Equinox will look like the newest trucks from Chevrolet, including Avalanche, TrailBlazer, Silverado, and the upcoming Colorado. Equinox has the high-mounted single cross-bar grille opening with compound complex headlamps filling the front corners. It features four large fender bulges, a pulled-in waist section on the body and doors, and a four-pillar roof design leading to a top-hinged tailgate with opening rear glass. Because of its relatively trim size, we think it's the best-proportioned of all the Chevy trucks.
Equinox is named for the celestial phenomenon of March 21 and September 21, when there are equal amounts of day and night. The name is meant to reflect the truck's versatility and all-weather capability.
This new SUV uses a new crossover-based architecture that is the largest in the segment, with the overall length at 187.3 inches, overall height of 66.2 inches, and body width of 72.2 inches on a wheelbase of 112.5 inches, with a wide track measurement of 61.6 inches. Equinox will share its basic (Theta) architecture with the Saturn Vue, though Equinox is a full 6 inches longer.
It features a specially designed sliding rear seat moves back and forth through a stroke of 8 inches to accommodate cargo, passengers, or both. It also has a fold-flat front passenger seat, combined with a split-folding rear seat, allowing extra-long cargoes to be carried completely inside the vehicle with the tailgate down. A height-adjustable cargo shelf, with plastic on one side and carpet on the other, doubles as a cargo security cover or a picnic table for tailgate parties, with integrated storage bins in the rear.
Power comes from a 3.4-liter V6 engine that's been around forever combined with a new 5-speed automatic transaxle. The Vortec V6 is rated at 185 horsepower, 210 foot-pounds of torque. Maximum towing capability is expected to be 3500 pounds, with the optional towing package.
Front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models will be available. The on-demand all-wheel-drive system delivers power to the front wheels during normal driving conditions on dry road surfaces, and delivers power to the rear wheels if front wheel slippage is detected.
The Equinox platform is a unitized body made of high-strength steel, with full-length frame rails and a passenger safety cage in a single, welded unit, and isolated subframes front and rear to keep noise, vibration and shaking to a minimum. It uses MacPherson strut front suspension and an independent four-link rear suspension with coil springs, steered by GM's electric power rack-and-pinion steering system. The Equinox has vented front disc brakes with dual piston calipers, and drum brakes in the rear.
To keep initial pricing as low as possible, Chevrolet has put a lot of equipment on the option list. Even air conditioning will be optional. The long list of options includes Bosch anti-lock brakes, traction control, roof-mounted curtain air bags, a 6-way power driver seat, a moonroof, a premium sound system, an MP3 player, an in-dash six-CD changer, XM satellite radio, OnStar emergency communications and valet service, and heated front seats with leather.
Chevrolet says this all-new SUV will help GM continue its truck sales momentum. Compact sport-utilities comprise the fastest growing segment of the market, selling more than 1 million vehicles a year. Equinox is designed to help Chevrolet increase its presence in the middle of the market, where it has traditionally ruled. Chevrolet says it hopes to reach 500,000 sales a year from the Equinox SUV, the Colorado pickup, and a redesigned 2004 Malibu mid-size sedan.
First shown to the public at the
2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Equinox will begin
production in early 2004 as a 2005 model, and will be built at the CAMI Automotive
plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada, GM's joint-venture facility with Suzuki.
GM says no Suzuki variant is planned.