosterone in this vehicle's design.  By extension, the Terrain is compromised also by being so damned low-slung (a real belly-dragger), it is like they are trying to duplicate the "pregnant dachshund" look of the long wheelbase Trailblazer/Envoy of old, on a tinier scale.  The Compass I just ordered for purchase has 8.2 inches of ground clearance even in the low midlevel trim I'm getting, and it does not look like it will throw sparks off the floorboards over mall speed bumps.

Edited March 3, 2017 by ocnblu

[regfootball]

Agree. No testosterone at all. Just like crv and RAV4 

[frogger]

The one at the auto show last week had to be pre-production, the door closed so awfully it felt like a 1996 W-body, I had to walk away fast without a peep at the rest of the vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FordCosworth]

21 minutes ago, regfootball said:

Agree. No testosterone at all. Just like crv and RAV4 

At least the new ones can get out of their own way.

Those OG RAV4's and CRV's were utterly pathetic...

 

 

[regfootball]

Seeing the new equinox makes me want to have a 2018 Buick insignia wagon. (The wagon, not a jacked up tour cross). To be honest I like the new nox but now I would consider the escape more than ever. Nox has a better back seat which may be one deciding factor.