Chevrolet’s bread and butter may not be the flashiest, but it’s undeniably reliable — the Chevrolet Equinox. With a staggering 3 million units sold, the Equinox has solidified its position as Chevrolet’s best-selling non-pickup vehicle, surpassing even the full-sized Silverado SUV. While it may not boast the butch appeal of some of its counterparts, Equinox has carved a niche for itself in the American automotive landscape.
The compact SUV, powered solely by a conventional internal combustion engine, stands in contrast to its hybrid counterparts like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. However, Chevrolet has its sights set on the future, particularly the release of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV. Set to hit the market in mid-2024, this variant brings a fresh perspective to the Equinox lineage. It introduces an entirely new architecture, sporting a sleeker design, distinct sheet metal, and unique components — all under the familiar Equinox moniker.
This raises an intriguing question about the fate of the traditional Equinox in a world where electric vehicles are gaining traction slowly. With Chevrolet committed to investing more in electrified vehicles than its legacy counterparts, maintaining the Equinox’s status as a no-nonsense family SUV becomes imperative. Despite budget constraints, General Motors has chosen to usher in a new era for the Equinox with the fourth generation, emerging two decades after the debut of the 2005 model.
Surprisingly, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox showcases a more contemporary design, featuring a revamped electrical architecture and a platform derived from the existing one — a strategic compromise to optimize development funds. While the exterior has been restyled to exude a rugged and truck-like aesthetic, the interior boasts a slew of modern features. However, to balance the scales, GM retained the trusty 175-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine from its predecessor.
One notable improvement comes in the form of a shift away from the Equinox’s sluggish six-speed automatic transmission. In its place, two new transmissions promise enhanced shifts and power delivery, addressing key concerns despite the horsepower and torque figures remaining unchanged. Front-wheel-drive models now feature a continuously variable transmission, reducing peak torque from 279Nm to 249Nm. On the other hand, optional all-wheel-drive variants boast an eight-speed automatic transmission with the same 279Nm as the outgoing model.
These changes are designed to make the Equinox more responsive and boost fuel economy, the latter is yet to be announced. Noteworthy capability upgrades include snow and off-road drive modes, depending on the model, and towing capacities of up to 680 kilograms for AWD models. However, in a cost-conscious move, General Motors’ Super Cruise hands-free highway driving assist feature is not offered. Chevrolet will reveal more details and prices of the new Equinox in mid-2024 and it will also go on sale around a similar timeline.