Used 2006 Chevrolet Equinox Consumer Reviews
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Surprised and Pleased
I purchased this SUV as a replacement for a rapidly declining/dead Olds. It has really surprised me how much I like it. It is great on the road, I see 22 mpg hwy and 16-18 city. The interior space is ample and very usable. I find it more usefull than my GMC long bed for many applications. This is the first car I have ever purchased that did not have any entries in the option side of the sticker. I have since added a trailer hitch and have been pleased with the towing performance with my sailboat. So far not one problem. Knock on wood!
Great little SUV
I love my new SUV. I test drove about 7 of the new SUV's that fell in the same size catagory. The selling point for me was the room in the back seat (made available because of the ability to move the seat back.) and I love the space in the center front that is low and almost hidden to put my purse when driving. There is loads of room inside with the backseat up and lots of additional room with both of the seats laid forward. The SUV has a very smooth ride and all of the dials on the dash are within easy reach. I would recomend the purchase of the vehicle to anyone who likes the thought of being raised up off the ground but still have the small size that makes parking a breeze.
- LS 4dr SUVMSRP: $5,99598 mi away
- LS 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,495177 mi away
- LT 4dr SUVMSRP: $4,995285 mi away
Excellent Equinox
This is a very good SUV for the money. It handles well in snow and rain and gets decent gas mileage. It rides very smooth and looks good too.
More good than bad
I have had pretty good luck with my equinox, as long as you get the oil checked every 3000 miles and contiue to change the cabin filter and air filter the gas mileage is about 26 mpg. For the last 6 months though we have a musty smell in the car, up until a couple of days ago when I received my first flat tire, we went to get the spare out, and my wheel well was filled with water. I was reading one of these reviews and somebody else had the same problem, fortunatley still under warranty, it was the pressure cabin release valve cover missing, so with two days no car, it is now fixed, so maybe this will help someone else if they find the same problem. Other than that myself and grandkids love the car.
unhappy but hopeful
I bought my used/certified 2006 eq on 2/13/09 since then I have had it back to the dealership 4 times for a starter problem and 2 times for the radio. They finally fixed my radio and after the 4th time they finally fixed my Starter problem (they replaced the whole computer system) Gas Mileage is ok but turning radius is horrible! Cup Holders and Parking Break should not be that close together
Nox
Like our Equinox. Fun to drive, good mileage for it size. Looks pretty cool. Good family hauler.
Love this car
I went from a '95 Silverado to this SUV. I love this car. The fit and finish is excellent along with the quality. It has plenty of power and the mileage is very good. I get a lot of comments about it. People like the style nad the inside layout. Some people thought it was a Lexus. Has great rear leg room. 5 star crash rating for front and side with side air bags was another reason to buy.
Great starter vehicle for a family!
Purchased my 2006 Equinox used with low mileage and at a relatively decent price. We have had many vehicles in our lifetime and can definitely say it is the most reliable so far. With gas prices high in NY it makes for a more expensive daily commute. However, the expense of gas evens out when it comes to repairs and maintenance. If you take care of this vehicle it will be good to you. I believe you get out of a vehicle what you put into it. A smart buyer is an educated buyer. It is possible that if you buy from a reputable dealer- This Equinox will suit your family needs.
Nice But Not For Winter
So far very few mechanical issues. Comfortable and roomy. Also is dog/cat friendly as well as child friendly. Engine is very responsive and handles mountain travel well. Biggest downfall at this time is the AWD and tire configuration off the lot for winter driving. As sold it is the worst winter driving vehicle that I've ever owned. It slips and slides all over with the slightest bit of snow or ice. The tires provide no traction and are very easily covered and clogged up with snow. Looking into trying to improve status with better tires. Very pleased with improvements made to ABS brake system since the days of my 1993 S-10 Blazer. Much more responsive and quieter.
Nice to drive, hard on gas
Wheel bearing went in the first month. Gas mileage is pretty bad even when driven gently (approx 22 MPG HWY) Nice to drive, very comfortable, poor visibility when backing up, needs adjustable delay wipers, -window controls are not lit (hard to find at night) -handbrake is awkward to reach -gearshift is clumsy to use -great stereo (with upgrade) -excellent in snow
Equinox Rox!!
I love this car!!! It handles well, gives you a great view of the road ahead. It looks polite and aggresive at the same time.
Good decision
I test drove several cars and SUV's for my birthday last year. My friend noticed that the only one that I truly seemed comfortable driving was the Equinox. I have taken my car on several long trips and always feel energetic instead of tired when I arrive. I enjoy sitting higher and still feeling like I'm driving a car. Lots of people have commented on the color and like the look of my car. I get about the same gas mileage as my old car that had a 4 cylinder in it but I have more passing power now.
