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If you’ve been researching the best and most popular SUVs, the Toyota RAV4 is a common answer. It’s safe, reliable, tech-filled, and affordable. As a result, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular SUVs year after year. However, for 2022, one SUV was more popular than the Toyota RAV4, the Chevy Equinox. How many more units did Chevrolet sell, and what’s so good about the Equinox?

2022's top-selling used cars include this Chevrolet Equinox
A Chevrolet Equinox SUV | Stan Honda/AFP via Getty Images

According to iSeeCars, the most popular SUV in America for 2022 was the Chevy Equinox. It sold 2.2% of total used car sales in the country. Surprisingly, the ultra-popular Toyota RAV4 finished pretty far behind. It accounted for 1.7% of the total used car sales, just .2% above the Ford Escape, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Ford Explorer. Customers clearly took a liking to the Equinox during 2022, but what made it so much more appealing than the other SUVs?

For comparison, some of the most popular vehicles of all time barely outsold the Equinox. It finished fourth overall, not just for SUVs, only behind three pickup trucks. The first place model (as you might expect) was Ford F-Series trucks, which accounted for 3.3% of the total used car sales in America. Following it was the Chevy Silverado at 2.8% and the Ram 1500 at 2.3%. It’s impressive that the Chevy SUV finished so close to these other models.

A red 2023 Chevy Equinox is the only SUV more popular than the Toyota RAv4.
2023 Chevy Equinox | Chevrolet

There are several reasons a used Chevy Equinox is so desirable. First, it’s been an excellent overall SUV for a long time. Chevrolet offers it as a reasonably priced, well-equipped model with a potent enough engine for most drivers. Second, it’s gotten more reliable in recent model years. Since many customers take home a used model from the last few years, it’s no surprise that the Equinox improved tremendously recently.

According to CarComplaints.com, the Equinox stopped having significant issues after 2015. Since then, owners have had problems, but they are few and far between. As a result, people likely have noticed and are more willing to buy the Chevrolet SUV. The most recent model year with issues is the 2018 version, which experienced very few. However, the minimal number reported includes engine, brakes, transmission, and interior accessories problems.

Moreover, the 2017, 2019, 2020, and even 2021 model year Equinox owners have not had many problems. When the 2018 model year is the worst in recent history, it’s a good thing. We can’t help but think reliability was holding it back from beating the Toyota RAV4, a model and brand well-known for being unproblematic. Clearing up those issues helped the Equinox establish itself as the best-selling SUV of 2022.

In conclusion, the Chevy Equinox is the most popular SUV of 2022. It outsold the Toyota RAV4 again, along with the same other SUVs. iSeeCars says the same models finished in the top five for a second-straight year. However, the Ford Escape lost the second-overall position to the RAV4, and the Ford Explorer lost fourth place to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Which of the most popular SUVs of 2022 are you most interested in? Does the Equinox being the only SUV more popular than the Toyota RAV4 make it more desirable?

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Section Editor - SUVs

Tim Harding

Having spent half a decade managing the reconditioning and marketing processes for upwards of 400 vehicles monthly, Tim is no stranger to the automotive industry. He has a deep understanding of the many different types of vehicles on the road today and brings to the table valuable insight into the industry itself.

Tim earned an Associate’s in English and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a Marketing specialization from Ashford University. Tim joined MotorBiscuit as an Autos Writer in 2021, and his work can also be seen at Gamepur, Overtime Heroics, and Pro Game Guides.

Tim is most inspired by the constantly changing automotive industry. He looks forward to a future when cars, particularly electric vehicles, look and operate completely differently than they do today. Tim’s content draws on this inspiration while also providing MotorBiscuit readers with useful consumer advice.