ust when the Chevy Equinox needed something big to compete against rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 or Nissan Rogue, it took a step in the wrong direction. As Chevrolet’s second best selling model, will a loss of power hurt the 2021 Chevy Equinox? 

The 2021 Chevy Equinox loses power 

The 2021 Chevy Equinox is losing its 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This engine provides 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Car and Driver noted that this larger engine is better suited for the Chevy Equinox’s weight. 

Also, losing this benign will hurt the Chevy Equinox’s towing capacity. The 2.0-liter engine allowed it to tow up to 3,500 lb, but now the 2021 Equinox will only be able to tow up to 1,500 lb. Plus, the Chevy Equinox is losing its 1.5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine as well. The diesel engine provides 137 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque, providing a lot of power. 

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Now the Chevy Equinox will only offer one engine, the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque. This engine is currently paired with a six-speed automatic transmission but could be upgraded to a nine-speed transmission in 2021. 

Is the Chevy Equinox a good SUV? 

However, losing the more powerful engine options may not hurt the Chevy Equinox. The base model with the 1.5-liter engine accounted for most sales, as the Chevy Equinox proved itself as one popular choice. 

As the best selling Chevrolet model behind the Chevy Silverado, which sold 346,048 units last year, the Chevy Equinox was the second best selling option. Models with the 2.0-liter engine only accounted for 7% of sales. 

So, a majority of buyers were attracted to the base model engine. According to Edmunds, the 2020 Chevy Equinox has a smooth ride and precise handling. The tech is also modern and abundant with six USB ports and a wireless phone charger pad. 

Along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, you get standard safety features such as lane-keeping assistance, forward-collision prevention, automatic high beam headlamps, rear-cross traffic alert, pedestrian detection, and more. 

What to expect with the 2022 Chevy Equinox 

Not much is changing for the 2021 Chevy Equinox. However, it will receive a redesign for 2022. In 2021 the Chevy Equinox has a slight facelift to look more confident like the Chevy Blazer, with a newly refreshed interior for an upscale feel. 

The grille has a more aggressive size and look with LED headlights. It also comes with new 19” machine faced wheels. It seems like the significant changes have been made to provide buyers with more options since the redesign was delayed until 2022 due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

The Chevy Equinox LT trim will have a new, black leather interior, red stitching, and a unique shifter knob. The black leather covers the steering wheel, armrests, and the seats. The center console will also have a black-gloss finish. 

We aren’t sure if the 2021 Chevy Equinox will be worth buying, or if it will be better to wait for the redesigned 2022 model. We will have to wait to test drive it ourselves and for reviews to roll out.