2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV

The 2024 volume configuration is the front-drive single-motor Ultium powertrain at 213 hp; the optional dual-motor eAWD raises it to 288 hp.

Single front motor delivers 236 lb-ft from zero rpm — modest for an EV but instantly available.

Car and Driver recorded 7.7 seconds for the FWD 3RS, slightly quicker than Chevrolet's own 8.0-second claim; the AWD version is roughly two seconds faster.

Typical Ultium single-motor smoothness — silent, linear, no lag or shift interruption — but reviewers consistently describe the FWD car's outright thrust as adequate rather than eager, and hard throttle at low speed can scrabble the front tires.

Single-speed reduction gear with nothing to hunt for; GM's one-pedal driving and Regen on Demand paddle blend friction and regenerative braking cleanly, which is the main refinement variable on an EV.

Chevrolet rates every 2024 Equinox EV configuration at 1,500 lbs — enough for a small utility trailer only, and near the bottom of the SUV band.

eAWD is a factory option on every 2024 trim (a second, rear-mounted motor rather than a mechanical transfer path), but it is extra-cost rather than standard and offers no low range, locking differentials or terrain modes.

A pavement-focused compact crossover on a flat skateboard battery pack: roughly 7 inches of clearance, no skid plates, no off-road trim, no terrain modes, and an underbody pack that discourages rough going.

The Equinox EV is a standalone battery-electric nameplate with exactly one powertrain — an 85 kWh Ultium pack — offered only in single-motor FWD or dual-motor AWD form; there is no gas, hybrid or long-range battery alternative within the nameplate.

EPA rates the volume front-drive 2024 Equinox EV at 108 MPGe combined, equal to 31 kWh/100 mi — strong for a compact electric crossover.

Regenerative braking and low-speed motor efficiency give the FWD car a 117 MPGe city figure.

99 MPGe on the highway cycle — aerodynamic drag on a boxy crossover costs it more than city driving does, the usual EV pattern.

The 85 kWh Ultium pack gives the front-drive 2024 Equinox EV 319 miles of EPA range, among the longest in the affordable compact-EV field and the car's headline selling point.

Chevrolet rates the 400-volt Ultium pack at 150 kW peak DC, and it needs a 500-amp-capable charger to reach that — modest against 800-volt rivals that take 230–350 kW.

Chevrolet publishes no 10–80% figure for 2024, so this is the best instrumented result: the pack holds peak power only about ten minutes before thermal derating, so the back half of the session is slow.

At EPA's standard 15,000 miles and national average electricity price, the front-drive Equinox EV costs about $700 a year to run — roughly a third of a comparable gas compact SUV.

No liquid fuel at all, and home charging is straightforward: an 11.5 kW onboard charger is standard with a 19.2 kW unit optional, refilling 319 miles overnight on a 240-volt circuit at a few cents per mile. The deductions are 2024-specific — a CCS inlet with no native NACS port (Tesla Superchargers need an adapter) and a 150 kW ceiling that makes road-trip charging stops long.

NHTSA tested the 2024 Equinox EV directly in both drivetrains and awarded 5 stars overall to each — 5 stars frontal overall, 5 stars in every side measure including the pole test, and 5 stars rollover at a 9.7% rollover risk. The only sub-5 result anywhere is the front passenger at 4 stars.

IIHS has never crash-tested the Equinox EV — there is no vehicle file for it in any model year, so no crashworthiness rating and no award exist. Under the rubric an untested vehicle cannot be credited for results it does not have, and the nearest read-across is unflattering: the mechanically related Ultium-platform Blazer EV rates Good in updated moderate overlap and side but only Acceptable in small overlap, and is excluded from Top Safety Pick because the passenger dummy's head slipped between the front and curtain airbags.

All five core systems are standard on every 2024 trim with no package required: automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection (plus intersection AEB), full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind-spot alert, and rear cross-traffic alert with reverse automatic braking — an unusually complete baseline for a mainstream compact SUV. Only the surround-view camera and traffic-sign recognition are trim-gated (3LT and above).

The hardware is broad on paper — camera-and-radar AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, intersection AEB and reverse AEB standard — but no IIHS front crash prevention test of the Equinox EV has been published. The only measured evidence is the sibling Blazer EV on the same Ultium platform and GM sensor set: Acceptable for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention, with an outright failure to avoid the collision in the 37-mph parallel-adult nighttime run. Credit for equipment, not for verified nighttime performance.

Blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, rear pedestrian alert and side bicyclist alert are standard on every trim, and the coverage goes beyond a warning light: reverse automatic braking intervenes behind the car and the Safety Alert Seat pulses the relevant side rather than only chiming. It stops short of the top band because there is no blind-zone steering intervention, and that matters more here than on most compact SUVs given the thick pillars.

