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So how is the current generation Equinox doing?

9K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  Grum.man 
#1 ·
I was burn't on a 2014 Equinox with the 2.4 that I dumped while still under warranty, but took a financial hit when I moved to a 2016 Equinox with the 3.6 that I love, but is 4 years old now. Getting the car buying itch again but still skeptical. Overall, I get the feeling that it has been very quiet here since the current generation came out in 2018. Very unlike it was in here back on 2014 with all of the 2.4 issues, the rear hatchback and bottom of the door paint/rust issues, and a few other issues. Is the current generation that well designed or is there a lot fewer owners? The Equinox was a hit with Consumer Reports and others in the early days that helped sell a lot. If I pull the trigger, it will be an AWD with the 2.0. Just not sure if I want to downsize from my larger 2016. I would definitely enjoy the MPG gain as my 3.6 needs long highway trips to see 24 MPG and averages closer to 19 which is 3mpg worse than my 2017 Colorado with the redesigned 3.6 and cylinder deactivation. Just curious as I think it has been very quiet here. I have thought about the Acadia as others on here have mentioned but I have no local GMC dealers for service.
 
#2 · (Edited)
You might consider the GMC Acadia if you wish to stay about the size of your 2016 Equinox V6.
We test drove a 2018 and 2019 Equinox (1.5L and 2.0L) and must admit the 2.0L had some spirited power. The seats and over all interior size just seemed a bit less than we had in our 2015 Equinox LTZ.
On a whim back last June I got some of the usual GM emails with the current "offers" and an Acadia was one of them featured. So we went and test drove two Acadia again at different dealers. One was an SLT1 FWD and the other an SLT2 AWD.

End of story . . we found the Acadia SLT 1 only 6" longer and 2.5" wider than the 2015 Equinox LTZ, yet had more interior room, nicer interior over all, 3.6L new LGX engine for about the same $31K we paid for the 2015 Equinox LTZ.
Since then, we are pleased with the level of comfort, performance and better MPG than the 2015 Equinox LTZ 3.6L V6. We get 20 to 22 around town mixed driving and easily 28 to 29 MPG (65 to 72 MPH) on the interstate. In a few mixed road trips of rural 55 MPH roads and interstate highway we got a combined of 31.4 MPG. These are hand calculated MPG numbers at fill up time. . not DIC readings (which were also close).
 
#3 ·
I'm a big fan. Love the 2.0 w/ 9-speed. I think the smaller 1.5 engine is buzy due to pushing the gas peddle harder but I know some people don't agree. The 2.0 has some real grunt. Some people don't like the new smaller seats but we love them. It's a bit smaller so probably rides a little rougher but easier to maneuver in lots. I think GM did a nice job. If subaru didn't use that cvt tranny and had more power, the Forester would have been the competition in our minds. I expect the 2.0 power is inadequate for the Traverse but I am a total fan of this engine/tranny combo.
 
#4 ·
+1 on the Acadia. If you're comparing the Acadia to the Nox I think the scales tip towards the Acadia. You'll likely pay a little more for it than a comparably equipped Nox but I think for the extra $ you get a whole ton of value. It rides better, has a nicer interior and the MPGs are really impressive for its size/performance and the V6 is a terrific motor.. On the highway the Acadia actually gets better MPGs than my Terrain.

We have a 2019 Acadia and a 2019 Terrain so I've driven them both back to back. My wife likes larger vehicles which is why she was drawn towards the Acadia but I like the Terrain's size more for my day to day driving (but that's just my opinion) ...for some it might be a little "small". I like them both a lot and likely could have gone either way while i was at the dealer. For reference, my Terrain wound up being about $2500 less than the comparable Acadia while I was pricing them but pricing and deals change every month.

As for a local GMC dealer for service: You obviously have a local Chevrolet dealer that you have done business with...they'd be more than happy to handle any maintenance needs on your GMC as its identical to the Blazer and Traverse in so many ways. You may even want to try the Blazer. Its the same size as the Acadia with a different but similar interior and different styling. I don't see a lot of them on the roads...you might be able to get a good deal on one.
 
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#5 · (Edited)
I have both a gen2, 2016, LTZ/AWD 3.6; and a gen3, 2019 LT/FWD 2.0 Redline.

The 2016 is more comfortable; rides better, seats are more comfortable, physically larger overall and the 3.6 has a more linear power output but is a little thirsty on fuel.

The 2019 is more sporty, meaning handles better, rides more firmly, seats are a tighter fit and the 2.0 engine has what I describe as explosive power output. It's better on fuel by about 5 mpg. (between my two vehicles)

My 2016 is my good/road-trip vehicle.

My 2019 is a daily driver.

If you like your current vehicle; as others have mentioned, the Acadia is a closer match than the new gen3 Equinox/Terrain. What is most noticeable is ride quality; the gen3 is borderline harsh in comparison.

.
 
