2025 Chevrolet Equinox SUVOTY Review: Affordable and Adorable?

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At last year’s SUV of the Year test, we were charmed by the Chevrolet Trax. This year, it was the larger Equinox that arrived with a value play in the competitive compact SUV segment, and we were charmed once again. The fourth-generation Equinox is a bread-and-butter vehicle for GM, even with the addition of the fancier 2025 Equinox EV to the menu. (The two share neither a platform nor sheetmetal.) To feed the appetite of those who want an affordable SUV with a gasoline engine, the 2025 Equinox got bigger and more rugged looking, reshuffled its trim offerings, and maintained a starting price under $30,000, as promised.  

The 175-hp 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 carried over, but Chevy dropped the sluggish six-speed automatic transmission for a CVT on front-drive models and an eight-speed on AWD models. The RS AWD was adequate in most driving conditions, but the weakness of its powertrain is obvious on an uphill section of a twisty road. And because it’s the sporty one of the three trims (LT, RS, and the new Activ), we were disappointed that the steering wheel paddles are more for show than function, and you must press the L button for any change in transmission behavior.  

We were more impressed with its AWD and the off-road and snow/ice drive modes. You must manually select AWD, which frustrated some judges in an age when most vehicles engage the rear wheels automatically when the vehicle detects wheel slip. But once the button was pressed, the Equinox powered through deep sand and ruts, slowing at times but never getting bogged down. A well-programmed traction control system allowed the Chevy to handle our wheel-lifting frame twist section.  

The Equinox is on a new platform spun from the previous one. Ride quality was unexpectedly good on a bumpy road, but there were a few clunks on the harshest surfaces, and some judges reported vibration though the pedal and steering wheel when accelerating. Wind and road noise were appropriate for the class. Super Cruise hands-free driving assist is not offered. 

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A new electrical architecture made it possible to do more with the larger screens and infotainment system, which has Google built-in while still supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless charging is available in an upright slot. Pity Chevy did not make it possible to charge two phones at once in this ample cubby. The screen resolution and basic interior fittings for front passengers are posh for this class. The cabin has blue and red stitching, red metal trim, and round air vents. The Equinox has a lot of storage options up front, including space under the center console for a bag, but there could have been even more. Moving the shifter to the steering column freed real estate in the center console, but Chevy filled it with a giant drive mode knob. The rear seats are surprisingly roomy and comfortable, with seat heaters and air vents, even if some materials are downgraded. 

We had software issues, and some features stopped working, including error messages regarding the power steering, AWD, ESC, and cruise control. However, the problems were largely fixed via either ignition cycles or over-the-air updates over the course of the day. Even more important and relevant, we had a pre-production Equinox that was not completely representative of the final product. Chevy went out of its way to explain to us that the steering issue was in fact caused by "a part quality issue of a steering gear and not related to the vehicle’s software," something it said its engineering team has already identified and rectified for production vehicles. The automaker also assured us any software-related glitches we did encounter do not impact production Equinox models.

Even while GM looked for ways to keep costs down, there is an impressive amount of content for the price, even if the new Equinox falls short of Korean competition in this regard. Still, the Equinox was impressive enough to make the finalist round for SUV of the Year. With the latest Trax earning the same honor previously, it’s a good time to be shopping for a mainstream Chevy SUV. 

This review was conducted as part of our 2025 SUV of the Year (SUVOTY) testing, where each vehicle is evaluated on our six key criteria: efficiency, design, safety, engineering excellence, value, and performance of intended function. Eligible vehicles must be all-new or significantly revised. 

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