Standard Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning is a corrective nudge rather than sustained centering — GM does not offer a hands-on lane-centering mode on this car, so without the optional Super Cruise package the car only pushes back at the line. Buyers who tick Super Cruise get genuinely excellent centering, which is what lifts this above a plain nudge-only score.

Full-speed-range adaptive cruise with stop-and-go is standard equipment rather than a trim upgrade, which is the unusual part, and reviewers describe smooth gap-keeping and resume behavior. Combined highway assist is strong but only for buyers who add Super Cruise; standard ACC pairs with nudge-type lane keeping rather than an integrated centering mode.

Super Cruise is the most mature hands-free system on sale — a mapped network of more than 400,000 miles of North American highway, automatic lane change, and a driver-attention camera — and it is orderable on every 2024 Equinox EV trim, plus standard on the sold-out 2RS Launch Edition. It is held out of the top band because it is a $2,700 extra rather than standard equipment, and because the free-trial period converts to a paid OnStar subscription.

Full-LED headlamps with standard IntelliBeam automatic high beams are fitted across the range, which is good equipment, but IIHS has never measured this car's illumination or glare and no curve-adaptive function is offered. Good hardware with no third-party verification earns an above-average score, not a high one.

This is the car's weakest everyday-safety trait: reviewers single out very thick windshield pillars and shallow, chopped glass most of the way around, and the standard blind-spot and cross-traffic systems read as compensation rather than a bonus. Camera coverage only partly closes the gap — the rear camera mirror helps, but HD Surround Vision is trim-gated to 3LT and above rather than standard.

The raw space is generous for the class — roughly 38 inches of rear legroom on a wide, flat-floored bench with two complete outboard LATCH sets, tether anchors across all three positions and a center head restraint — and a reviewer installing a large child seat called the car 'very family friendly'. It falls short of the top band because IIHS has not rated the anchors' ease of use and owners report the lower anchors sitting deep enough that rear-facing infant bases can feel like they shift during installation.

The Equinox EV is a strictly two-row compact crossover — five seats on every 2024 trim and drivetrain, with no third-row or captain's-chair configuration offered.

Chevrolet's published front headroom of 39.15 in is mid-pack for a compact SUV — the skateboard battery raises the floor, but the tall, upright greenhouse recovers most of it.

41.65 in of front legroom is adequate rather than generous for the class, and Consumer Reports notes the dashboard sits unusually far forward, which makes the front compartment feel airier than the number suggests.

38.49 in in the second row is above the compact-SUV midpoint — the flat-floor Ultium architecture and squared-off roofline leave real space above a rear passenger's head.

A 116.3-inch wheelbase on a 190.5-inch body yields 38 in of rear legroom — genuinely roomy for a compact SUV and one of this car's strongest space measurements.

There is no third row in any 2024 Equinox EV trim or configuration — it is a two-row, five-seat compact crossover, so this item scores in the bottom band by definition rather than by any failing of the seat itself.

26.4 cu ft behind the rear seat sits near the bottom of the SUV normalization band, though Edmunds' suitcase test found the low load floor and underfloor bin make it more usable than the raw figure implies.

57.2 cu ft with the rear bench down is modest for a compact SUV and well behind rivals like the Ioniq 5 and Model Y; there is also no frunk, so the charge cord lives under the cargo floor rather than up front.

Competitive everyday storage with two genuinely clever touches — a two-level cargo floor that drops to gain height when you don't need to match the folded seatback, and an underfloor bin big enough for the charge cord case plus a duffle — but there is no frunk, no household outlet and no standout console innovation.

Comfortable enough for most commutes — 8-way power driver's seat, decent adjustment range — but Consumer Reports criticizes flat front cushions that offer poor lateral support, and a rear bench with minimal under-thigh support and a backrest that does not recline, which caps long-haul comfort.

Ride comfort is repeatedly called the Equinox EV's best trait — well-damped, absorbent over broken pavement, helped by the low, heavy battery — but it is wheel-size dependent: reviewers found the RS trims' 21-inch wheels transmit sharp impacts, and Car and Driver described the 3RS as springy, bounding over mid-corner undulations.

One of the car's standout qualities: Consumer Reports calls the cabin 'whisper-quiet', and independent first drives report near-zero road noise even at highway speed — the silent Ultium drive unit plus good isolation puts it near the top of the compact-SUV field.