#6 ·
I’ve had all 3, 2012 Equinox, 2017 Acadia and now a 2018 Terrain 2.0, each one served a different need for us at the time of ownership. As someone posted before the V6 Acadia mpg is a tad better the the older and newer Equinox. The wife likes the size of the new Terrain, the way it handles, it’s power. with the amount of driving we do we’re not too concerned about mpgs or the fact that 93 is recommended. What I would suggest is go to a dealer and compare .
 
#7 ·
We very much like our 19 Nox but it really does depend on what you are after and trying to replace. The 2.0 is very peppy but I'm not thrilled with the premium fuel it really is setup & designed to run on. If we had it all to do over I think we'd be looking more towards something with the V6, Blazer, GMC or etc...
 
#8 ·
. I have thought about the Acadia as others on here have mentioned but I have no local GMC dealers for service.

Any GM certified service centre should be able service or repair a GMC vehicle or any other GM brand.
So if you have a chevrolet or Cadillac dealership they should be able to do the same repair/maintenance stuff as a GMC dealership.


So the real question for me is why not the chevy traverse (which is one size bigger than the nox) but the acadia ?
 
#9 ·
So the real question for me is why not the chevy traverse (which is one size bigger than the nox) but the acadia ?
Tizan, actually the Traverse is now 2 sizes bigger than the Envision/Nox/Terrain/XT4. GM threw in the Acadia/Blazer/XT5 between them. As of now the Acadia gives you the option of a 3rd seat (some say the Blazer will have it shortly) but with the 3rd row seats up cargo space is limited and they are not really intended for long drives.
 
#10 ·
We've had 2 2018 Equinoxs, one 1.5 premier and, for about a year, an LT, 1.6 diesel. Both have/were trouble free with only normal maintainance. The LT diesel was traded in on a 2020 Canyon SLT diesel in an effort to get down to two every day vehicles. (I sold a seldom used 2001 2500 HD).
We find the 1.5 Premier to have all the power, comfort and features we need and with18k miles we are averaging 29 mpg, (DIC and hand). Best over 50 miles 42.8. (Probably a long hill).
We actually broke 50 mpg with the diesel over a 50 mile segment.
We've had a couple of Ford explorers and 10 Subarus before we felt comfortable getting back to U.S. brands and have not been disappointed. Since we picked up the premier in August 2017, we're thinking of trading on a 2020 Equinox, later this year, same model.
We would consider the Terrain, but don't care for the push button gear selector. Chrysler, Edsel and Packard tried it for a few years, (Edsel only one), and either dropped it or went out if business. JMO.
Howard
 
#11 ·
My 19 1LT fits me for what I use it for, 1 hour drive to work. I pull 30MPG and when I get no traffic like this past week I did 32MPG. Have had 2 recalls on it so far. Only thing I don't like is the small radio screen. I wasn't going to get 2LT since higher octane was needed. Or pay another grand for a bigger radio. One day I will just replace it myself.
 
#12 ·
The Acadia is a nice vehicle but is a hair wider than my Colorado which barely fits into my garage. The 2020 Equinox is close to the same width as my 2016 but is 4 inches shorter. With our rolling hills in southwest Wisconsin, the 2.0T would be my engine of choice. If I can gain several MPG over my current mileage, I won't mind having to run a higher octane as I am already running mid grade. I looked at the Blazer in the dealer's showroom and not too impressed with the design. The reason for my post was to confirm that there is no real problems with the current generation as I have not seen much here.
 
#20 · (Edited)
With our rolling hills in southwest Wisconsin, the 2.0T would be my engine of choice. If I can gain several MPG over my current mileage, I won't mind having to run a higher octane as I am already running mid grade..

We have the 2.0 and in the rolling terrain of SW Iowa I get in the low 30s on the highway.
My best was 37.5 mpg over a 90 mile stretch driving 60 mph.
One time I saw 40 mpg for 20 to 30 miles on a fairly flat road.
Power is similar to the 3.6 I had in my 2008 Equinox.
 

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#13 ·
A few have reported minor problems with the Diesel, but fairly minor. The gas engines seems to be bulletproof...so far,. I have my fingers crossed. I am happy with my '18 - zero problems !
 
#14 ·
So far zero problems with our '19 2.0 Premier (purchased 8/17/19), but we don't accumulate miles quickly (nearing 3800 today). Averaging 26 mpg overall (DIC reading, but hand checks of individual tanks have been close) here in Tucson area where most trips are 50/50 highway/city. Trial run of using 87 octane was not acceptable due to low speed upshift sags (it appears the knock sensor cal is really aggressive at any sign of detonation, which is a good thing). Driveability with premium is so good it hasn't been worth tinkering with mid-grade.

We love the car so far, it is quiet, the performance is strong and it rides really well. I hated to give up my 2012 Malibu 2.4L which was perfect at 7 yrs/56k miles (never used a drop, seriously, not one drop, of oil between changes), but I needed something with a higher seat/step in height after hip replacement last May. The Equinox has been exactly what I needed.

