Comparison review: 2010 compact SUVs (fourth place)

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox is roomy, comfortable, quiet, and fuel efficient, but also bulky and expensive. See more photos of the Equinox in today's slideshow. (photos by Brady Holt)

When the first-generation Chevrolet Equinox came out in 2005, it was roomy and attractive but overall did not stand out in its class, facing criticism for its slow but thirsty V6 – the only available engine – cumbersome handling, and a cheap-feeling interior.

When GM set out to change that for the 2010 model year, the market has responded with strong approval. A new four-cylinder model ties for best-in-class fuel economy and all models sport an attractive new interior design, and the Equinox has become one of the best-sellers in its class, with sales volume seeming to be limited more by supply than demand.

That level of demand is a problem for consumers. When the average Equinox sells in just two weeks – and the largely identical GMC Terrain moves even faster – dealers have no need to deal. Haggling $1,000 off the sticker price would be almost a steal, and tracking down the particular model and options you might want will be difficult. You've got to really want an Equinox if you're going to pay more for one than any vehicle in this comparison but the Volkswagen Tiguan, perhaps not even getting the one you wanted. 

And there are certainly many reasons to want the new Equinox, or it would have joined the Tiguan in the last-place region of this comparison, sharing the complaint that the higher price tag doesn't provide enough that's special.

But the Equinox is the luxury car of this class. It has the smoothest and quietest ride, and the most spacious and comfortable interior for passengers. Its interior is stylish enough to avoid feeling downscale despite a few cheap bits and assembly issues. And it throws in great gas mileage to boot. If that's the sort of compact SUV you're looking for, an estimated out-the-door price of $25,800 isn't too daunting. 

However, many compact SUV shoppers are looking for a very different feel. The mountains of well-deserved positive press for the Equinox may lead some shoppers to see it as the sort of does-everything all-arounder with the blend of positive characteristics that has made the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4 popular. 

And that's not what it is. The Equinox's main focus is maximizing comfort and refinement, not trying to do well in the biggest variety of areas. The Equinox has not tried to feel agile and compact; it doesn't join the Big Three compact SUVs in trying to feel like a fairly small car. It's a big vehicle, more midsize than compact in some dimensions, and it feels it as it goes down the road, as it goes around a curve, or as it's maneuvered in tight quarters. Its high weight is also apparent in the acceleration performance from its four-cylinder engine, if not in its fuel economy.

The Equinox's 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine packs 182 horsepower through a six-speed automatic, which seems more than sufficient for decent pep until you find that this SUV weighs nearly two tons – more than 250 pounds above the next-heaviest of the eight vehicles in this comparison, and 400 to 600 pounds above the rest. Despite its girth, the Equinox doesn't feel the slowest of these SUVs, but it's still far from punchy. 

Gentle drivers will likely be able to approach the Equinox's impressive EPA fuel economy ratings of 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 on the highway – front-wheel-drive models are rated for the 22 mpg city / 32 highway figure boosted in Chevrolet's advertising – but those who like to get moving fast or who drive in hilly areas will make the engine work hard to quickly fight off the inertia of such a heavy vehicle, which would likely put a big dent in real-world gas mileage. 

Extensive sound-deadening efforts give the Equinox a hushed cabin, and the somewhat unpleasant racket the engine develops when it's really pushed remains muted. This quietness, combined with a very smooth ride that's stable on the highway, makes this Chevrolet feel substantial. It tracks well on the highway, further adding to that impression. 

The tradeoff to all of this is that the new Equinox doesn't fully shrug off complaints about the old model's handling abilities. The steering is very light, and the lack of off-center response that helps it cruise down the interstate makes it feel slow to react on the tight curve of an off-ramp. Its size – both its weight and its length – doesn't help it feel nimble either. Some fairly big SUVs manage to impart a compact, agile feel; the Equinox, slotted between the compact and midsize classes, does not.

Inside, the Equinox has midsize-level space for passengers but, somehow, cargo volume specs that fall below even many compact competitors. A fore-aft adjustment for the rear bench seat may be confusing the numbers for luggage volume behind the rear seat, but there's no obvious explanation for the very low 63.7 cubic feet of total cargo room – less than the much smaller Escape and nearly 10 cubes below the CR-V or RAV4. Eyeballing the cargo area gives the impression that there's plenty of room, at least. The rear seat folds down easily but doesn't lie perfectly flat.

Where the Equinox shines inside is its passenger space and comfort. The front seats are rare in this class for generous size and actual shape and padding; so many small SUVs' seats are smaller, harder, and flatter. The rear is stretch-out spacious on another excellent cushion in most of its fore-aft positions, but sliding it all the way forward loses the adult-size legroom. There's room for three across and a flat floor. Not everyone will love the spotted color scheme of he tested LS model's cloth seats; higher trims have a quieter pattern.

The Equinox's two-tone dash is attractive but uses few soft-touch plastics. The tested car had a few minor assembly imperfections, but the interior was more solidly constructed than the early-production model reviewed last summer. The handle for the manual fore-aft front seat adjustments feels flimsy, however. 

See more photos of the Equinox's interior in today's slideshow

The biggest downside from the Equinox's interior is the view out of it. There are thick roof pillars all around, a high beltline, and tiny rear windows. Combine this with its big-car feel and wide 20-foot turning radius and the Equinox will feel off-putting to many fans of compact-feeling compact SUVs.

But the Equinox will do better than most of those at winning converts from bigger SUVs, as it doesn't give up the comfort and refinement of a large SUV to get compact-level gas mileage. 

Even there the Equinox isn't perfect. That type of customer won't love the visibility either, and may not be satisfied with the four-cylinder's acceleration. (A V6 is also available, but it costs even more and doesn't get terrific mileage.) And this Chevrolet is much pricier than its direct compact-ute competition.

For some, it's worth it. The Equinox feels more comfortable, luxurious, and substantial than other small SUVs. 

But others want the easy-to-drive character as a maneuverable, agile, truly compact SUV. And the big, heavy Equinox doesn't try to offer that. For those who like small SUVs for their size, there are better choices than this Chevrolet regardless of how much it costs.

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