2026 Chevrolet Equinox Reviews, Pricing & Specs

h, as the Equinox wears its familial styling well. The broad fenders, squat roofline, and tall grille accentuated by high-mounted daytime running lights (the headlights are in pockets on either side of the grille) give the Equinox some authentic SUV character. It may still have a car-like unibody underneath, but the Equinox has the look and feel of something different. It’s a more successful design than segment rivals that try to blend car and SUV styling cues, but it doesn’t devolve into cliché.

Chevy sells the Equinox in LT, Activ, and RS trim levels, each with some model-specific styling features. The LT has standard chrome grille mesh (gloss black is also available) and 17-inch wheels. The RS has more black trim, a wider grille, and standard 19-inch wheels (20-inch wheels are optional). The Activ has a more prominent lower front fascia — meant to dial up the visual ruggedness — and more chrome trim surrounding it, along with all-terrain tires mounted on 17-inch wheels. Two-tone paint with a white or black roof is also available on Activ and RS models.

Inside, the mostly plastic surfaces don’t do anything to hide the Equinox’s price point, but everything is well-assembled and there are some neat details that make the cabin feel more than basic. Large, round air vents sit on either side of the dashboard, and a spear-like trim piece runs through it. Our Activ test car’s Maple Sugar (tan) and black two-tone treatment also helps to liven things up. Microfibre and Evotex (artificial leather) seats are unique to the Activ model, too. The LT has standard cloth seats and optional Evotex, while the RS has standard Evotex upholstery with red stitching. The RS also gets a flat-bottom steering wheel for a sportier look.

While the exterior styling and interior appointments offer more than expected, there are no such pleasant surprises under the hood. The only available engine is a turbocharged 1.5-litre inline-four-cylinder making 175 horsepower. It’s connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with the standard front-wheel drive (FWD) setup, which limits torque to 184 pound-feet. In Canada, FWD is offered only on the base LT trim, while all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional on LT and standard on Activ and RS. AWD models have an eight-speed automatic transmission and are rated at 203 lb-ft of torque.

The turbo-four’s output was adequate in our Equinox Activ test car. We never felt unsafe at highway speeds, but drivers need a heavy foot for overtaking maneuvers and merges. Surprisingly, the only issue was with the eight-speed automatic. We were happy to avoid the drone and delayed response of a CVT, but this transmission often hesitated to downshift, prolonging the application of power when we needed it. Using the steering-wheel paddle shifters helped to alleviate that, though.

Like the engine, the MacPherson strut front and four-link rear suspension set low expectations. The Equinox handles like exactly what it is: a small crossover designed for the widest possible audience. If drivers are patient with control inputs, the Equinox is at least very composed in corners. Quick steering inputs tend to upset the chassis — a result of damping that provides a comfortable ride — but also poor body control that leads to plenty of bouncing.

These qualities make the Equinox a great highway cruiser, as does standard active noise cancellation. However, that tech couldn’t cancel out the noise from our Activ tester’s all-terrain tires, which also came with a grip penalty. They’re the only real off-road upgrade on the Activ trim, which has less ground clearance than the base Equinox LT (20.4 mm on the Activ, 20.5 mm on LT). Buyers get an Off-Road drive mode with AWD regardless of trim level, along with Normal and Snow modes.

The Equinox offers nearly identical headroom and first-row legroom to its competitors. Some rival compact crossovers offer slightly more rear-seat legroom, but that row still feels plenty spacious. The seats in both rows feel supportive but under-cushioned. Our Equinox Activ test car had the $1,195 Convenience Package III, which adds a power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, ventilated front seats, a memory system, and heated outboard rear seats.

The driver enjoys an elevated perch that feels very SUV-like. However, the flat hood and the laid-back seating position necessitated by the deep dashboard limit forward visibility somewhat. Unlike the previous-generation Equinox, we actually put the surround-view camera system (part of the $1,195 Safety and Technology Package) to good use.

Up front, there’s a lot more storage space than meets the eye. An angled wireless phone charger keeps phones secure while freeing up the space ahead for loose change and cables. Behind all that are two decent-size cupholders and another small coin slot, neither of which are impeded by the new-for-2026 drive mode knob. And there's still a spacious centre console storage bin.

