Article Comments - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox First Drive

42 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 1:06 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Equinox Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Equinox, SUV

2010 Chevrolet Equinox First Drive - First Impressions: Better-looking, less expensive and more frugal is a good way to start things off.(more)

Outline

Messages Page 3 of 5: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; Prev; Next; Last

#21 of 42 2010 Equinox 1LT AWD Test Drive by d_sanders Jul 03, 2009 (5:12 pm)
I just got through test driving a new 2010 Chevy Equinox 1LT AWD. Sticker price was just over $27k. It had the in line 4 cylinder and was rated for 29 MPG on the highway. 1st impressions were a huge improvement over the 2009 and older versions of the Equinox! Not so much the outside, although I do like the new sheetmetal better as well. But, the interior, from the seats to the center stack and window and lock buttons being where they should be, on the door! The seats are really nice to sit in. A lot more support and they actually look kind of expensive for cloth seats. The center stack has a much higher quality feel to it as well. The knobs and buttons feel very high quality and all in all a much better feel than the regular "slap a radio into the dash and call it good" that Chevy is typically used to doing. I actually liked the interior better than the new Traverse, and I thought that it was well put together. As far as how well it drives...It was a nice firm, but yeilding, comfortable and really quiet ride! The 4 cylinder drove like a 4 cylinder engine drives. It didn't feel like I had to get out and push, but it wasn't setting me back in the seat either. I was impressed with the sounds from the 4 cylinder engine. Even at high RPM's it never felt like it was being thrashed. And, with the manual mode on the 6 speed automatic, I could hold the gear to higher RPM's before upshifting. I am really impressed with the way this Equinox feels all the way around. Even at $27k it had some really nice features like a rear back up camera that shows up in the rear view mirror, and blue tooth that takes about 30 seconds to pair and automatically recognizes your cell phone is in the vehicle as soon as it starts up! Oh yeah, and before I forget. I set the cruze control at 75 MPH while I was on the highway for about a 10 mile stretch, and set the computer to show the average fuel economy. I reset the computer after I set the cruze control to 75 and the average MPG over the extent of the highway ride was 29 MPG! And that is on a brand new Equinox with 9 miles on it when I started the trip...can you imagine what it will get once it is broken in?! I have driven the Honda CRV, the Toyota Rav4, and the Ford Escape. None of them have the room of the new Equinox (as was the case with the older models) but now the new interior materials, fit and finish, look and feel of the interior, just Bang for your Buck and fuel economy to boot; I think this is going to be a home run for Chevrolet! Replies to this message: wallyuwl (Aug 05, 2009 6:01 pm) clebo1 (Aug 07, 2009 9:18 am) d_sanders (Aug 07, 2009 9:42 am) and 2 more... npgmbr (Aug 07, 2009 3:39 pm) clausenb (Oct 15, 2009 9:12 am) jimofoakcreek (Oct 15, 2009 4:05 pm) and 1 more...
#22 of 42 i drove a 2LT and was very impressed. by minarets2 Jul 03, 2009 (8:04 pm)
my dealer finally got one in. it was a 2LT pretty loaded. nav, backup camera, BT, rear assist, everything but sunroof i think. it was pretty nice. it was the mocha color with brownstone interior. i really liked everything BUT, the seat bolsters. the seats were extremely comfy to sit in, but exiting the vehicle you had to raise up and over the bolster. that annoyed me. but again, sitting in the seat was great. the other thing was the v6 was sluggish. i had high hopes that since the i4 has the same HP as the previous model v6 and with the gas mileage differences between the new i4 (32 hwy) and the v6 (23 hwy) it would feel peppy, but it wasn’t. however, for most buyers, im sure it will be fine. i would just like more. 285hp would be perfect. some likes: the room was amazing. i have always been amazed that the equinox had more rear legroom than a tahoe (old model too) with the sliding rear seat. im a former equinox owner. i drove an 2006 model for a year and half, before getting a company car. for any car i get in, i always sit in the drivers seat and adjust accordingly then see how much room is directly behind me to see what kinda comfort (or lack of) my passenger will have. for starters, i loved getting in and sliding the seat all the way back and realizing it went too far. i am only 6'00'' but usually i drive in as faaaaar back as the seat will allow. i left it back as far as it would go and tried the back seat thinking worst case scenario. i had plenty of room and my knees still didn’t touch the drivers seat. i like! the rear seats were also crazy comfy. as much as the drivers seat was bolstered the rear almost collapsed in squishy comfy unbolstered seats. the flip up DVD players were great too. they fold into the seat and don’t take up any space. pretty awesome car for the price. $31k for all that? pretty good deal imo.
#23 of 42 First Impressions by npgmbr Jul 20, 2009 (12:24 pm)
