Chevy Equinox Delivers High MPG in a Family Crossover

Truth be told…we like crossover vehicles and SUVs. They’re comfortable, versatile, and do their jobs well. What they don’t do is deliver reasonable fuel economy. That is, until now.

Enter the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, a vehicle of considerable importance in the scheme of things. To begin with, its new 2.4-liter direct injection engine allows the Equinox to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy. At an EPA estimated 32 mpg, this 182 hp Ecotec engine is 33 percent more efficient than its predecessor…a very meaningful improvement. City fuel economy is still a respectable 22 mpg. Give the nod to an all-wheel drive iteration and EPA estimated fuel

What’s just as notable as this model’s fuel economy is that nearly 75 percent of those buying the Equinox are expected to choose the 182 hp 2.4-liter engine instead of the more powerful 264 hp 3.0-liter V-6. That’s just short of shocking considering the trend for the longest time has been ‘bigger, better, faster’ with little regard for efficiency.

Besides its well-engineered and efficient powerplant, fuel efficiency magic happens in the 2.4-liter variant by virtue of a six-speed automatic transmission that features an ‘eco’ mode. With ‘eco’ off the Equinox drives as normal. Switch it on and shift points are altered to favor more efficient driving to improve fuel economy. Time behind the wheel proved this to be quite the useful feature. Acceleration is less brisk with ‘eco’ activated but it’s not a huge difference, and there’s always the option to turn it off to achieve optimum performance. This feature makes eco-driving an easy thing for everyday motorists.

This crossover’s road manners are excellent. Steering, braking, and cornering feel right, and while the cabin is less isolated from the road than more luxury-oriented crossovers and SUVs, that’s to be expected in a compact crossover. Chevrolet uses active noise cancellation technology with counteracting sound waves through the speaker system to help lend a quieter environment inside.

The list of standard features is long and appreciated. Among them are four-wheel disc brakes plus StabiliTrak electronic stability control and traction control. Six standard air bags, OnStar and XM satellite radio, and a remote start system also come as a matter of course. Safety is well looked after with five star front and side crash ratings.

With the Equinox you can, it seems, have it all. And you can have it at a reasonable price point. The 2010 Chevy Equinox offers a base MSRP of $25,445, some $1,800 less than the base model the previous year. Crossover buyer who want all the style and accoutrements of this class of vehicle without the downsides are likely to find the Chevy Equinox hard to resist.