Test: Chevrolet Equinox attracts attention, but scares the driver

I confess that it’s been a while since I’ve been in a car from a generalist brand that broke so many necks. The new – and fourth – generation of Chevrolet Equinoxlaunched at the end of last year in combustion versions, managed to achieve this feat.

O SUV draws attention wherever it goes, whether from pedestrians, motorcyclists or, especially, car owners. Chevrolet. Could. The utility vehicle is very different from what Brazilians were used to with cars from the North American brand until then. But as the proverb would say, beauty doesn’t set the table. If the SUV is admirable on the outside, on the inside it becomes a bit scary. I explain.

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Eye-catching design

First, however, let’s look at aesthetics. Its design combines, at the same time, robustness and a hint of sophistication. The look follows the same as other cars from the manufacturer launched in the United States. Around here, only the renewed Spin – and the future Tracker – come close.

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Starting with the two-story headlights: LED daytime running lights at the top and full-LED position lights, just below and positioned at the ends of the bumper. Everything is served by a gigantic grid. The Activ option takes a more adventurous approach, however, in practice, of course, it is far from being a car to be thrown into the mud. The rear has a, let’s say, more conventional design, with lights that invade the trunk and take on a “Y” shape on the side.

Inside, the Equinox is as impressive as anyone looking at from the outside. Screens, finishing, materials and, in the Activ version, the light upholstery gives the impression of an ‘expensive’ car. And it is. Launched in two variants, Activ and RS, both priced at R$267,000, they now cost no less than R$279,890.

Consumption and performance

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That’s right: in eight months and two readjustments, the value has already increased by almost R$13 thousand. But the SUV continues to be equipped with a four-cylinder 1.5 turbo gasoline engine with direct injection, 177 hp and 28 kgfm of torque. The problem is the weight: it’s 1,678 kg. This relationship makes the behavior not stand out. Accelerations and restarts are just satisfactory. There is no lack of strength, but there is also no surplus. At least in the city…

If the performance doesn’t convince, neither does the consumption. According to the Brazilian Vehicle Labeling Program, the Equinox Active averages 9 km/l (city) and 10.7 km/l (highway). Just average number for the segment. More powerful rivals with more torque consume a little less gasoline. At least the SUV is easy to drive. The steering could have been heavier, but it has good responses, the suspension is consistent with the model’s proposal of comfort, of filtering irregularities, with a course that tries to avoid harsh hits and not float at higher speeds.

Safety and driving assistance

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Now let’s get to fear. Because it is quite wide (1.90 m), the Equinox and its security systems will beep or come into action for anything, being very sensitive. I lost count of how many times the collision assistant gave me unnecessary warnings, when there was no remote possibility of me being involved in an accident. Motorcycles are the system’s nightmare. Just pass one alongside and the SUV will go crazy.

And what’s worse: in more extreme cases, automatic braking is activated without the slightest need. This happens for two reasons: 1) because the car obviously thinks it is going to collide with another 2) because the car thinks that the driver did not take the correct steps to avoid the supposed collision. In my case, and I categorically state, none of the more than 15 times (or was it 20?) that the collision warning or braking were activated was I even close to crashing.

Scared? Almost every time the driver, who is in control of the situation, is faced with a decision he doesn’t expect and braking is like a ship’s anchor: the SUV stops suddenly. Yes, I know that’s exactly what it’s for. However, it can even be dangerous on some occasions: the car behind may not have (very likely not) this feature, is caught by surprise and does not brake in time, colliding with the rear of the Equinox.

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This setback made me make a move I never do: turn off the collision assistant (and automatic braking) manually via the multimedia center on every occasion before driving the Equinox. And it was necessary to access some screens and repeat the practice every time when starting. This is because the default setting, of course, is to keep the features always activated.

GM could, perhaps, recalibrate sensors and systems so that they are not so invasive and ruin the experience of those behind the wheel (and even passengers). Another annoyance is that, when placing the gearshift in the “P” position, the electronic parking brake is not automatically activated. The SUV even gives a ‘jolt’ as soon as the car is parked and the driver takes his foot off the brake. And the location of the button is not intuitive, it is not there on the console, but on the left side.

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In the first half of 2025, the Equinox, which is imported from Mexico, registered less than 1,000 cars, according to data from the National Federation of Motor Vehicle Distribution (Fenabrave). It is not possible to say that it is a success when direct rivals in the medium SUV segment, manufactured here, register 30 times more cars. But Chevrolet, in a rare moment, tries to align itself with US products, whether with Equinox and Blazer EV or Chinese products, such as the future Spark and also the Captiva. What you can’t have is the fear of making mistakes.

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