Used 2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
Can't Recommend.. engine died @ 1,400 miles
Mark Dyviniak, Wayland, MI, 12/29/2017
2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Bought a new 2018 Equinox as my wife liked the 2010 Equinox that she drove (even though we had a lot of oil consumption issues with that vehicle). Being a loyal GM customer, went ahead and purchased a new 2018 Equinox. Rather than turn in the 2010 Equinox as a trade-in vehicle, decided to keep it for our college-bound daughter. Back to the 2018 Equinox purchase decision, since several … years had passed and the vehicle had been completely redesigned, figured that all engine issues had been fixed. Unfortunately, no! With only 1,400 miles on the odometer, vehicle completely died as we were on the highway driving to a family reunion. Once the vehicle was examined by the dealership, they informed us that it needed a new engine (under warranty, of course). Couldn't believe it. That was the first of two factors that turned our GM loyalty upside down. The second factor occurred a month later.. the engine on the 2010 Equinox failed. That vehicle only had 45K miles on it. Because the vehicle was 8 years old, however, GM advised us that we would have to cover 80% of the $7,500 engine replacement cost. Shocked, I challenged that all the way up the GM chain. Reminded them of our two decades long GM loyalty. At the time, had 3 Chevrolets in the garage .. and each of them were not old, low-value vehicles. In fact, in the past 8 years we had purchased 3 brand new Chevrolets (model years 2010, 2015, 2018). GM didn't care. As such, determined that we were done with GM. Will not remain loyal to a company that significantly fails at producine a quality product (no car should need a new engine @ 45,000 miles, let alone 1,400 miles) and a company who doesn't take care of loyal customers when an issue comes up. Loyalty is earned .. which it appears GM doesn't get. As such, with our experience, cannot recommend the (2010 or) 2018 Equinox.
**UPDATE: Sept 2020** Sold the 2018 Equinox. Replaced it with a 2019 Ford Edge. So far, the Ford is proving to be a much more reliable and better performing vehicle, although we still need more time to be assured of that.
**UPDATE: March 2021** The Ford Edge has been such a better vehicle than the Equinox. It provides better performance and have had no mechanical issues whatsoever. Looking like Ford will now have our business.
Slow transmission
Kurt D. Gaus, Schoharie, NY, 04/22/2018
2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Overall, a great SUV. Only problem is the transmission which is very slow to down shift. Ii up shifts just fine but when going up or down even on the smallest inclines, the transmission is super slow to shift. When in cruise control, this results in a speed drop of 5-7 miles per hour going up or down the incline before the transmission finally shifts down. This also makes the whole … car shudder from being in too high a gear too long. This was also a problem with my 2015 Equinox, but is now even more apparent with the 2018's smaller engine.
Doesn't shift into high gears in extreme cold temp
Sandy, Silver Bay, MN, 03/09/2018
2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
I just want to make potential buyers aware that the 2018 Chevy Equinox does not shift into higher gears during freeway driving in extreme cold temps. It takes about 20-30 minutes to warm up before it will finally shift into the higher gear. This will affect gas mileage. Chevy said they do not currently have a way to fix the problem. Also--pay attention to the tires. The traction … isn't as good in winter driving as my previous AWD SUV (Santa Fe). The rest of the features are excellent. Great design, it has all the extras, drives nice, acceleration is good (when its not cold).
Buyer Beware!
norbert bauer, Jackson, MI, 02/09/2018
2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT 4dr SUV AWD (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
Liked the body style and decided to replace my 2003 Honda Pilot. Picked up the car and the dealer indicated that the fuel gauge wasn't reading properly. Said GM notified the dealers of a possible problem with this. Drove about 200 miles and the gas guage failed. Said 0 miles left. Stopped and got gas and it only took 5 gallons? Then the check engine light came on. OnStar … notified me stating and issue with the engine and transmission. Too it to the dealer and they replaced the gas tank. Drove my wife to work and on the way back the engine failed and had to have it towed to the dealer. Onstar notified my after one week saying the dealer had to replace the fuel pump. Car has less than 600 miles! I complained to the dealer and one of the salespeople sent me an email back saying he was sorry for my inconvienience but I should take the car back to the dealer who sold it to me! Reallly? I haven't purchased a American made vehicle since 1970 (Olds Cutlass). I thought I would give GM a chance. What a piece of junk! My Pilot with 205K on it has NEVER failed. Bottom line is " you can put lipstick on a pig.....land it's still a pig!"
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox LT SUV
What’s new
- Fully redesigned for 2018
- New engines provide great fuel economy
- Part of the third Equinox generation introduced for 2018
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Three engines to choose from, including a fuel-efficient diesel
- Pro:Smooth ride over most road surfaces
- Pro:Expansive list of optional safety features
- Pro:MyLink user interface is intuitive and easy to use
- Con:Smaller cargo area compared to most of its competitors
- Con:Base L trim is special order only
- Con:The 1.5-liter engine and its slow-shifting transmission don't feel very lively
Which Equinox does Edmunds recommend?
The L is a great deal, but it's a special order-only model so you won't find it at the dealership. The LS costs more and doesn't add much, so best to skip to the midgrade LT. Its slight price bump from the LS is justified by the inclusion of xenon headlights, a power driver's seat and tinted windows. It also opens the door to the Confidence and Convenience package, which adds advanced safety equipment and a few luxury features.
Full Edmunds Review: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox SUV
Driving
8.0The upgrade from the base 1.5-liter engine to the 2.0-liter is well justified with the amount of power and efficiency it delivers. On top of that, the Equinox has impressive handling on a twisty road. The only downside is the big turning radius that affects U-turns and parking.
Comfort
7.0Aside from the poorly placed air vents on the dash and the rather stifling leather upholstery, the Equinox gets high marks for comfort. Driving for many hours on end will not cause any undue fatigue. All things considered, it's comparable to other SUVs in the class.
Interior
7.0The Equinox interior is attractive and mostly well-configured. But we would prefer the steering wheel to telescope further and wish the panoramic sunroof wasn't as intrusive for rear passengers.
Utility
7.5While the Equinox doesn't have an abundance of cargo space compared to rivals, it should still handle the bulk of everyday hauling. When you consider some of the thoughtful features, it's easy to give it a nod for the lack of on-paper capacity.
Technology
8.0Chevrolet gets high marks for tech, curing many of the ills that plagued past models. It has plenty of features that are standard throughout the lineup, and the inclusion of six USB ports ensures all devices will be charged.
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox in Ohio is:
not availableLegal