2010 Chevrolet Equinox in person

[!!!TED!!!]

GM is having a test drive event at the annual CHIN International Picnic in Toronto.

One of the cars featured is the new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox.

I checked it out on Friday (the event wasn't open, so there was no one there, and no driving).

VIDEO:

PICS:

[Oracle of Delphi]

I always enjoy your pics and videos ted, how do you keep the video cam so steady, I look at my vids and you would think I was in Cali in the middle of an earthquake ...

Edited July 5, 2009 by PCS

[!!!TED!!!]

I always enjoy your pics and videos ted, how do you keep the video cam so steady, I look at my vids and you would think I was in Cali in the middle of an earthquake ...

Lots of practice!

GM Design full circle!:

[ZL-1]

GM Design full circle!

Hmmm.... you're right. Same design theme.

[hyperv6]

Nox just hit the dealers here. I want the wife to look at one. She wants a SUV but not a big one.

I would consider a Nox now that it is fixed.

[CSpec]

Nice pics. Definitely better looking than the CRV or Rav-4.

[ocnblu]

Looking good, Theodore.

[Z-06]

Good vehicle in person. I hope GM sells these well.

[regfootball]

i checked some out yesterday and might as well just repost some of what i said in the other thread.

i looked at a few equinox on the lot today.

SHARP VEHICLE!

a loaded one is too pricey (north of 34k) but the base LS i looked at aside from hideous cloth pattern was really sweet. the dash is cool, and the whole thing is great stylish value. its a very largish looking vehicle and has style all over the asian competition. way more charisma than the escape too.

i even coerced my wife to take a peek at it, and she even agreed it was sharp.

she said it should have a third row, but i explained that the point exactly then would be to get a traverse, which she then obliged to liking as well upon seeing it.

what is perplexing is the equinox v6 awd basically has the same mpg as the traverse.

but the fwd 4 popper has excellent mpg.

really is a sharp vehicle. if it drives at all like the Vue's i have driven (or better) i could say its a great drive too. The dash and interior looks really cool. Spacewise it looks no different than the current Nox, which itself is very spacious and with the flex rear seat.

Now i am even more curious about a test drive. My friend who was gonna get a Vue, has an avalanche now but has wanted to downsize, was interested in the equinox, i bet if he checks one out he'll prob buy one I'm guessing.

Funny thing is the Equinox in upper trims and equipment is a little too close to some Ford Edge pricing. The Edge of course is a solid larger vehicle. Not by much in terms of size, but much heavier I am guessing. But unless the equinox comes with some rebates and discounting i would think a lot of folks might lean towards a discounted edge before an MSRP Equinox. The Edge actually has even worse mpg for the AWD6 than the nox, although real world things i have seen on the edge suggests the mpg is better than the EPA ratings. My Taurus X i think is rated 15/22 or 16/23 but recently has been averaging 20-22 in all driving.

I would guess a front drive equinox could manage 25mpg consistently.

[Satty]

I saw a blue one a while back, unimpressed would be an understatement.

[z28luvr01]

I saw a blue one a while back, unimpressed would be an understatement.

I sort of agree. The outside is really nothing special. Without the Chevy front end it could easily be mostaken for something Korean. Like it or not, the Terrain is a lot more distinctive.

Still, I think the intended market won't care about the Equinox's anonymous styling and I expect it to do well provided GM markets it.

[pow]

i looked at a few equinox on the lot today.

SHARP VEHICLE!

a loaded one is too pricey (north of 34k) but the base LS i looked at aside from hideous cloth pattern was really sweet. the dash is cool, and the whole thing is great stylish value. its a very largish looking vehicle and has style all over the asian competition. way more charisma than the escape too.

i even coerced my wife to take a peek at it, and she even agreed it was sharp.

she said it should have a third row, but i explained that the point exactly then would be to get a traverse, which she then obliged to liking as well upon seeing it.

what is perplexing is the equinox v6 awd basically has the same mpg as the traverse.

but the fwd 4 popper has excellent mpg.

really is a sharp vehicle. if it drives at all like the Vue's i have driven (or better) i could say its a great drive too. The dash and interior looks really cool. Spacewise it looks no different than the current Nox, which itself is very spacious and with the flex rear seat.

