How Reliable is the Chevy Equinox?
Have you ever walked into a car dealership and asked the salesperson to point you in the direction of the least reliable car on the lot? Probably not. Fortunately, for SUV shoppers, there are plenty of reliable options available. The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox is definitely one of these.
2020 Chevy Equinox features
The 2020 Equinox is a modestly priced two-row SUV that fuses style and function in more ways than one. With its sharp exterior, spacious interior, and its laundry list of people-pleasing features, this year’s model is a great pick among its segment.
Driven by your choice of a 1.5-liter turbo engine, or a 2.0-liter turbo engine, the 2020 Equinox is also available with a switchable all-wheel-drive system to improve traction and control in slippery conditions. Also optional with this year’s model is a premium navigation system and a standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.
Consumer Reports’ 2020 Chevy Equinox review
After hitting the road with the 2020 Equinox, Consumer Reports gave it favorable ratings. This year’s model scored 4 out 5 in most categories, including routine handling and how comfortable it is to drive.
Unfortunately, the 2020 Equinox’s emergency handling didn’t fare quite as well, scoring a meager 3 out 5. Consumer Reports wasn’t impressed with its acceleration either, calling its base engine “a bit of a letdown.”
Overall, the 2020 Equinox scored 76 out of 100 and ranked 4th out of 21 compact SUVs. The 2020 Equinox earned itself a 4 out 5 predicted reliability rating too.
What other critics have to say
Consumer Reports isn’t the only one putting this year’s Equinox to the test either. It also ranked in the top third of U.S. News & World Report’s compact SUV rankings and earned itself a 5 out of 5 predicted reliability rating.
The 2020 Equinox had the lowest rate of reported problems among its segment in J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Studies too. It also earned an 87 out of 100 score when J.D. Power measured the number of defects, malfunctions, and design flaws that vehicle owners have experienced. For J.D. Power, a higher rating means a vehicle has fewer problems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been singing the 2020 Equinox’s praises too and awarded it with a 5-star safety rating. According to the NHTSA, the only category it struggled with was its Rollover Resistance test, where it was judged to have a 16.40% rollover risk.
How it stacks up to the competition
The 2020 Equinox has proven itself as a reliable compact SUV, but how does it stack up to its competitors? Compared to this year’s Equinox, the 2020 Kia Sportage scored 75 out of 100 and ranked 5th out of 21 compact SUVs, according to Consumer Reports. It also earned a 3 out of 5 predicted reliability score, putting it one step below the 2020 Equinox.
According to Consumer Reports, outranking the 2020 Equinox are the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and the 2020 Mazda CX-5. At the top of the list sits the 2020 CX-5, which Consumer Reports gave a 5 out of 5 predicted reliability rating.
When it comes to buying a reliable compact SUV, the 2020 Equinox presents itself as a solid option among its segment. While a couple of its competitors outrank it, you can still count on it to be a reliable pick.
