Motor Mouth: New Chevy Equinox makes room for value

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February 21, 2010

Motor Mouth

Lately I've written about a lot of new station wagons. I've looked at the Toyota Venza, Mazda CX-7, Honda Crosstour, Lincoln MKT, and GMC Terrain.

Car companies call those models crossovers, because they cross the boundary separating car and SUV. They're basically station wagons, with a wagon's extended cabin for hauling more cargo. But they also incorporate the two most popular attributes of sport-utility vehicles. They ride higher off the road, and they offer all-wheel drive, usually as an option.

Automakers are introducing a lot of new crossovers because they see the wagons growing to become the next hot vehicle category. If they reach fad status, drivers will embrace them just to ride the latest trend, nevermind their undeniable practicality.

From the evidence at Woodworth Motors in Andover, the car industry won't be disappointed. The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, a newly redesigned, compact crossover, is the dealership's best-selling Chevy by far, said Jim Fichera, general sales manager.

"It's one of two crossovers that are very hot for us," he stated. The other is the Cadillac SRX, which naturally moves in a higher class. Since Cadillac brought out a redesigned version of the SRX last fall, luxury shoppers have made the $33,000-plus wagon the most popular vehicle sold by the General Motors division.

Down among mass-consumer models, the redesigned Chevy Equinox from GM is attracting shoppers for its good sense and practicality, Fichera reported. Equinox is a companion model to the very similar GMC Terrain, one of those other wagons I examined recently. Never mind fad status. People like the Chevy for the value it embodies, Fichera said.

It gives you a lot for a starting sticker price of $23,360, he said. The base model includes a six-speed automatic transmission, electronic stability control, advanced anti-lock brakes, six airbags, tire-pressure monitoring, 17-inch aluminum wheels, an audio system with CD player and MP3 playback, and a driver-information calculator.

The Equinox was a 2009 Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It has the highest five-star rating for front and side crashes from government testers. And don't be deceived by the model's designation as a compact crossover. Size classifications are relative. Wagons like Equinox are smaller than large SUVs. But most crossovers in the compact group provide ample space to handle a lot of varied transport needs.

Fichera pointed out that the fuel economy of Equinox contributes to the value that attracts many buyers to the model.

"People are coming in wondering how a vehicle like this can get that kind of gas mileage. They think it must be tiny, but when they see it and sit in it, they're quite surprised," he said. Woodworth Motors sells the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Saab brands. It is part of the Bill DeLuca family of dealerships, which also sells vehicles in Haverhill.

The model's standard, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is a new design, using such technologies as direct fuel injection to increase power while simultaneously reducing fuel use. In a front-drive Equinox, the 182-horsepower motor delivers an EPA fuel-economy rating of 22 miles per gallon in city driving, 32 miles per gallon on the highway — the high-mileage rating referred to by Fichera.

When you purchase Equinox with all-wheel drive, for $1,750 extra, the fuel-use rating drops to 20 miles per gallon city, 29 miles per gallon highway. With its optional, 264-horsepower V6, the Chevy wagon earns a rating of 17 miles per gallon city, 25 miles per gallon highway, with front-drive.

At Woodworth, the majority of Equinox buyers go with the high-mileage, four-cylinder engine, Fichera said. About three quarters also select all-wheel drive.

As with any crossover wagon, the flexible functions performed by Equinox augment its value. I found the evaluation model I drove for one week well-suited for such typical, around-town transport as trips to Market Basket and jaunts with children.

The same vehicle also carted me and hiking companion Scott very capably to New Hampshire's Presidential Range for a trek to the summit of Mount Washington. Its back bay swallowed all of the essential paraphernalia for a winter hike — ice axes and crampons, big boots, backpacks stuffed with extra clothing and emergency provisions. Its carting capacity left the back seat fully open for Sonya, an errant mutt.

Importantly, the Equinox rode very comfortably for the entire 2-1/2 hours to our departure point at Pinkham Notch. More importantly, it proved just as accommodating during the return, after our fatiguing slog over Washington's frigid, lunar landscape.

At Woodworth, Fichera sees the value and versatility of Equinox attracting a wide spectrum of drivers representing a wide spectrum of diverse transport needs. Large families with extreme requirements still purchase large SUVs, he pointed out. But people with more moderate transportation needs, including families and individuals, are taking to crossovers enthusiastically, he said.

I don't think these new, SUV-inspired wagons need a fad to drive their popularity higher. They make enough good sense to get there on merit alone.

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Jeffrey Zygmont has written about automobiles since 1982. Based in Salem, N.H., he writes books and articles about innovation, technology, and culture. He can be contacted through the Web site www.jeffreyzygmont.com

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Vehicle type: 4-door, 5-passenger, front- and all-wheel-drive, compact crossover wagon

Price range: $23,360 to $30,715 (plus options)

Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles basic warranty; 5 years/100,000 miles powertrain warranty; 6 years/100,000 miles corrosion warranty; 5 years/100,000 miles roadside assistance

Base engine: 2.4-liter I4

Power: 182 horsepower at 6,700 rpm; 172 lb.-ft. torque at 4,900 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Fuel economy: 22 mpg city; 32 mpg highway

Wheelbase: 113 inches

Length: 188 inches

Width: 73 inches

Height: 66 inches

Weight: 3,770 pounds

Fuel capacity: 18.8 gallons

Turning circle: 40.0 feet