Now i am even more curious about a test drive. My friend who was gonna get a Vue, has an avalanche now but has wanted to downsize, was interested in the equinox, i bet if he checks one out he'll prob buy one I'm guessing.

Funny thing is the Equinox in upper trims and equipment is a little too close to some Ford Edge pricing. The Edge of course is a solid larger vehicle. Not by much in terms of size, but much heavier I am guessing. But unless the equinox comes with some rebates and discounting i would think a lot of folks might lean towards a discounted edge before an MSRP Equinox. The Edge actually has even worse mpg for the AWD6 than the nox, although real world things i have seen on the edge suggests the mpg is better than the EPA ratings. My Taurus X i think is rated 15/22 or 16/23 but recently has been averaging 20-22 in all driving.

I would guess a front drive equinox could manage 25mpg consistently.

I find myself thinking this often - for that price, I'd much rather get a Taurus. A year ago, who would have thought that possible...

One's a nice, sophisticated Volvo-based executive sedan, while the other is a well-optioned cute ute, from a sector once made up of Corolla and Civic wagons on stilts.

2010 Taurus SEL 201A w/ leather = $30,090

2010 Equinox LTZ FWD V6 = $30,290

[Daryl Z71]

Sharp looking ride.

[regfootball]

I find myself thinking this often - for that price, I'd much rather get a Taurus. A year ago, who would have thought that possible...

One's a nice, sophisticated Volvo-based executive sedan, while the other is a well-optioned cute ute, from a sector once made up of Corolla and Civic wagons on stilts.

2010 Taurus SEL 201A w/ leather = $30,090

2010 Equinox LTZ FWD V6 = $30,290

i thought exactly the same thing as well. truth is, to me either would be fine. i could have the sedan, and my wife would be ok with the equinox. the taurus trunk is huge and the mpg on the taurus is very good as well.

i've had a 500 and now a taurus x and i can say the P90 fords are solid cars. the new taurus can only be that much better.

to me the equinox is already at the top of the small crossover class. better than a crv thats ugly and cant get out of its own way, and a rav that is junky to drive and junkily made.

Edited July 8, 2009 by regfootball

[Oracle of Delphi]

I sort of agree. The outside is really nothing special. Without the Chevy front end it could easily be mostaken for something Korean. Like it or not, the Terrain is a lot more distinctive.

Still, I think the intended market won't care about the Equinox's anonymous styling and I expect it to do well provided GM markets it.

I will have to agree with you, the Terrain is growing on me, which is surprising to me, because I didn't think it would ...

[CSpec]

Is it it just me or do the wheels not fit in the wells quite right?

[regfootball]

it was a bit of a letdown to sit inside a 2010 loaded NOX today. black interior. but the leather was horribly cheap and the plastic itself to me was not even Malibu or Traverse quality.

rather odd, i think i wait for full opinion until i get to see a brown cloth interior.

the dash is stylish and laid out nice, but it really is deja vu as far as the seating position and all of that for the rest of the inside.

in truth, the Vue interior in leather is nicer, to me at least until i see like a beige one on the equinox.

why does chevy leather look like vinyl so much? and why can't they learn that it pays off to put better looking plastic inside?

really it dulled my enthusiasm.. still more of what i would like than the innards of a CRV though. or rav 4.

one item of interest...that new steering wheel we will be seeing in our dreams at night because its in so many cars soon, is fantastic. nice to grip. leather feels great. buttons are slick. nice and meaty.

Edited July 12, 2009 by regfootball

[turbo200]

I don't know if it's just that the details look really good when you're right next to it, and from afar it becomes more generic and those duplicated styling cues stand out.....maybe the stance is more interesting up close..........when viewed at a glance it casually blends in with traverse and other chevy design.

