2018 Chevrolet Equinox Revealed With Malibu-esque Styling, Turbo Engine Lineup, Diesel Option

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Chevrolet has lifted the curtain on its next-generation Equinox, revealing a host of technological and styling updates for a long-running model that had grown long in the tooth.

The changes coming for the 2018 model year put the Equinox as a proper compact SUV, as the slimmed-down model sheds significant weight and adopts a trio of turbocharged four-cylinders. Going out on a limb in the red-hot market segment, Chevrolet plans to offer a diesel.

Looking like a Malibu that morphed into an SUV, the next-generation Equinox adopts the design language of Chevy’s newest crop of small sedans. Forget about the yawnmobiles of yesteryear and get a load of these busy, flowing flanks, the model shouts.

Underneath the skin, the changes are equally dramatic — maybe even more so. Chevy engineers shaved 400 pounds from the Equinox, which now weighs 10 percent less than the previous model. With rear seats folded flat, GM lists interior cargo volume at 63.5 cubic feet.

Like its recently redesigned Malibu stablemate, the Equinox’s diet allows it to accept a four-cylinder-only engine lineup. Gone is GM’s ubiquitous 3.6-liter V6.

The entry-level mill is the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder found in the Malibu, making 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Chevy doesn’t list the transmission, but it’s almost certainly the brand’s trusty six-speed automatic.

GM’s new 9T50 nine-speed automatic comes standard on up-level models powered by a 252-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four. While the automaker hasn’t announced torque figures for this mill (it’s a 2 hp bump over the 2.0-liter found in up-level Malibus), it does promise the same max trailering capacity as past V6 models (3,500 pounds).

There’s plenty of debate over the future of light-duty diesel engines in North America — mainly, is there a future? — but Chevy doesn’t seem worried about the oil-burning stigma spawned by Volkswagen’s emissions deception. The optional 1.6-liter turbo-diesel is the only engine of its type in the North American compact SUV market. Making 136 hp and 236 lb-ft, the mill adopts start/stop technology and allows the automaker to advertise a GM-estimated 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Highway mileage for front-wheel-drive base models is estimated at 31 mpg, while the 2.0-liter front-wheel-drive variant is estimated at 28 mpg. All-wheel-drive models adopt a switchable system that decouples from the rear axle when four-wheel traction isn’t needed, a la Jeep Cherokee and Chrysler 200, further aiding fuel economy.

The 2018 Equinox goes on sale in the first quarter of 2017.

[Images: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Rudiger Rudiger on Sep 25, 2016

    There are a couple caveats that go along with the diesel. First, will it require urea additive to meet emissions. Not a big deal, but having to constantly buy and refill that stuff might be a pain to some. More critical is the price. As everyone knows, GM has a real bad habit of pricing wanted options in the stratosphere. No one buys them, they end up discontinuing the option, and then put big incentives on the hood to eventually unload them. This is also rather important considering how cheap gasoline happens to be right now. If the diesel Equinox is priced reasonably, it could do alright. Otherwise, just another failed GM product. I'm a little torn on that big side 'swoop'. Seems like the stylists were channeling the now discontinued Mazda5, which might not be such a hot idea since that wasn't exactly a big seller. And, hopefully, the new Equinox' rear seats will fold flat. The current one has a two-tier effect in the cargo area when the rear seats are folded.

    • Shaker Shaker on Sep 25, 2016

      "And, hopefully, the new Equinox’ rear seats will fold flat." They do - there's a one-minute video @ Chevy's website. Of course the big print gives the "40"/"31" highway numbers for the diesel/1.5l turbo. Yes, every SUV owner drives on the highway most of the time, and will not be disappointed by the 15MPG city that they'll get. Edit - Rants redacted :-(

  • Rudiger Rudiger on Sep 25, 2016
    "They do – there’s a one-minute video @ Chevy’s website." Were they the last? I remember when the hoary old Aveo was like the only small car that had non-flat-folding rear seats. Better late to the party than never, I suppose.
    • Shaker Shaker on Sep 26, 2016

      I guess that Chevy had to make up for not keeping the sliding rear seat somehow.

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  • Jeanbaptiste 2022 Tesla model 3 performance ~35000 miles tires - ~$1000ish. Several cabin filters ~$50
  • El scotto No rag-top, no rag-top(s) = not a prestigious car brand. Think it through. All of the high-end Germans and Lexus have rag-tops. Corvette is really its own brand.World-leading engines. AMG, M, S and well Lexus is third-world tough. GM makes one of the best V-8s in the world in Bowling Green. But nooooo, noooo, we're GM only Corvettes get Corvette engines. Balderdash! I say. Put Corvette engines in the top-tier Cadillacs. I know GM could make a world-class 3.5 liter V-6 but they don't or won't. In the interior everything that gets touched, including your butt, has to feel good. No exceptions.Some think that those who pay above MSRP and brag about it are idiots. Go the opposite direction, and offer an extended 10-year 100,000-mile factory warranty. At a reasonable price. That's Acura's current business model.
  • Carrera 2014 Toyota Corolla with 192,000 miles bought new. Oil changes every 5,000 miles, 1 coolant flush, and a bunch of air filters and in cabin air filters, and wipers. On my 4th set of tires.Original brake pads ( manual transmission), original spark plugs. Nothing else...it's a Toyota. Did most of oil changes either free at Toyota or myself. Also 3 batteries.2022 Acura TLX A-Spec AWD 13,000 miles now but bought new.Two oil changes...2006 Hyundai Elantra gifted from a colleague with 318,000 when I got it, and 335,000 now. It needed some TLC. A set of cheap Chinese tires ($275), AC compressor, evaporator, expansion valve package ( $290) , two TYC headlights $120, one battery ( $95), two oil changes, air filters, Denso alternator ( $185), coolant, and labor for AC job ( $200).
  • Mike-NB2 This is a mostly uninformed vote, but I'll go with the Mazda 3 too.I haven't driven a new Civic, so I can't say anything about it, but two weeks ago I had a 2023 Corolla as a rental. While I can understand why so many people buy these, I was surprised at how bad the CVT is. Many rentals I've driven have a CVT and while I know it has one and can tell, they aren't usually too bad. I'd never own a car with a CVT, but I can live with one as a rental. But the Corolla's CVT was terrible. It was like it screamed "CVT!" the whole time. On the highway with cruise control on, I could feel it adjusting to track the set speed. Passing on the highway (two-lane) was risky. The engine isn't under-powered, but the CVT makes it seem that way.A minor complaint is about the steering. It's waaaay over-assisted. At low speeds, it's like a 70s LTD with one-finger effort. Maybe that's deliberate though, given the Corolla's demographic.
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