The Chevrolet Equinox is one of the most important vehicles in the world. General Motors’ world, that is.

It is the automaker’s second-best-selling vehicle in the U.S. behind the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup and was the 14th most popular overall last year.

It is also one of the oldest. The compact SUV was last redesigned in 2018, but has been given a makeover for the 2025 model year.

Chevrolet decided to go with a more truck-like look this time around. It has a blunter face and a boxier silhouette that better aligns it with the brand’s larger utility vehicles and the current fashion.

It’s not any bigger than the outgoing model, save for being two-and-a-half inches wider. The interior space is also nearly identical and very roomy in both rows of seats.

Prices start at $29,995 for an entry-level Equinox LT, while the sporty-looking Equinox RS and new off-road style Equinox Active start at $34,395.

That’s for a front-wheel-drive version with a 175 hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive with an eight-speed automatic is an extra $2,000 across the lineup.

The Equinox has long sold on value, not excitement, and that remains the case. It comes packed with standard equipment that includes techy features like automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and bicycle detection, adaptive cruise control and Chevy’s Safety Alert Seat, which can be set to vibrate to warn you of things instead of having the vehicle beep at you. I find it more effective than the sounds. 

The dashboard has been overhauled with dual digital displays. One serves as the gauge cluster for the driver and the other is a touchscreen interface for the infotainment system, which is equipped with Google apps, Alexa and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

The LT comes with cloth seats, but they get upholstered in a synthetic leather called Evotex as you move up the model ladder. The Activ’s add microfiber suede inserts that really step up the premium feel.

The Active also has legitimate all-terrain tires, but it is not a serious off-roader. It’s meant for the occasional trip down a gravel road to a campsite or music festival parking lot, not venturing deep into the wilderness.

As is often the case with these “rugged” models, I actually prefer it over the other two on paved roads. The tall profile tires add extra cushioning and potholes become no problem.

I also think it is worth the extra two grand to stretch for the all-wheel-drive. The engine operates more pleasantly with eight-speed transmission than with the shiftless CVT, and the towing capacity increases from 800 pounds to 1,500 pounds. Off-road and Snow modes for the traction management system work to maximize traction on slippery surfaces.

Fuel economy is acceptable, but not best in class. Front-wheel-drive vehicles are rated at 27 mpg combined and all-wheel-drive models at 26 mpg. Those are a couple of mpg short of the segment’s best. At least the ones it competes directly against.

Unlike the Honda CR-V, Toyota Rav4, Ford Escape, Kia Sportage and others, the Equinox is not available with a hybrid powertrain, which can be good for 40 mpg or more in a vehicle its size.

GM walked away from mainstream hybrids in 2019 to focus on its transition to EVs and it particularly feels like a missed opportunity in the Equinox. It does sell an all-electric compact SUV called the Equinox EV now, but the two only share a name and are entirely separate vehicles.

It has seen the error of its ways, however, and has announced that it is bringing hybrids back, but not until 2027. It hasn’t confirmed which models will be the first to get them, but it does sell a plug-in hybrid version of the Equinox in China called the Equinox Plus that sounds like it would be a good addition. 

The automaker provided travel to facilitate this report.