My local dealer got two last week so I went out to take a look at them this weekend. I was really hoping that the vehicle would look as nice as what I had seen in pictures and I was somewhat disappointed that GM didn't take short cuts. Yeah Right.... From the outside the Equinox looks fairly large and that was a concern for me because I'm used to owning medium size vehicles i.e. my first car 89 Baretta GT, second Geo Tracker and current 99 Infiniti G20. Im a single guy and don't have anyone to drive around but myself and the occasional friend(s). This is my first SUV and I was fairly impressed with the interior space because there was plenty and I wouldn't have to stretch across a canyon to reach the glove box from the drivers seat or interact with passengers. The amount of space in the rear seat can be simply surmised as joy, and add to that the fact that the floor is flat which only makes room for more space and comfort. The ease of moving the rear seat was great and at a 6'1" tall guy I had ample head room. The materials GM chose to use were top notch (for the Equinox's segment). The interior of the Equinox bests the competition in design as well. Personally, I find the CR-V to be rather plasticky and the placement of the shifter rather minivanish and lacked of masculinity. I find the RAV-4 to be too cute, too small and again lacking in a masculine grown-up feel. I really like the exterior design of the Escape because its masculine but its becoming dated. I like the interior of the Escape but it suffers from a cramped feeling much like the RAV-4 and although the design of the dash is masculine it needs updating that comes away from the square look Ford has going on there. Of course space and design is a matter of preference but I believe GM has as winner. Then again, im sure it won't be long before the Comps get refreshed. I fell in love with the Equinox and plan to buy one before years end.
#24 of 42 Equinox by vanman1 Jul 20, 2009 (6:28 pm)
"The materials GM chose to use were top notch (for the Equinox's segment). The interior of the Equinox bests the competition in design as well. Personally, I find the CR-V to be rather plasticky and the placement of the shifter rather minivanish and lacked of masculinity. I find the RAV-4 to be too cute, too small and again lacking in a masculine grown-up feel. I really like the exterior design of the Escape because its masculine but its becoming dated. I like the interior of the Escape but it suffers from a cramped feeling much like the RAV-4 and although the design of the dash is masculine it needs updating that comes away from the square look Ford has going on there". ------------ The new Equinox puts the interiors of all the competition to shame in my opinion. I have sat in all of them and there is no comparison. I am sure Honda and Toyota are working on new models and will catch up but for now, GM has the best small SUV on the market in my opinion.
#25 of 42 Re: Whatta pile! [cmhj2000] by clebo1 Jul 21, 2009 (9:04 am)
Replying to: cmhj2000 (Jun 16, 2009 9:33 am) Sir, you are pile!! I owned a 1955,1957,1961,1967,1972, Chevrolets,Plus 1980, and 1986 and 1995 olsmobiles.These vehicles ran very well with very few problems.Patriotism is a two way street,and if a auto dealer builds garbage vehicles,they must suffer the consequences such such customers and declining sales. Replies to this message: clebo1 (Jul 21, 2009 9:09 am) npgmbr (Jul 22, 2009 2:48 am)
#26 of 42 Re: Whatta pile! [clebo1] by clebo1 Jul 21, 2009 (9:09 am)
Replying to: clebo1 (Jul 21, 2009 9:04 am) The equinox Is a piece of Junk.You Buy it and be stuck with with It. loyalty is one thing,stupidity is another!!!! Replies to this message: npgmbr (Jul 22, 2009 2:48 am)
#27 of 42 Re: Edit to Edited Post [npgmbr] by clebo1 Jul 21, 2009 (9:19 am)
Replying to: npgmbr (Jun 19, 2009 4:30 am) Please note I am not critical of a well made product and will give it it just do,but when you have vehicle whereby you can't even change the headlight bulbs without taking to a dealer,I wonder what Idiot of an Engineer designed this Vehicle. Probably got his College degree from "Mickey Mouse University". "GM Needs ENGINEERS WITH COMMON SENSE OF DESIGN." Replies to this message: vanman1 (Jul 21, 2009 4:56 pm) npgmbr (Jul 22, 2009 2:42 am) nifty56 (Aug 15, 2009 11:41 am)
#28 of 42 Re: Edit to Edited Post [clebo1] by vanman1 Jul 21, 2009 (4:56 pm)
Replying to: clebo1 (Jul 21, 2009 9:19 am) Thanks for those useful posts. Perhaps it's time to head back to spelling class now.
#29 of 42 Re: Edit to Edited Post [clebo1] by npgmbr Jul 22, 2009 (2:42 am)
Replying to: clebo1 (Jul 21, 2009 9:19 am) Well apparently you have not owned a import model. If so you would not have made such an uninformed comment about headlights because it was the foreign automakers that first made these types of headlamps that are difficult to replace. The Big 3 jumped on that band wagon rather late not to mention that much of what you're griping about is due to headlight design which until the last ten years or so was determined by the fact that headlights could be purchased off the shelf. Today, headlights are design specific and cannot be purchased off the shelf and this eliminates the need for automakers to design the front end of the vehicle around headlights. Do a Bing search on headlight design to get more info because you are clearly uninformed.
#30 of 42 Re: Whatta pile! [clebo1] by npgmbr Jul 22, 2009 (2:48 am)
Replying to: clebo1 (Jul 21, 2009 9:09 am) Trust me, I've seen the Equinox in person and when I get mine I'll be basking in that piece of junk and wallowing in my own stupidity with a big fat smile on my face because I'm EXTREMELY Confident that GM has the leg up on the competition. They did it with the CTS, the Malibu, the 2010 Lacrosse, the Enclave and now the 2010 Equinox and every new GM vehicle will truly be competitive.