[streetmuziq]

Whats up everyone. I am new to the fourm, and have been reading up for the past week. I test drove both the 4 cylinder and the 6 last week and still cant decide on which to go with. I like the look of the exhaust on the 6 and obviously the little extra power, but is it worth the extra 1,500 bucks and then when I pump. Or should I just go with the 4. Opionons from both 4 and 6 cylinder owners would be appreciated. Does anyone regret going with one or the other and would change it. Let me know. Thanks. Aslo how many mpg your getting would be nice dont forget to mention if you have a 4 or a 6. Thanks!!!

 

[TerrainSLT2]

If you can get SLT-2 AWD in 4cyl then get it, if you choose FWD then get I4 also. I always choose the best...gas doesn't matter to me.

By the way WELCOME to the Forum!

 

[oracle]

You can always drive the 6cyl to get much better mileage than a regular v6 (has direct injection so it's very efficient) and you know you have the power if needed.
I'll never go with a 4cyl again unless I have to for whatever reason.
My wife had a 4cyl and now that she has the 6 cyl tells me basically the same..

The terrain is a big and heavy car a 4 cyl would go better in a Honda CRV or Rav4, etc..

 

[Guest]

I got My V6 Nox and have had it for exactly 1 month now. It has 2,500km on it and now that it's getting broken in I've floored it a few times this past week. When you hit the gas and redline it, itgoes pretty good and I like the power.

However; the I4 isn't bad either. Before I purchased the vehicle I had the saleman give me an I4 and a V6 for an entire day each. The V6 is obviously more powerfull...but I didn't find it a huge jump more powerful....keep in mind you're really only getting and extra 600cc's of engine size and if you go AWD a lot of that extra power gets eaten up by 1. the extra weight of the AWD system and 2. the extra load of the Hydraulic power steering as opposed to the electic P/S on the 4cyl.

In summary:
-The V6 is more powerful no doubt, and more fun to drive, but not proportionally a huge jump more powerful. Usefull if towing but can't tow that much anyway (3500lbs with trailer brakes)
-The I4 still takes off pretty good, I think because it's geared differently too. Better on gas and the electric steering is way better IMO.

My gas mileage on the V6 so far is about 13.5 L/100km when mostly highway and about 16L /100km when mostly around town. I imagine this will improve a bit by the time the engine is fully broken in around 5000k and I put the fully synthetic oil in.

Ask you sales guy to give you each vehicle for a full or 1/2 day and drive it around al whole lot to be sure.

 

[georgi55]

I have V4 and I'm very happy with acceleration and power it offers. Unless you live in hilly area, or plan to tow over 1500lbs, I don't think you need V6 unless money is not issue. It does seem like money is in question here, and it was same with me, and not so much the extra $1500 but the extra hit at the pump since I commute 40 miles daily in stop and go traffic.

 

[Guest]

You can always drive the 6cyl to get much better mileage than a regular v6 (has direct injection so it's very efficient) and you know you have the power if needed.

The V6 is not any more fuel efficient than other V6's on the market. This is a small V6 (3.0L) my wifes 05 Honda Pilot is a (3.5L V6). that engine is 500cc's larger (rated the same 265hp but more torque, 250ftlbs and all rated at lower RPM's) yet it gets pretty much the same fuel economy as the NOX...and the Pilot is a bigger, heavier, boxier vehicle, larger V6 and 6yrs older technology.

So apples-to-apples the Equinox/Terrain V6 is less fuel efficient than some of the other competitors. So, HP/Torque/Fuel ecomomy per cc's of engine size , GM is behind a lot of cometitors. Now, the I4 is a different story. I think they are ahead with this engine.

 

[RSchleder]

A V4, dang that's a valuable machine is all i can say! : My opinion is---it totally depends on how your going to use your Terrain and what type of performance you expect out of it. It's extremely difficult for me, or anyone else for that mater, to tell you what engine to buy. It's really a personal decision, pick the engine that meets your driving style and the performance requirements of your day to day living.
I bought the V6 ( not the I4) because I tow a small camping trailer weighting approx 2,000 lbs and I need the V6 and towing package to tow up to 3,500 lbs. Just as I and others on here have done--evaluate your needs/wants and pick the engine that meets them!

 

[RIT333]

Just as I and others on here have done--evaluate your needs/wants and pick the engine that meets them!

Well said ! Almost like asking someone, Who should I marry !

 

[streetmuziq]

Man that was a quick response. Def appreciate it. I was just looking for opinions. Ive been leaning towards the 6. I used to have a CRV and I just wasnt feeling the power. I think I would regret if I got the 4. I feel like I know what I want just need to convice myself its the right choice. Thanks guys!!!

 

[Guest]

I bought a new CRV as well in 2002 and owned it for 3 years. In 2005 I went to the Honda Pilot for the V6 power as the 4 cyl in the CRV just didn't quite have enough for me. Now that I got the 2011 Equinox it was a no brainer to continue with a 6cyl. Once you go V6...you never go back ;D

 

[IceMan]

Man that was a quick response. Def appreciate it. I was just looking for opinions. Ive been leaning towards the 6. I used to have a CRV and I just wasnt feeling the power. I think I would regret if I got the 4. I feel like I know what I want just need to convice myself its the right choice. Thanks guys!!!