Strong for a mainstream compact EV: heated front seats, heated steering wheel and heated mirrors standard from the 2LT up, dual-zone automatic climate, a heat pump, and remote cabin preconditioning from both the fob and the myChevrolet app (which draws from the wall when plugged in). It falls short of the top band because ventilated front seats and heated rear outboard seats are reserved for upper trims and there are no dedicated second-row vents — rear heat comes through under-seat ducts only.

The cheapest 2024 Equinox EV Chevrolet actually built was the 2LT FWD — the widely promoted $34,995 1LT was announced but never produced for 2024 and slipped to the 2025 model year, so the real 2024 entry price is roughly $8,300 above the headline figure buyers remember.

The 2024 model year opened with RS trims — the 2RS Launch Edition at $48,995 FWD / $52,395 eAWD was the first car delivered — and the cheaper LT trims only joined partway through the year, so the 2RS FWD at $44,795 is the representative 2024 configuration. Before incentives that is mid-pack for a 319-mile EV; after the $7,500 point-of-sale credit it lands under $38,000.

There is no engine oil, no transmission service and no exhaust or fuel system, so routine upkeep is tire rotations, cabin filters, brake fluid and coolant — CarEdge projects well under half the compact-SUV class norm. The risk not captured is 21-inch RS tires, which are expensive to replace and are the main out-of-pocket item most owners will meet inside five years.

Retention is the Equinox EV's worst ownership number and the one area where it is genuinely behind gas rivals: the $7,500 federal credit lowers the effective new price without lowering MSRP, so the percentage measured against sticker collapses. Real observed values bear it out — 2024 cars were already worth barely half of sticker at roughly two years old.

GM's standard 3/36 bumper-to-bumper is the floor of the industry and is unchanged for the Equinox EV — no extension for the new platform, and nothing approaching the 5/60 basic coverage Hyundai and Kia put on their competing electric SUVs. On a first-model-year car built on an all-new architecture with a software-defined cabin, the short basic term is a real exposure.

For an EV the meaningful powertrain term is the 8/100,000 electric propulsion coverage, which supersedes GM's conventional 5/60 powertrain warranty and extends past the battery pack to the drive motors, gear reduction units, on-board charger, inverter (TPIM), accessory power module and high-voltage wiring. It transfers to later owners, which is what keeps the used-market floor from being worse than it already is.

Included maintenance is a single visit in the first year/12,000 miles — not the multi-year plan the top band requires — but the surrounding perks are better than the segment norm: 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance, a multi-year complimentary connected-services allotment covering the Google built-in navigation the car depends on (there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to fall back on), and a 3-year OnStar/Super Cruise trial on cars ordered with it, standard on the 2RS Launch Edition. The gap versus rivals is charging: unlike several 2024 EV programs, Chevrolet bundled no home charger, no installation credit and no public-charging allowance with the car — GM Energy's PowerShift charger was discounted, not given.

$44,795 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (38% retained, or about $17,022) leaves about $27,773 in depreciation. Add the projected $1,673 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,446 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the Equinox EV average — notably the only GM Ultium model to reach average while the Blazer EV, Lyriq, Optiq and Prologue sit below or well below — but 2024 is the nameplate's launch year on a new platform with no accumulated dependability data, and early-build owner reports cluster around 12V/telematics and infotainment faults.

Chevrolet's two major trackers disagree: J.D. Power consistently places the brand in the top five for dependability and initial quality, while Consumer Reports has kept it in the bottom third of its brand table for several years running. Mid-pack is the honest reading of the pair.

The 2024 model year carries a single NHTSA recall — a pedestrian-alert volume software non-compliance remedied by a body-control-module update, including over the air — with no powertrain, battery, fire or structural campaign. That is a clean launch year by EV standards and markedly better than the Blazer EV's, held back only by the software/telematics service activity typical of early Ultium builds.

The 85 kWh Ultium NMC pouch pack and single front drive unit are a new, unproven family — the platform only reached volume in 2022–2024 — and GM's Ultium siblings earned their poor reliability marks largely through propulsion and battery-management software rather than mechanical wear. No systemic pack defect has surfaced on the Equinox EV, and the 8-year/100,000-mile high-voltage warranty is segment-standard, but there is no high-mileage track record to point to.

Reviewers consistently rate the cabin above its price point — soft-touch dash and door tops, Evotex leatherette with contrast stitching on RS trims, and switchgear that does not feel budget — with hard plastics confined to low-touch areas and a glossy upper-dash panel that reflects into the windshield the main complaint.

Assembly quality reads well — Chevrolet placed second in the 2024 Initial Quality Study and first-drive reviews praised the Equinox EV's tight build and low NVH against much costlier GM EVs — but early 2024 builds drew a steady stream of owner reports of 12V battery, telematics module and infotainment faults, which is an electronics-quality problem even when panel fit is fine.