For bigger items, the Equinox offers 844 litres of cargo space behind its rear seats and 1,798 litres when the 60/40 split-folding rear bench is laid flat. Both figures are well behind segment leaders such as the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, and Toyota RAV4. The Chevy’s maximum towing capacity of 680 kilograms (1,500 pounds) for AWD models is closer to the class average.

The Equinox offers good value when it comes to tech. An 11-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.3-inch touchscreen are standard, and they’re placed side by side in a stylish curved housing that brings to mind current Audi cockpits. Unlike Audi’s setup, though, the touchscreen isn’t turned too far away from the front passenger, and the housing is low enough that drivers and passengers can easily see over it.

An Android-based infotainment system includes Google built-in apps, meaning Google Assistant performs voice recognition functions, Google Maps is the native navigation system, and third-party apps can be added via the Google Play Store. Unlike GM EVs equipped with this system, however, the Equinox retains wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

We had no issues with the infotainment system thanks to easy-to-identify icons and a shallow menu structure that meant most functions were one tap away. We still wish GM would include a physical headlight switch instead of the easy-to-miss icon at the top of the touchscreen, but at least the climate control and seat heating/ventilation get physical knobs and buttons.

Chevy also provides a lesson in large but not excessive screen space. The Equinox has a bigger touchscreen than some competitors such as the Honda CR-V. This makes for clearer icons and text and a better view when using the rear-view camera, but the screen isn’t so large that it dominates the whole cabin. Chevy doesn’t require buyers to tick options boxes to get this setup, either. Tech enthusiasts might not be impressed by the lack of an option for a head-up display or a more elaborate audio system (six speakers are standard), but the Equinox covers the bases for the average user.

The Equinox comes standard with expected driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, and rear park assist. The forward collision warning system was a little more sensitive than those of other brands, but otherwise things worked as expected.

GM-specific features include a vibrating driver’s seat to convey the warnings from the above driver aids, and the Teen Driver system. This lets parents keep tabs on their kids’ driving habits and mutes the audio system until the front-seat occupants fasten their seat belts.

In addition to the standard features, the Safety and Technology Package adds the aforementioned surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, rear pedestrian alert, and traffic sign recognition.

The 2026 Equinox received mixed safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In crash testing, the IIHS gave it the top Good rating in the updated moderate overlap front and side-impact tests but a lower Acceptable rating in the whiplash and small overlap front tests. The Equinox also received Good ratings for headlights and front-crash prevention tech in the pedestrian test and an Acceptable rating in the vehicle-to-vehicle test of the latter.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn’t released safety ratings for the 2026 Equinox at the time of writing, and it didn’t test the identical 2025 model.

Chevy is one of the few brands in this segment not offering a hybrid powertrain option, but the Equinox’s Natural Resources Canada-rated 8.7 litres per 100 kilometres combined (9.2 city, 8.1 highway) is comparable to the non-hybrids in the group. AWD models are rated at 8.9 and 9.6 L/100 km respectively in the combined and city categories and the same 8.1 on the highway. We landed above even that with a 9.8 L/100 km average. That might be related to our Activ test car’s all-terrain tires, even though they don’t make a difference in the NRCan ratings.

Pricing starts at $36,899 (all prices include a $2,300 destination charge) for an LT model with FWD. AWD on the LT model costs $2,300 more. The RS and Activ both start at $43,999 with standard AWD. With Reef Blue Metallic paint, Convenience Package III, Safety and Technology Package, and a panoramic sunroof, our AWD Activ test car carries a Canadian MSRP of $48,779 — reasonable in today’s market for the level of equipment it affords. And unless drivers spend a lot of time on unpaved roads, they can skip the Activ model. Its main differentiator is all-terrain rubber that just makes noise on pavement.

The Chevy's base price is a couple of grand less than those of the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 (though it’s worth noting both a hybrid powertrain and AWD are standard on the latter), and about the same as the Hyundai Tucson. The Tucson’s Kia Sportage platform-mate undercuts the Chevy, though. The Subaru Forester also comes standard with AWD, and its base price is roughly $2,700 less than the cheapest AWD Equinox.

For those who just want a basic car with a decent amount of room, the Equinox is worth a look. It drives well (if unremarkably), looks good, and offers impressive interior functionality and tech. Those who need the most cargo space or fuel economy will find better options elsewhere, but the Equinox still performs reasonably in both areas. Chevy could broaden the Equinox’s appeal with a hybrid powertrain or an off-road model that offers more than just all-terrain tires, but it’s laid an impressive foundation with this third-generation version.