Well..since you have driven both...you should have a pretty good idea of how they both perform. However..it may take more than a short test drive to really 'test' one engine over the other. My wife and I test drove both many times over the last year and a few times on longer runs. I come from a performance car background..but am quite surprised with how the Equinox/Terrain FWD 4 cyl does run. We also drove alot of different brand 4/6 cyls while comparing them to the Equinox(that we easily chose). Other brand's 6s did out perform the 6 that GM decided to put in their CUV..but then gas mileage often suffered. However..we drove no other 4 cyl that came close to the smoothness and actual performance of the Equinox/Terrain..even considering this CUVs size and weight. For me...my wife's DI-4 Equinox is comfortable and easy to drive. I actually enjoy getting behind the wheel. We took a trip several weeks ago through hilly country..and found no disappointment with pickup or even passing. My wife traded her 4 cyl HHR for the Equinox. Comparably the HHR was a dog. We were pleasantly surprised at the difference.

 

[Z_Ghost]

Not true I will dearly miss my V6 Impala that drives faster than a mustang (exluding GT of course, haha) but I find myself driving a lot more quietly with the I4.
I still loved beating those non GT Mustangs at red light though. They'd be all revving engine and what not and I'd watch them shocked in my rear view mirror when I beat them with my 3.4L Impala (2004) to 60 mph by 3 car lengths, and I was 100% stock too.

*disclaimer: roads around where I live at 50 or 55 mph limit and at least 3 lanes wide so accelerating to 60 mph at full throttle did not put anyone in danger.

You should drive around in a cobalt SS 2.0 turbo, it's so much fun at times when someone pulls up and thinks that your slow.
260 HP 260 TQ is a lot of fun to have.

To bad GM did not put that motor in the Terrain

 

[RSchleder]

georgi55--so if I'm reading what you wrote, street racing is, in your opinion, ok as long as you are on a multi-lane road? I thought that too when I was 16. Time for you to grow up, street racing KILLS!

 

[RSchleder]

You're welcome my son!

 

[chicago]

I ordered a V6 Equinox AWD in September. I only test drove the 6cyl at the dealer, not the 4 prior to ordering. This is not a small vehicle and $1500 is not a very large premium for an additional 80hp in my opinion especially when ordering AWD. For the last month I have been driving a FWD 4cyl Equinox loaner the dealer provided until my car arrived. The 4 is surprisingly good in city traffic and not underpowered around town. However on the highway the 4 seems underpowered and raspy when pressed hard. It makes up for this lack of power by constantly downshifting which I find annoying. My previous car was an extremely smooth 6cyl BMW 3 series with manual transmission so it may be a comparison of apples to oranges.

The other complaint I have about the 4 is the electronic steering. There is absolutely no feedback and the level of turning effort is way too low. With the V6 you get hydraulic steering with a firmer feel.

Reading other posts it's also apparent that GM was way to aggressive on the tuning of the 4cyl with a focus on fuel economy. Several people have reported stalling at low RPMS, dieseling sound and other unpleasantness from the 4. A recommended solution is to run the 4 on premium gas. The V6 apparently runs fine on 87 octane. That alone would probably negate any fuel efficiency savings the 4 has over the 6. For an additional $1500 it seems like a no brainer to go with the 6.

 

[TerrainSLT2]

It's not street racing, it's accelerating to 60 mph fast on a straight road with no vehicles infront of you.

Even though that there’s no vehicle infront of you, still it is dangerous because you’ll never know that there’s someone will cross the street.

When I was working in Saudi Arabia it took 4-½ hrs to drive from Riyadh to Al-Khobar (Middle East) at the speed of 150kph (93mph) but for me I’m not happy to drive that kind of slow speed so what I do is to add more acceleration to gain more speed in other words I drove at the speed of 180-200kph (111-124mph) or more using Toyota Cressida v6 sometimes Audi & I took only 2-½ hrs to reach my destination. This is day or night & I always using the fast lane… when I drive at night my only guide to look at to see the road (no lamp post) is the yellow lane mark at my left side fast lane but once the yellow lane gone I shift my eye at the broken white lane at my right as my guide to get into my destination.

For me, I’m considering myself expert both highway & local road in any place of the world & a hell driver on the road I mean really wild & hell driver on the road. I feel that I’m competing in NASCAR!

I have a lot of experience driving in different countries & it takes a month if I’m going to type my stories.
To tell you the truth once you’ll be sitting infront of my passenger sit, for sure I need to install another brake at your side.

For me, I hate to see that my speedometer say that it is capable to run up to 386kph(240mph) so for me, as long as the hand didn’t go up to that number I never release my accelerator!

Anyway, I start driving since 1980 up to present and ONLY in UNITED STATES got 2 speeding ticket in year 2007…so the remedy? I brought Valentine-1 because I don’t want to get ticket anymore!

You know after I experience that ticket I realized that I’m a family person now & I need to spend the rest of my life to my wife & my kids so I only drive plus 5mph at any local speed zone & plus 10mph at the highway & I always using cruise control. I’m the person that once I sit behind my steering wheel my attention is only at the road (front, side & back). I never use cell phone while driving because I don’t want someone distracting my attention while I’m driving on the road.

Life is too short & precious you need to enjoy it in a better way until the last breath of your life.

 

[georgi55]

Even though that there’s no vehicle infront of you, still it is dangerous because you’ll never know that there’s someone will cross the street.

But...my whole point it's it's a limited access highway, 55 mph speed limit, sholders on both sides, divided median, and all that good stuff. THere is absolutelly 0 possibility added danger just by accelerating to 60 in 7 seconds than 10. And, if you were not stopped at light, you would be driving by that area at over 55 mph anyway.

I'd never do this on local 35mph limit street

 

[RSchleder]

georgi55- you are forgiven my son! In other words, we're beating a dead horse-- lets all just let it go! :-X

 

[Guest]

Provided you don't squawk your tires making accessive noise is there a law with a limit on the "RATE" of accelleration.

 

[gearhead]

Provided you don't squawk your tires making accessive noise is there a law with a limit on the "RATE" of accelleration.

I don't think so.
I don't think the police have an instrument in place to monitor acceleration even if there was a law.
Just guessing.