Chevrolet runs the densest franchised network in the United States — roughly 2,870 stores, more than any other brand — and scores near the top of J.D. Power's dealer service study, so routine service is rarely more than a short drive away. The reservation is that EV-certified technicians and diagnostic tooling are unevenly distributed within that network, which is what turns a software fault into a multi-day shop visit.

Routine upkeep is cheap and undemanding — tire rotations, filters, brake fluid, no oil or plugs — and common wear parts flow through GM's enormous parts network. Against that, the parts that actually fail on this car (battery modules, drive units, telematics and body control modules) are dealer-only, expensive, and were subject to backorder during the platform's ramp, with essentially no aftermarket for a nameplate introduced in 2024.

The 17.7-inch landscape touchscreen is standard equipment on 2LT, 3LT, 2RS and 3RS — there is no smaller screen in the 2024 lineup — and it is comfortably the largest display in the mainstream compact-SUV class.

The Android Automotive/Google built-in system is quick, sharply rendered and logically laid out for EV tasks, and Chevrolet kept real physical volume and climate controls below the screen. It lands mid-band rather than high because Consumer Reports found the sheer size of the display 'overwhelming', the emergency flasher is awkwardly sited, and GM's Ultium software shipped with enough bugs in 2024 to require repeated OTA fixes.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto is offered in any form, wired or wireless, on any 2024 Equinox EV trim — GM dropped phone projection from its EVs by design in favor of Google built-in. It sits at the upper end of the bottom band only because the native replacement is genuinely capable, not because the capability exists.

This is where Google built-in earns its keep: native Google Maps with EV-aware route planning, charging stops and arrival state-of-charge estimates — capability CarPlay could not match in 2024 — plus Google Assistant for natural-language commands. Held just short of the top band because reviewers found Assistant less reliable than Siri on non-standard phrasing, and the system requires a live data subscription.

There is no premium audio option at all on the 2024 Equinox EV — the Bose system announced for the car was cut from the equipment list before start of regular production and GM stated no plans to bring it back — leaving only the standard six-speaker system across every trim. The base system is inoffensive and benefits from an unusually quiet cabin, but a class-leading screen paired with no upgrade path is a real gap.

An 11-inch fully digital, configurable driver information display is standard on every 2024 trim — no partial-digital base version exists — with crisp rendering and EV-specific layouts for energy flow and range.

The Ultium electrical architecture supports whole-vehicle over-the-air updates, not just maps — GM shipped a steady stream of them to 2024 Equinox EVs covering infotainment, charging behavior, driver assistance and propulsion modules. That the updates were frequently needed to fix launch bugs is a reliability point rather than an OTA capability point; the capability itself is near the top of the class.

myChevrolet covers the core set properly for an EV — remote lock/unlock, remote start with cabin preconditioning, locate, charge scheduling and status, plus Energy Assist route planning — but there is no phone-as-key on the 2024 Equinox EV, the useful functions sit behind an OnStar Remote Access subscription after the trial, and owners reported app connectivity flakiness during the launch year.

Adequate but thin for a 2024 EV: two front ports (USB-A and USB-C) and two charge-only USB-C ports for the second row, with no 120V household outlet and no vehicle-to-load power. The bigger gap is that the wireless phone charging pad was cut from the 2024 equipment list before start of regular production — so the car with the biggest screen in the class had nowhere to charge a phone without a cable for most of the model year.

Keyless convenience is essentially complete: proximity entry with flush retractable door handles, no start button at all (the car powers up when it senses the key fob and an occupied driver's seat), remote start and preconditioning from fob or app, and a hands-free power liftgate with adjustable open height. It stops short of the top band because there is no phone-as-key on the 2024 car, and Consumer Reports found the retractable handles themselves awkward in use.

Rear camera, front and rear park assist and reverse automatic braking are standard, and HD Surround Vision gives a high-resolution 360-degree view on the upper trims. It lands mid-band because the surround-view system is trim-gated rather than standard across the line, there is no automated parking function, and the rear camera mirror announced for the car was deleted before production — a real loss given the thick pillars and shallow rear glass.

No head-up display is available on any 2024 Equinox EV trim. It was advertised for the car when announced in 2022 but was deleted from the equipment list before start of regular production, and no 2024 build can be ordered with it.

Strong family logistics for a compact SUV: 38 in of rear legroom on a wide, flat-floored bench (no transmission tunnel to straddle), two complete outboard LATCH sets plus a center tether, wide rear door openings, and a hands-free power liftgate over a low load floor that Edmunds found easier to load than the Blazer EV's. It stops short of the top band because 26.4 cu ft behind the seat is tight for a stroller plus a week's shopping, and the rear backrest does not recline.