[hyperv6]

Is it it just me or do the wheels not fit in the wells quite right?

These I think are the base level wheels. The 17 inch are too small for the wells.

The one I saw had much bigger wheels [20 inch I think] and they looked great on the LTZ. I hope they were not just for show.

[hyperv6]

I checked the wheels out today. These are the 17 inch wheels and the one I saw before were the LTZ 19 inch wheels. The 19's look better but the 17's are not as bad in person as they look here.

Edited July 12, 2009 by hyperv6

[gm4life]

I like it and love the interior on both the 'Nox and the Terrain but something about it isn't right. Something is a little "organic" looking for my liking, I still prefer the previous generation Equinox/Torrent as far as looks go. I know it will sell well, it is generic like most cute 'utes is priced right when paired with the ECOTEC and is pretty sharp overall. I have my CUV so I don't need to worry about getting another for the wifey for a long while. I am more of a car or true truck guy anyways.

[hyperv6]

I would like to see a little less hard plastic on the inside but the interior look much more expensive than the last one to me.

I do want to drive both the V6 and Eco. The reviews of the Eco have me wondering how good it really drives.

As for styling of the Terrain the only taste the stylist had was in his mouth. There is just no flow to it like the Nissan Cube. There are a few things on the Nox I would change but overal it has the appeal to meet most customers expectations. It has a little Benz to it more than Element. That is not a bad thing.

[mark-petz.com]

Its funny on 2010 the 17" wheels get Michelan Tires but if you go to the V6 with 18"s they go to Hancook. I have not seen the 19"s yet..Anybody know what tire?

When you talk about shakey cameras because I made an Equinox video for my website and even with the steady cam setting on it looks like a 6 on the richter scale.

My Equinox web page

[regfootball]

the new nox 17's look ok. better than the hubcaps on a malibu.

17's look much better on the equinox than they do on the ford edge.

[hyperv6]

Its funny on 2010 the 17" wheels get Michelan Tires but if you go to the V6 with 18"s they go to Hancook. I have not seen the 19"s yet..Anybody know what tire?

When you talk about shakey cameras because I made an Equinox video for my website and even with the steady cam setting on it looks like a 6 on the richter scale.

My Equinox web page

If the Michelins on the Nox are not any better than the Pilots on my SS I would take the Hankooks. Michelin has had some money issue of late and it is showing in their products.

My tires are piss poor in wear and wet traction is even worse. I remember a time Michelins were only on premium cars and now they will do an OE tire for anyone. This is what killed Goodyear and why they dropped the OE market. It forces them to sell cheap tires and make little money on them. It is a rep killer.

I do like seeing the will not offer a base cheap steel wheel with a plastic cap. Wheels can change a cars appearance greatly and Lutz is one that has used this often. He fills the wheel wells and make the wheel flash and complement a cars design. I often thought if GM would offer a great wheel and tire package even on the base cars it would enhance the image of the car greatly.

The Chrome 5 spoke optional 17's on my GTP have drawn many comments for my car by non GM people. Even the new Ford Edge CUV with the 22's looks so much better with the bigger wheel vs the entry small wheels we normally see.

Fender radius to wheel diameter is very important. Also wheels that fit the Vehicle are important. A dull and mis fitted wheel can kill any car design. Too big is just as bad as too small.

Edited July 20, 2009 by hyperv6

[longtooth]

Excellent work TED!

Mr. Finger-on-the-pulse.

[Northstar]

My dealer sold their first two Equinoxes in two days... I've seen two others on the road as well in the past week. I'd say it's off to a good start.

[Intrepidation]

I really like the Equinox...it's very upscale looking and well proportioned.

[RBB]

Had my car worked on yesterday at a Mazda/Chevy dealer, and they had two Equinoxes there - one base I-4, and one fully loaded V6. This is a really well done vehicle - photos don't do it justice. I only wish they had one of them unlocked...