Looks are decieving.
Great looking car outside fit very good. Inside seats cannot compare with Euro/Japan cars. Breaks- evry few months. A thumping noise from day one dealer said its normal. Love the sliding rear seat. New development @ 42,000 miles blows out the driver side tailight every two weeks. Electrical components work when they want to and come back online when they want. Now the car doesnt start That famous click and dead....
Great SUV
I bought this second-hand and owned it for about 6 months. This SUV rivals those that are priced 2 and 3 times as much. Quiet and powerful engine and smooth and quick transmission. Great ride and fun to drive. The exterior and interior are both stylist and functional. Great value for the price. Go get one.
Surprised
Chevy thought of so many little incidental items in this vehicle. I was pleasantly surprised with the small touches that add up. As a new owner I can't find a thing I'm sorry about. They even went so far as turning a minus into somewhat of a plus. With the advent of a tailgate compartment it takes the rather compact cargo area issue off the board! Handles well, look's good, and is fun to drive. What else do you want in a crossover?
Will buy again
Love the car, love the comfort, quiet ride, good power, love the sliding back seat, carries 5 very comfortably. best small SUV on the market. My mom liked it so much she traded he Honda CRV for a 2008 Equinox.
Mixed feelings
My husband and I purchased our 'nox in 2006. I have about 29,000 miles. I love the look and style of the truck. It has awesome pick-up and handling. Not poor in the snow but could be better. I had the signal switch burn out after a year and a half. Biggest issue is hesitation with starting. I've had to give it gas on occassion. My truck is currently being serviced for this problem. Other than that I love my truck and hope the problem is resolved after this being the 5th attempt. OK on gas, I only use Sunoco.
2006 Equinox
Love the car. Totally roomy, lots of storage, my dog LOVES the backseat! I am also impressed with the gas mileage...I'm getting around 21 MPG with highway/city/TRAFFIC mix.
Love our Equinox
We had never heard of the Equinox before we went shopping for a car. I had a Lincoln Navigator to trade in and I wanted something smaller. We saw the Equinox and loved it immediately. It's sleek yet cute, fun to drive yet performance oriented, stylish yet comfortable, priced right and a great drive. After driving a Navigator, the Equinox is zippy, easy to park, and gets down the road in a smooth and easy manner. It's a great little SUV.
Our Sand Nox
Fun to drive, decent mileage but could be a little better. Love the way it handles, pickup and room in the interior. Love the 5 speed tranny, always keeps you in power band and passes easily at all speeds Looks of a Lexus 330 SUV but the price of a Chevy and we are a Chevy family. Great stereo w mp3 player
Different Opinions
I bought a new, 2006 Equinox sight unseen via the internet. As I work overseas, my wife is the primary driver. Almost from day one, she commented as to the road noise, turning radius and poor gas mileage. I am now retiring and will most likely keep the car for another year. My retirement gift to my wife - another car...
Roomy - But Costly
We are a tall family and the room inside the Equinox is what attracted us to this car, and we have loved it for that reason. What we have not loved is the costly barrage of repairs that started shortly after we purchased the vehicle and have continued for the three and half years that we have owned it. I have had it in the shop for major repairs (which I am going to classify as $400 - $1,500 a pop as a major repair) 8 times while owning it. All of the repairs have been mechanical. Forking out $5,000 - $6,000 repairs for a $20,000 car is ridiculous.
Hidden Problems
I have owened this vehicle since 12/03/05 and it has been in for repair 3 different time in this time period. First time for the check engine light, dealership never found the problem and just reset the light. Second time was for the vehicle not starting. Car was towed and found that the battery was faulty. Third time for Back firing. This happens when the car is first started and when you come to a stop. Now,GM has sent out what they call a TSB report saying that there is a problem that sounds like a backfire but this is normal. How can there be a admitted problem that can be heard and it be normal noise that they will not fix? I have been told that they will not fix this problem.
New car
I just recently bought this vehicle so I don't have a lot of time with it. I bought it for my wife but have got to drive it a few times. When we picked it up from the dealership it was snowing, bad, but it got around great. I think that it has a very comfortable interior. So far I am very pleased with it.
Blacky
I had rented one on vacation and when I decided to trade my Expedition this was one of the trucks that interested me. The Ford Escape did not turn me on. The Ford Edge still doesn't have the style this does in my opinion. So far I really like it, and love the looks. Mine is a black LT AWD with tan leather,snazzy!
Cool SUV!
A great mid size SUV! Mad room in the back seat. Lots of power for passing. Great sound system too! The kids like it, I like it, everybody's happy!
