So, my buddy sold his 2011 Equinox 2.4 LT 2WD and bought a '18 Equinox AWD listed in the title.
Here are some of my views of this new for '18 GM offering. I may make some references to the previous gen(2nd gen) Equinox but not really compare to it's competition as I haven't driven them in some time.
I'll start out by saying that this new 2018/3rd gen feels very much like the 2nd gen in a very good way. It feels solid and quiet with similar door slam and tight ride & handling which is very absorbent over broken pavement and one of the nicest in this segment.
Standard 4 cyl(1.5T) powertrain is still quiet(to my ears) and reasonable responsive while having less HP but, more TQ. Under normal acceleration, it's just fine and I don't really notice any turbo lag. I guess I might notice T-lag under hard(er) to WOT acceleration. But, it's fine for everydayness and smooth/responsive on the hiwy. I believe the automotive PRESS measures the 1.5T to be slower than the previous 2.4L but, you'd be hard pressed to know it.
What I have noticed with this 3rd gen Equinox across the board, on dealer lots as well as in some video reviews on Youtube is that the chrome exterior door trim is not lined up correctly especially on the passenger side. And I have seen this a lot with this 3rd gen. Not so much with the 2nd gen. ATMOF, the 2nd gen was very good, IMHO!
Interior room and comfort seems as though this vehicle, even though it's a complete redesign, feels more like a step sideways than a makeover...again, in a good way. I was hugely impressed with the 2nd gen Equinox/Terrain(SIL also owns a Terrain) for how good they were when new. I'm less impressed as they feel the same and more like a reskinned & redesigned interiored carryover. However, this is a good machine like the last generation.
Yes, there are interior function difference for example, the rear seat don't slide for/aft due to the fact that they fold further down into the floor to give the cargo are a flat floor...an improvement!
Some interior materials are still the hard plastics from the 2nd gen such as door panel plastic where you rest your arm(out the window). On the standard interior for example, the center console box cover is a hard rubber covering instead of the vinyl/stitched covering(nicer) from the 2nd gen, making it feel/look cheap(er). However, the center box is still HUGE as before.
In addition to the interior materials, I don't care for the seat fabric in any new vehicle today(including my own vehicle) and other than a leather option, there is NO other upgraded/optional cloth material and the Equinox is no different compared to its predecessor. A cost cutting measure that all MFG's are doing w/o hurting overall quality.
Cargo area seems similar between the two gen's however, the rear hatch area has convenient pull levers to lower the rear seatbacks. A nice touch that has been in some of the Equinox's competition for some time now.
Fuel economy is EPA'd better in this 1.5T compared to the 2.4L. AND this 3rd gen "AWD" is better than the 2nd gen "2WD" and my buddy is getting that better MPG as well. NICE!
This is all I have for now as I have only driven the Equinox on several occasions.
Here are some of my views of this new for '18 GM offering. I may make some references to the previous gen(2nd gen) Equinox but not really compare to it's competition as I haven't driven them in some time.
I'll start out by saying that this new 2018/3rd gen feels very much like the 2nd gen in a very good way. It feels solid and quiet with similar door slam and tight ride & handling which is very absorbent over broken pavement and one of the nicest in this segment.
Standard 4 cyl(1.5T) powertrain is still quiet(to my ears) and reasonable responsive while having less HP but, more TQ. Under normal acceleration, it's just fine and I don't really notice any turbo lag. I guess I might notice T-lag under hard(er) to WOT acceleration. But, it's fine for everydayness and smooth/responsive on the hiwy. I believe the automotive PRESS measures the 1.5T to be slower than the previous 2.4L but, you'd be hard pressed to know it.
What I have noticed with this 3rd gen Equinox across the board, on dealer lots as well as in some video reviews on Youtube is that the chrome exterior door trim is not lined up correctly especially on the passenger side. And I have seen this a lot with this 3rd gen. Not so much with the 2nd gen. ATMOF, the 2nd gen was very good, IMHO!
Interior room and comfort seems as though this vehicle, even though it's a complete redesign, feels more like a step sideways than a makeover...again, in a good way. I was hugely impressed with the 2nd gen Equinox/Terrain(SIL also owns a Terrain) for how good they were when new. I'm less impressed as they feel the same and more like a reskinned & redesigned interiored carryover. However, this is a good machine like the last generation.
Yes, there are interior function difference for example, the rear seat don't slide for/aft due to the fact that they fold further down into the floor to give the cargo are a flat floor...an improvement!
Some interior materials are still the hard plastics from the 2nd gen such as door panel plastic where you rest your arm(out the window). On the standard interior for example, the center console box cover is a hard rubber covering instead of the vinyl/stitched covering(nicer) from the 2nd gen, making it feel/look cheap(er). However, the center box is still HUGE as before.
In addition to the interior materials, I don't care for the seat fabric in any new vehicle today(including my own vehicle) and other than a leather option, there is NO other upgraded/optional cloth material and the Equinox is no different compared to its predecessor. A cost cutting measure that all MFG's are doing w/o hurting overall quality.
Cargo area seems similar between the two gen's however, the rear hatch area has convenient pull levers to lower the rear seatbacks. A nice touch that has been in some of the Equinox's competition for some time now.
Fuel economy is EPA'd better in this 1.5T compared to the 2.4L. AND this 3rd gen "AWD" is better than the 2nd gen "2WD" and my buddy is getting that better MPG as well. NICE!
This is all I have for now as I have only driven the Equinox on several occasions.
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