The Subaru Forester would have been a potential option (if I could make myself not buy GM), but no optional engine and CVT transmission were deal breakers.
 
#15 ·
This is my 3rd Equinox 2009,2014 $ now 2019. I'm impressed with all the engine improvements. Car has good pick up, a lot of pep and is a smooth ride. Like all the added safety features that I didn't have in previous cars. Rear back up camera is spot-on. Like the built-in navigation, sunroof & heated seats. I love remote rear hatch, will never buy another car without it, so convenient. Only thing I don't like is that the seats seem shorter in length and not as wide as in a previous cars. Don't also like that you only get use of the my Chevy phone app free for 1 month. Whereas before you got it free for 5 years. Now they want to charge you $14.99 a month to use it, after you spent all that money buying a car.
 
#18 ·
Don't also like that you only get use of the my Chevy phone app free for 1 month. Whereas before you got it free for 5 years. Now they want to charge you $14.99 a month to use it, after you spent all that money buying a car.
I just renewed my Remote Access plan on my 2019. There were so many owners that complained about paying for services they didn't want or would ever use.

GM then removed this feature in mid 2018 and made it a subscription option. The theory is that the cost of the vehicle could be reduced to reflect the omission of this five year burden to the manufacturer.

If you have subscribed to OnStar, you can get the Remote Access feature under their customer loyalty program for $101.45 tax included, for a year; the regular price is about $180 plus tax.

The paid Remote Access plan has many more features than the old five year included plan, and for me having access to my vehicle is worth the $100 dollars a year.

It includes:
Key Fob; door locks, engine stop/start, horn and lights.
Vehicle Status; fuel level, tire pressure, oil life, fuel efficiency, odometer
Vehicle locate
Chevrolet Smart Driver
Navigation; send to vehicle
Remote Personalization
Accessories; vehicle accessories
Marketplace; sponsored brands and offers
Owners Manual; explore
Preferred Dealer
How things Work; watch and learn
Vehicle Service; schedule and manage service
Roadside Assistance; request assistance
Assistance; contact help

.
 
#16 ·
What model/engine did you get ? I have the 1.5L and get fantastic gas mileage, and the acceleration seems more than adequate. I am very pleased. Except, I wish i could have gotten leather with the LT model, but couldn't. At the time, they had $5K incentives to buy the LT, and zero for the Premier, hence I didn't get Leather. Would have cost too much to justify. I grown to like the cloth, but leather seems to impress people that look at/ride in the car. In reality, very little of the seat is leather, and most is vinyl - seems like a cash grab for GM !
 
#17 ·
The car appeared early 2017 and many people i think have put upto 40K miles on it.


I am at 30K miles personally.


So in the 3 years no systematic bad issues have appeared so far...like oil burning or cat failures etc...


There is the long term doubt of the turbo, 9 speed tranny and starter etc...but so far too early to say yet i suspect...anybody crossed the 100K miles or 50K starts/stops yet ?

Though the same engines have been on the malibu (or cruze for the diesel case) a couple of years earlier....so they may show some signs there.
 
#19 ·
Garbec thanks for posting up that info!

I want to be sure I understand this statement "if you have On Star" cause I do not. So what does the On Star cost you a month?

I key Fob start function range on this 2019 is not close to what I have on my 2007 Caddy fob start. Not that GM would intentionally do that to force their loyal customers into a purchase...:mad:
 
#21 ·
My wife is coming up to 40k on her 18 Terrain with the SLT trim package as so far so good, with the exception of the rear brake concentric circles in the rotors. I looked after that and so far so good. The Fuel mileage has been excellent and that is on regular gas, we have not used premium since the orginal tank of fuel from the dealership. In winter of course the mileage comes down with the crappy winter gas but we have seen as consistent as 6.2 liters per 100 k at 120 kph or 75 driving between Montreal and Midland. Her warranty will be up next May so we will be looking after all the repairs and changes to oil ourselves. We did not renew any ONSTAR features as we were not happy with GM trying to monetize something that was included before. She is looking forward to more good years with it.
 
#25 ·
I've had a few minor issues with my 19' Equinox Diesel. It's in the shop right now due to a faulty air inlet temp sensor and it's getting a new passenger side door speaker as the original has a terrible rattle. I have had two instances where the steering wheel controls failed to illuminate but still functioned. Two instances of a SD card error that reboots the infotainment system and limits some functions until I cycled the ignition. The last thing of slight concern is an intermittent shudder from the transmission in 1st gear. Seems to be worse on warm days so haven't been able to diagnose it yet.

I would like a softer ride so I will upgrade to larger tires when the stock ones wear out. Overall I average about 37mpg with my AWD diesel. On flat hwy at 70 I see 42+ mpg.
 
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