Good Vehicle
Power is decent, rides well. The turning radius is large. Excellent room for larger passengers, especially the back seat. Unlike many other vehicles, my knees do not hit the dashboard or back of the seat. Interior is better designed than other GM products. Great overall value.
Second One of these
So far this is my second one of these. The first was an 05 and had some transmission issue, but so far the 06 has not been all that bad, aside from one issue. I am suddenly having issues with fuel economy after almost 40k. Other then that it does pretty well in Michigan winters even without the AWD.
Love this vehicle!
I drive this vehicle 60+ miles daily highway back and forth to work - love the ride and reliability ! I feel very safe in this vehicle - handled excellent in Buffalo snow : )
Stay Away
This is a love-hate relationship. We bought the car because it was (1) quiet, (2) roomy and (3) cheap and it still is all of those thongs, with the emphasis being on "cheap". Mechanically this thing has been a disaster since the day it was bought. It's been in the shop 11 times (not counting regular service), has had both front wheel bearings replaced at separate times, front brakes redone three times, emissions system fixed, tires replaced because tread blocks were falling off, engine is hard to start and other various engine trouble lights and wheel vibration problems. I will never (repeat NEVER) buy another GM vehicle and have filed a Lemon Law suit against them.
Wouldnt recommend a GM to my enemy
At 30,000 miles the injectors had major issues. Dealership AND GM headquarters would do nothing about it. At 48,000 miles, the timing belt cover is leaking and now the engine is making really bad noises. GM headquarters told us it would be covered, then went back on that and said we're out of luck, and coupled with the fact the dealership was rude about both situations, I'll never buy a GM product again.
The Equinox smoked CRV and RAV
I'm an engineer who thoroughly checks out my options and ensures optimum bang for my buck. We wanted the Element for the look and we tried the Element, CRV and RAV4. My wife wasn't really thrilled with either of those three so we drove over to the Chevy dealership. We tried out the Equinox and trust me, it smoked the CRV, Element and RAV in terms of power, comfort, interior look and feel, and price. Exterior is in the eye of the beholder but we really like the look. Stereo is superior, feels like luxury inside with nice control layout. The drive on the highway is nice and quiet and when you step on it (pedal), the engine is relatively quiet compared to the others we tried.
The honeymoon is over
My wife and I bought our 'Nox used in '06 with less than 10k miles. Initially we were pretty pleased with it, but as we've put some miles on it, we're not such big fans anymore (and it only has 38k miles on it). The turning radius is very big. Pulling into parking places is more difficult than it should be. The cupholders that slide out of the console are very flimsy and interfere with the parking brake lever. Lastly, at 21k miles the drive shaft snapped during normal highway driving and had to be replaced. The V6 engine is pretty peppy and I really like the exterior styling. The sliding rear seat is a great design, but those things can't overcome some of the items I mentioned above.
Overall, a good choice
Bought an '06 LT FWD with 12k miles and drove it for 16 months to 44k miles. Minor complaints: huge turning radius, noisy wipers and poor center console design. Lost traction in the snow and blew a head gasket getting unstuck. Covered by warranty and no other problems. Very comfortable and roomy for a small SUV. Average economy 23 mpg. Would still own it if gas prices hadn't gone so high in the spring of 2008 (I have a long commute and replaced it with a more economical vehicle).
Love The Equinox!
The Equinox is fun to drive! It has ample power to get you where you want to go. I love the electronic steering due to its ease to manuever. With a broken wrist, it has been an exceptionaly easy car to drive. The Equinox has ample room for my whole family and room for luggage on vacation trips. For comfort, I highly recommend the leather interior. It makes getting in and out of the car much easier...and it's much easier to keep the interior clean.
Good and Bad
I love it - It's fun to drive and roomy. This is the first time I've owned a vehicle with a hatch and I love it! Looks sporty and should have a good resale value, in-part, because of this. I hate it - I came from driving a full size truck and was suprised it's turning radius was about the same! What!?! The gas mileage is ok not great. Fabric on seats stain terribly and you can't scrub them out. Front windshield and back hatch leaks in heavy rain storms and car washes. Drivers window is noisy when on the expressway. Center console laid out bad. Crowded and unusable. Before I got used to the window controls in the center I put my purse on them in the car wash-yes, I got waxed that day!
Gashog
Does not come close to EPA ratings. average is 12.5mpg mixed road traffic (some city some country). Same trip every day with a 2002 4.3L Silverado averages 17.9 - 18.3 mpg. So why does a smaller engine, lighter vehicle stink for the same trip?? Another person at work says his wife's 2005 at 10K still averages 13 mpg. Beware! Gave up a 1998 Grand Voyager 3.8L that averaged 23mpg for same trip. Wish I would have kept the Voyager now and put 3000 dollars to fix it up.
unsure
I've owned my nox for a year. Over all I really love it. It does have some odd things wrong with it. Its very noisy going down the highway. The Windows and sunroof leak air. My cd player doesn't work. I need new tires after one year on new ones. It does have lots of room. It handles corners well. However when im going down a hill and apply pressure to the breaks the whole thing shakes. If you buy one get a good deal on it. Don't pay to much. You will enjoy it if you don't pay to much for it.
