With three manufacturing generations, and fifteen years of production, finding a used Chevrolet Equinox to suit your needs may be overwhelming. At Cantin Chevrolet, in Laconia, New Hampshire, our team understands and wants to provide you with the ultimate used Chevrolet Equinox buying guide to speed up your research process. The Equinox was Chevy’s first compact SUV with room for up to five passengers and it first premiered for the 2005 model year.
First Generation (2005 – 2009)
The Equinox was first launched in 2005, as the first front-wheel drive SUV from Chevrolet. Both the Front-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive options came with a 3.4L V6 that produced 185 horsepower and 210 lb. ft. of torque and was paired with a 5-speed transmission. With 68 cubic feet of max cargo space, it outdid most of its competitors.
The most significant changes for the 2006 production year was the addition of the standard anti-lock brakes, the optional side-impact airbags, and available head-curtain airbags.
One of the largest consumer complaints for the Equinox in its first two years of production was the lack of clarity and ease of use of the instrument cluster. In 2007, the instrument cluster, steering wheel, radio buttons, and climate controls went through a complete overhaul. With 20 standard vehicle information and personalization functions, the Equinox became a much more user-friendly vehicle.
Up until now, the Equinox only featured two trim options. In 2008, the LTZ and Sport trims were added to the originally available LS and LT trims. These new trims brought with them several unique and sporty exterior features such as high-polished aluminum wheels, a sportier front and rear design along with a lowered, more aggressive stance. The new 3.6L V6 with a 6-speed transmission became available to add to the new trim options for this year. Being able to produce 264 horsepower and 250 lb. ft. of torque, this new engine option elevated the mechanical functionality of the vehicle unlike in previous years. Lastly, this was the year that the Electronic Trailer Sway Control was added as a standard feature to assist drivers in every towing experience.
The overall safety of the vehicle was upgraded in 2009, when standard side curtain airbags and rollover protection sensors for both rows were added.
Second Generation (2010 – 2017)
2010 marked the first year in the second manufacturing generation for the Equinox. Coming back completely revamped with the all-new 2.4L V4 direct-injected engine, and available 3.0L V6 direct-injection engine both of which came with a standard 6-speed transmission, a re-organized interior with an optional dual-screen entertainment system, and a more aerodynamic and appealing body style. Because of the engine changes for the beginning of the second generation, the fuel efficiency was brought up significantly, making it a more appealing Crossover in many ways compared to the previous generation. The Equinox also came standard with Cruise Control and four 12-volt DC Power Outlets starting this year. The 2011 model year didn’t bring with it any significant changes for the Equinox.
Many technological advances were made for the Equinox in the 2012 model year. The base trim received Bluetooth connectivity, the trim above that added a backup camera, the three highest trims all came with a 7” touch-screen stereo and USB charging port, and lastly the highest trim had a lane departure warning and forward collision alert systems available to add. This was also the year that the 2.4L V4 engine began to offer the capability to run off flex-fuel (E85 ethanol) or standard gasoline.
A new 3.6L V6 engine was introduced in 2013, replacing the 3.0L V6, which allowed drivers to have an added boost of power if they chose.
The 2014 model year didn’t yield any striking new designs or features. However, in 2015, OnStar and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot capability both became standard for all trims.
The Equinox got an upgraded chic new front-end design for 2016. It was also this year that the rearview camera became standard on the lower end trims and the higher-end trims got the option to add an upgraded leather interior.
Since there were some minor facelifts for the previous year’s model, 2017 wasn’t filled with many additional upgrades. However, Chevrolet added a Midnight Edition and Sport Edition to the Equinox lineup for 2017. Both special edition trim options featured blacked-out exterior details along with Jet Black perforated leather seats inside. The Midnight Edition’s exterior was finished in a Mosaic Black Metallic Paint and the Sport Edition’s exterior proudly wore an impressive Summit White finish.
Third Generation (2018 – Present)
2018 brought with it some significant re-designs for the Equinox. First and foremost, the new Equinox now became a smidge smaller and lighter than the previous two generations. Chevrolet replaced the previous engine options with a 1.5L and 2.0L Turbo gas engine along with adding the option of a 1.6L Turbo-Diesel engine. This was also the year that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto became standard on all trim levels. The safety equipment was also drastically overhauled adding available features such as a multi-camera parking system, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, low-speed automatic braking system, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Adaptive cruise control and front pedestrian braking became available to add onto the higher-end trim level in 2019. Four USB ports also became standard for this production year. An 8” infotainment screen was also added along with higher-resolution cameras.
That wraps up our used car overview for the Chevrolet Equinox. If you need any additional help sorting out which option is best for your family, feel free to drop by to see our team at Cantin Chevrolet and we will get the ball rolling in the right direction for you.