Text by Tom Appel
2025 Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD Midnight Edition
Specs
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Comfort | A- |
| Power and Performance | C+ |
| Fit and Finish | B+ |
| Fuel Economy | A- |
| Value | B+ |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup. | |
| Big & Tall Comfort | |
| Big Guy | B+ |
| Tall Guy | A |
| Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 175-horsepower, 1.5-liter |
| Engine Type | Turbocharged 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | 8-Speed automatic |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Class: Compact Crossover
Country of Manufacture: Mexico
Color: Sterling Gray Metallic
Seating Capacity: 5
Miles driven: 141
Real-world fuel economy: 30.1 mpg
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway
EPA-estimated fuel economy: 24/29/26 (city, highway, combined)
Fuel type: Regular Gas
Base price: $30,600 (not including $1395 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Midnight Edition Package ($1045), Safety and Technology Package ($1085), Convenience Package II ($2050), Mosaic Black Metallic Roof ($495), Universal Home Remote, delete (-$50)
Price as tested: $36,620
Audio-System Quality
Poor Fair Good Very-Good Excellent
Pros and Cons
The great: Fresh look and feel, lots of standard equipment, great gas mileage
The good: Roomy cabin, comfortable ride
The not so good: Some important safety features offered only in pricey package
Review
Secretly, while you were considering other small crossovers, the Chevrolet Equinox has become one of America’s favorite compact utilities.
Best-Selling Compact Crossovers
Check this out: The Equinox now ranks among the best-selling vehicles in its class, trailing only the traditional pack leaders. These are sales figures for the first half of 2025:
- Toyota RAV4: 239,451
- Honda CR-V: 212,561
- Chevrolet Equinox: 157,638
- Hyundai Tucson: 113,310
- Nissan Rogue: 109,563
- Subaru Forester: 95,972
- Kia Sportage: 87,172
- Ford Escape: 82,589
- Mazda CX-5: 70,260
- GMC Terrain: 48,190
2025 Chevrolet Equinox: Simple Lineup
The Chevy’s popularity is especially impressive as it is not available with a hybrid powertrain, and is only offered in three trim levels.
But what the Equinox lacks in lineup breadth, it makes up for in design spunk. Redesigned for 2025, this compact Chevy boasts fresh exterior styling, a clean, updated cabin, a fun color palette, and a couple of dress-up packages to keep things interesting. Equinox can also now be had with a trendy contrasting-color roof.
Oh, and the mechanical stuff is pretty good, too.
Prices and Trim Levels
For 2025, the Equinox is offered in LT ($29,995), Activ ($34,395), and RS (also $34,395) trim levels. That’s it. Going AWD adds $2000 to the bottom line. Gone this year is the entry-level LS ($27,995 in 2024), and top-level Premier ($33,195).
You may have noticed that the Active and RS are the same price, and this is because they differ little in content. Instead, buyers are tasked to choose an Equinox that either looks rugged (Activ) or sporty (RS). And though both the Activ and RS may look the part, neither is especially off-road or race-track ready.
Standard Equipment
The LT comes nicely equipped for what is now the Equinox base model, and includes such standard niceties as:
- Heated front seats
- Remote start
- Heated steering wheels
- Adaptive cruise control
- 6-speaker audio system
- 17-inch alloy wheels
Engines
Power comes exclusively from a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 175 horsepower. The engine pairs with a CVT-automatic transmission on front-drive models, or a traditional 8-speed auto with AWD. And while a plug-in hybrid variant of the Equinox, dubbed Equinox Plus, is offered in China, no such drivetrain can be had in the U.S., though a hybrid Equinox is rumored for the 2027 model year.
Test Car
Consumer Guide recently spent a week behind the wheel of a 2025 Equinox LT in Sterling Gray and equipped with the Midnight Edition trim package which includes 19-inch black-finish alloy wheels. All told, our test car came to $36,620.
Room and Comfort
We’ve already mentioned that we find the new Equinox exterior design fresh and modern. The Cabin, too, comes through as contemporary and uncomplicated. Materials quality borders on upscale, and assembly quality seems topnotch. Equinox is roomy for a compact crossover, and there’s ample front- and rear-seat space for full-size adults. Plus, the doors open wide enough to make easy work of entering and exiting the vehicle.
Controls
Both the instrument panel screen and console touchscreen are large and easy to read. Plus, we suffered no connectivity issues—once our phones were Bluetooth linked to the car, they stayed linked. An interesting control update: The Equinox gear selector has been relocated from the center console to the steering column for 2025 (see pic below). We have no problem with the move, but did find the shifter’s action a little balky until we became used to it.
Power and Performance
One the road the Equinox is just fine. There’s no extra power on tap, but the frugal 1.5-liter engine does a capable job of moving the vehicle along. We would describe the engine as reasonable smooth and quiet, while the 8-speed automatic does a fine job of serving up smooth and timely shifts. And, over about 141 miles, we averaged just over 30 mpg, beating the EPA highway estimates, as well as most small crossovers we’ve recently evaluated.
Ride and Handling
Equinox isn’t quite as quiet on the highway as some class competitors, but it is calm and relaxed on long drives. Despite its lack of sporty character, Equinox handles competently, if not actually athletically. Ride quality, however, is excellent. This compact Chevy does an excellent job of soaking up road irregularities without losing composure.
Safety Equipment
We’d feel a little better about the bottom-line price of our test car if the Safety and Technology Package ($1085) came standard on Equinox. It includes a number of meaningful features include 360-degree camera view, digital rear-view camera, and rear pedestrian alert. We urge shoppers purchasing an Equinox to add the package to their vehicles.
Value
Equinox doesn’t change the game, but it is now in the game, and that’s good new for consumers–and Chevrolet. We appreciate the fresh, fun, look, competent driving dynamics, surprising fuel economy, and roomy comfortable cabin. If you’re not thinking hybrid, and you’re open to a small crossover than isn’t a Honda or Toyota, we suggest taking this Chevy compact for a test drive.
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2025 Chevrolet Equinox Midnight Edition Pictures
Click below for enlarged images