-RBB

[daves87rs]

Going to see one soon...

[Dsuupr]

It's a good looking car in person. I was trying to look at it with my Mom when the salesperson at Kendall Chevrolet, in Eugene, Oregon, yelled at us and told us to leave the lot because I wanted a few minutes to look at it before he hounded us.

KENDALL CHEVROLET IN EUGENE OREGON needs to have their GM dealership pulled. My parents bought their car from Loren Berg, which is 100 miles away, just so they could avoid Kendall and their bad service.

[z28luvr01]

I got to spend some time around two of them today while getting my car inspected. It comes off a lot different in person than it does in pictures. It's a lot lower than I thought, more like a tall 5dr hatchback than an SUV. I'm not as opposed to its design as I have been, though I still think the Terrain is far more distinctive. Interior is very well done and VERY spacious. I don't know if the other Thetas had this, but I love the fore-aft adjustment on the rear seat. You could configure it to seat 4 clinically obese adults in pampered comfort, or have enough cargo room to take your fashionista girlfriend and her baggage (both physical and psychological) on a week-long road trip.

[regfootball]

first equinox had that also. FWIW, the malibu maxx had the same feature as well. clever. unappreciated. handy.

[mark-petz.com]

It's a good looking car in person. I was trying to look at it with my Mom when the salesperson at Kendall Chevrolet, in Eugene, Oregon, yelled at us and told us to leave the lot because I wanted a few minutes to look at it before he hounded us.

KENDALL CHEVROLET IN EUGENE OREGON needs to have their GM dealership pulled. My parents bought their car from Loren Berg, which is 100 miles away, just so they could avoid Kendall and their bad service.

Damn Sales People :-)

[pow]

it was a bit of a letdown to sit inside a 2010 loaded NOX today. black interior. but the leather was horribly cheap and the plastic itself to me was not even Malibu or Traverse quality.

rather odd, i think i wait for full opinion until i get to see a brown cloth interior.

the dash is stylish and laid out nice, but it really is deja vu as far as the seating position and all of that for the rest of the inside.

in truth, the Vue interior in leather is nicer, to me at least until i see like a beige one on the equinox.

why does chevy leather look like vinyl so much? and why can't they learn that it pays off to put better looking plastic inside?

really it dulled my enthusiasm.. still more of what i would like than the innards of a CRV though. or rav 4.

one item of interest...that new steering wheel we will be seeing in our dreams at night because its in so many cars soon, is fantastic. nice to grip. leather feels great. buttons are slick. nice and meaty.

I'd have to agree. Edge has just as much hard plastic, but for some reason, it doesn't seem as cheap. Apart from cheap leather and cloth, the 'Nox also has way too much silver painted plastic for my liking.

[ponchoman49]

The new Nox is a good package if a little bland on the outside save the front end. The V6 is the real dissapointment with me. It's power is well under the previous models Sport 3.6 non DI V6 and mileage is the same on the highway at 24. GM needs to figure out a way to get 2 to 3 more MPG out of the new 3.0 SIDI V6 just to at least make it competitive.

[regfootball]

just read this on a website about the CRV

The Honda CR-V is one of the best-selling cars in its class and one of the best-selling cars in the entire market. However, Honda has made some significant changes to the powertrain to help it compete with more fuel-efficient models like the Toyota RAV4. The 2010 CR-V goes on sale today.

Horsepower has gone from 166 hp to 180 hp for 2010 and mileage actually improves by 1 mpg for both front-wheel and all-wheel drive models. Those ratings are now 21/28 mpg city/highway and 21/27 mpg city/highway respectively.

equinox still has the crawling recreational vehicle PWNED in the mpg department.

[hyperv6]

Talked to my local dealer and they sell most new Nox in 1-2 days once on the lot. THey will not get another for 2-3 weeks and it is already sold. This is while they have 2 SS sitting there unsold at sticker price.

[!!!TED!!!]

Im seeing '10 Equinoxs everywhere. They must be selling well in Toronto!