2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV First Drive: There’s A Lot to Love In This Compact Electric SUV
Here’s what makes me feel good about the Chevrolet Equinox—the regular, gas-powered version: This car is here for you. It’s well priced, well equipped and when every one else in your life fails you, your Equinox will still be there.
A car like this lets you put other things first—your kids, your work schedule, your vacation plans, your nail appointment—and doesn’t feel left out. In fact, it’s the opposite. Even when you’ve ignored it, it’s there to remind you it needs an oil change, to connect you with navigation and without hesitation, to haul around all those things you need on the daily.
And now, the Chevrolet Equinox EV takes it all a step further, giving you freedom from the gas pump, a voice-activated assistant, top notch technology and a price tag that won’t make you choke.
The Chevrolet Equinox EV is Well Priced, With a Tax Incentive Bonus
The Equinox EV was designed to be the most affordable EV for sale in the US. Because it’s built in the US and meets battery-sourcing requirements, it also qualifies for federal tax incentives, and should qualify for any local incentives, too (check with your state and the IRS or your accountant for your own personal qualifications).
There are two models: LT, for luxury touring, and RS, for rally sport. Within those are 3 levels of packaging, from basic to loaded. Here is how pricing shakes out:
- 1LT FWD $34,995; this model will be available later in 2024
- 2LT FWD $43,295
- 2RS FWD $44,795 (this is the model we test drove)
- 3LT FWD $45,295
- 3RS FWD $46,795
- All wheel drive adds $3,300 to the price due to the second motor, but it also adds a significant amount of horsepower.
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The Chevy Equinox EV’s Spoilers Are Pretty Good
Let’s start with what you get in the Chevrolet Equinox EV:
- A 319 mile range and 213 HP in the front wheel drive model
- A 285 mile ange and 288 HP in the all wheel drive model
- One pedal driving and drive modes with a customizable setting
- A 17.7” touch screen and an 11” driver display
- Built in Google and Alexa, both with voice-activated assistance
- Adaptive cruise control
- Walk up lighting
- USB-C charge ports
- OnStar connected car services
- Hands-free start: Just get in the car and press the brake and it is powered on
- Walk and lock: walk away with the key and the Equinox EV powers down and locks up (you can also press a button to turn it off manually)
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What It’s Like to Drive the Chevrolet Equinox EV
Probably the biggest hurdle is to remember that you don’t need to press a start button to start driving it. The Equinox EV powers on with a press of the brake. Just shift the gear selector, a stalk on the steering wheel, and go. Pretty simple.
Once on the road, the Equinox is easy to drive; it delivers plenty of power. Even the FWD version we drove with 213 HP felt pretty good. But then again, it delivers a good amount of torque — 236 from the FWD model and 333 from the AWD model.
I really loved the choice of regenerative braking options: one pedal driving, which is activated by a button on the multimedia screen (a circle with a foot through it) or by pulling the regen paddle on the left side of the steering wheel. Either way allows you to set your efficiency and potentially get more miles from the battery than Chevrolet estimates.
An Exterior Design That Just Looks So Good
Let’s talk about this design. On first glance the Equinox EV has notes of a Porsche Macan, with a nice ground clearance, toned shoulders and wheel wells that pop from the car’s frame. The nose is slender and the roofline slopes to the rear spoiler, which pops out over the liftgate. Overall the look is much sportier than you might think for an entry-level electric SUV.
On the front you’ll see a tell-tale light bar that spans the entire grille, and on the rear is a tail light that spans the lift gate. Both work to give the Equinox EV a very modern, sporty look.
Tech That Looks More Expensive Than It Is
While you might be wowed by the expansive glass panel that spans the dash and the 17.7” touch screen, you’ll quickly get used to it. The screen houses all the things you’ll need for driving, including music, navigation, vehicle settings and charging information.
The touch screen is also where you’ll find the headlight on/off switch, one pedal driving and quick access controls. These are all on a small static panel between the main screen and the driver display.
The system uses Google’s operating system, and while you may find yourself less and less a fan of Google (I count myself in that category) it’s good. It works quickly, has a great look and feel, and offers a nicely organized set of apps. The system settings are nicely organized too, and everything was easy to find.
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The Chevy Equinox EV is Prepared for the Inevitable: Winter
And, it has an ice-breaker! I really love this idea: Chevy’s engineers added vibration to the power deploy door handles, which are flush and pop out when you approach with the key fob or unlock the car. People complained about not being able to open the car when there’s ice on the car because the handles are frozen into the doors. So, Chevy set them to vibrate so that they can easily pop out when you need them.
The Equinox EV also has heated windshield wipers, battery preconditioning so its ready to quickly charge, even in the cold, and heated seats and a heated steering wheel so you can maximize the battery charge in cold weather.
How Kids Car Seats Fit
The gas-powered Equinox is a work horse for families and the EV version is no different. I measured and found that installing a rear-facing car seat should be no problem even behind a tall front seat passenger. I had 32” behind my seat and I’m 5’8”; I measured nearly 30” behind my drive partner Paul who is 6’ tall. And then, the outboard seats measured 21” wide and the middle seat measured 12” wide, enough room for two or three kids car seats across the bench.
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Super Cruise, And Why You Should Say Yes
One very nice option on the Equinox EV is Super Cruise. This is GM’s hands-free drive system and it does just that: It allows you to take your hands off the wheel when you’re driving on one of the 750,000 miles of mapped roads that are approved for Super Cruise. I’ve used it quite bit now and trust it; it’s really good, and takes the stress out of rush hour traffic or a long highway drive.
You can see that this car is Super Cruise equipped by the bar at the top of the steering wheel. The green indicators on the driver display show that it’s engaged.
Another fact that gives me confidence is that it makes sure you’re attentive to the road; if you take your eyes off the road it stops working. It will even slow the car and stop it if the driver is unresponsive. That makes me feel confident about other drivers using it, too.
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What You Need to Know
Yes, the Chevy Equinox EV is a well-priced car that doesn’t need gas, but there are some caveats to consider. First, the Google system does not support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. If you’re addicted to these systems you’ll need to learn to live with out them or to work around them. You can log into your Google account for some features and use Bluetooth for others.
Then, the Google system comes with 8 years of Google Maps and voice assistance—we’ll have to see what happens after that; it may be a subscription service or the basic service may continue to be free, which is what happened eventually with OnStar.
Super Cruise requires a subscription, too. It’s $2,200 for 3 years, then $25 a month or $250 a year, to add hands free driving.
And, AWD is an extra $3,300. If you need it, you need it, but you do get the extra power, which is nice.
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There Are Bonuses, Too
The battery carries an 8-year/100,000 mile warranty; this is in addition to the 3 years/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 5-year/60,000 mile roadside assistance plan.
The LT1 model will have the full multimedia screen as in the other models and the Google interface; for more luxury features, and even some basics like heated seats and steering wheel, you’ll need to move up to higher-level trims.
And there’s lots of cargo space for all you need on the daily: 26 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, 57 with those seats folded. Plus, it’s a nice space for tailgating and there is no hot tailpipe to worry you might burn your leg on.
It’s nice that Chevrolet is offering the Equinox EV at such an affordable price. And nicer that with a slight uptick in price you get a lot more; the model we drove is priced about $45K and with federal and local incentives could cost about $35K, which is not bad. And, you get a car you can really live in.
Disclosure: I was a guest of Chevrolet for this test drive. Travel and accommodations were provided but all opinions are my own.