Love It!
I love this SUV! It is beautiful inside and out. It handles very well and is not at all bad on gas. I love this car and will drive it until the wheels fall off. After that I will buy another!
Worst piece of junk ever.
I got the car used with 80k miles. The very first week I had it, it wouldn't start. Dealer fixed the wires and drove fine. THEN I smelled gas.. I've had to replace the fuel pump 3 times. It is currently in the shop for the 3rd fuel pump. It looks good and drives good when it works.
- Performance
- Value
Great car, would like better gas mileage
Overall, the car is great. I haven't been getting great mpg though. Typically, I get 20-21 MPG, which isn't horrible but it isn't great either. The small SUV fits my needs and it is a fun drive.
Good looking, but made way too cheap
All my family works for GM, so of course thats what we all drive. I loved the way the Equinox looked when it first came out, but after I bought it I've had nothing but problems. I've had to take it in 4 different times to replace the stereo, the AC broke after only having it a couple of months and the dealership said it wasn't covered under warranty, plus my headlights went out at the same time. A brand new car should not have this many problems. American cars are being made way too cheap these days and my next car will be a Toyota or Nissan, since foreign cars are the only ones reliable anymore.
Very Impressed
Just purchased a pre-owned 2006 Equinox with 12000 miles on odometer. Love the styling, cargo carrying capacity, seat flexibility and comfort, all of the bells and whistles, and quietness of the interior and comfortable ride
Going back to Chrysler
I drive over 35,000 ml. a year, so we only keep our vehicle about 2 years, will be 2 in October,has 58,000 miles on it, and we have put a new EHR valve, new gas cap, new igination switch (which I think is going out again) Runs good except there is so many noises and rattles your constantly wondering if it's going to break down. Seats just keep showing new stains, ones I'm not even sure we made. In wind sounds like it's going to fall apart. Transmission shifts wierd. I like the fact that its not a van but more than a car. Love look on outside, inside is cheap quality. Gas mileage ok approx 20 to 24 all the time. Doesn't do sharp turns. Would not recommend to anyone. 1st and last time Chevy owner.
Not Pleased
For more than a year, I never had a problem and then suddenly it started acting up. It was still under warranty and the dealership has offered to extend the warranty free of charge and give me free roadside assistance, but it still isn't worth it. Sometimes when I am driving it stops suddenly. Usually it happens shortly after starting it up, but it has happened once while I was driving down the road. Other times it doesn't start at all. But it is inconsistent and the dealership can't find anything wrong with it. I've done some research online and found that this problem isn't only happening to my Equipnox.
Dissapointing
First of all, I've driven larger SUVs before and never with as bad gas mileage as the Equinox. I've also had many problems with the starter, it starts when it wants to when I frequently have it serviced. The brakes are always very loud, even after getting them fixed. I frequently hear popping like noises when starting the car that was a recalled part and finally the most annoying thing is how loud it is driving on the highway, it does not keep out exterior noise, I feel like I'm on an airplane.
Problems
My car has 30700 miles on it and I have had the brakes replaced now the ABS and TC light is on constantly. I also need new tires. The car is roomly but I shouldn't be having these problems with this low mileage. There is a lot of wind noise also.
First SUV
While this is my first SUV I am not sorry that I purchased it. It is a fun vehicle to drive and now I can finally see what is happening ahead of me as opposed to driving in a car. So far the mileage is as indicated on the invoice sheet.
Great SUV
The styling got me to look at it, but the drive got me to buy it. What a very nice vehicle, so far I have found nothing to complain about. It has a nimble comfortable drive. A well laid out interior that is user friendly, and passenger friendly. My friends love the movable rear seat that moves back and forth. Would recommend to buy!
Problems with the starter
I love my car but not happy with many things. First the gas mileage is horrible, I get about 13 around town and 17 highway, not good. The worst of it all I have brought it to the dealership 6 times now since April 2008 for the same issue. The car will not start, it takes about 6 times for it to finally turn over. Once it does it spits and sputters, black smoke comes out of the exhaust than my RPM's go up to 8 drop to 4 than the car idles, like it wants to die. So now its back at the dealership and they cannot replicate the issue. Finally I called GM to report this. It's just nuts they keep telling me its up to standards but Hello, I got stranded at a gas station for 40 minutes. Not happy