Unusually good for the price families actually pay: NHTSA awarded 5 stars overall to both the FWD and eAWD 2024 Equinox EV, and the whole core driver-assist set — AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, full-speed adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert with reverse automatic braking — is standard on the entry 2LT rather than packaged. Held out of the top band because IIHS has never tested the car, so there is no crashworthiness verification beyond NHTSA, and the sibling Blazer EV on the same platform managed only Acceptable in small overlap.

The basics are right — a whisper-quiet cabin, a comfortable ride and 319 miles of EPA range — but the second row is where long trips get thin: Consumer Reports found minimal under-thigh support and a backrest that does not recline, there are no dedicated rear console vents (rear heat comes through under-seat ducts), no rear entertainment and no household outlet, and luggage space with four or five aboard is only 26.4 cu ft. The 150 kW charging ceiling also makes the stops longer than in an 800-volt rival.

This is the car's home ground: silent, lag-free single-motor delivery, selectable one-pedal driving and a Regen on Demand paddle that make stop-and-go traffic near-effortless, full-speed-range adaptive cruise standard on every trim, and brakes Consumer Reports found free of the grabby regen blend that spoils many EVs. Thick pillars and a screen that takes some learning are the only real daily irritants.

Exceptionally cheap to commute in: 108 MPGe combined and an EPA-estimated $700 a year in energy for 15,000 miles in FWD form, with no oil changes, no exhaust and brake wear stretched out by regenerative braking. Home charging on an 11.5 kW AC circuit covers a normal daily commute overnight at off-peak rates.

Manageable with camera help rather than genuinely easy: the 38.1 ft curb-to-curb turning circle is tidy, but at 190.5 in long the Equinox EV is nearer a mid-size footprint than a compact one, visibility is this car's known weak point — Consumer Reports cites 'extremely thick windshield pillars' and chopped side glass — the rear camera mirror was deleted before production, and HD Surround Vision is trim-gated rather than standard.

Not meaningfully work-capable. Chevrolet rates every 2024 configuration at 1,500 lbs of towing — a small utility trailer and nothing more — there is no bed, payload is ordinary compact-crossover fare, and 26.4 cu ft of enclosed cargo behind the seat limits it to light errands. Towing also collapses the usable range on an 85 kWh pack.

A brand-new nameplate on a brand-new platform, launched into a model year that needed repeated software recalls and OTA fixes, with no fleet history to point at. The steel unibody and cloth-trimmed LT interiors are ordinary mainstream-crossover hardware that should hold up to normal use, but nothing here is proven under hard duty and the low-slung battery pack punishes rough surfaces.

Few work-oriented provisions. A genuine accessory trailering hitch package (1,500 lb, 4-pin harness) and roof cross rails rated to 220 lb exist, along with cargo tie-downs and the underfloor bin, but there is no onboard AC power or vehicle-to-load export, no washable flooring or work-grade trim, and no upfit ecosystem of any kind around this car.

A good tourer with a clear endurance limit. Range is genuinely strong for the money at 319 miles EPA in FWD form, the cabin is whisper-quiet, the ride is absorbent and Super Cruise — the best hands-free system on sale — is orderable on every trim. What keeps it out of the top band is the 150 kW DC ceiling, which makes a 10–80% stop roughly 40 minutes rather than 20, and flat front seats with weak lower-back support that tell on hour four.

Gravel-road competent and no more. Optional eAWD adds a rear drive unit for genuine all-weather traction and roof rails plus a 1,500 lb hitch will carry bikes or a small trailer, but ground clearance is only about 6.4 in, there are no skid plates, terrain modes, low range or off-road trim, and the absence of any onboard AC outlet or vehicle-to-load power rules out the camping use case that other EVs lean on.

Flexible for its size without being capacious: a 60/40 fold-flat rear bench, a two-level cargo floor that drops for taller loads, an underfloor bin that swallows the charge cord case plus a duffle, roof cross rails and an available hitch. The ceiling is the raw volume — 26.4 / 57.2 cu ft is modest for the class — and the lack of any frunk means the charge cable competes for the same space as the luggage.

Secure but unremarkable. Car and Driver measured 0.78 g on the skidpad in FWD form (0.81 g with eAWD) — respectable numbers the car does not turn into engagement: Consumer Reports notes noticeable body lean, and Car and Driver found the 3RS springy, bounding over mid-corner undulations, and judged the Ioniq 5, Niro EV and ID.4 all more agile and composed on a winding road. It is competent through emergency maneuvers, just not enjoyable.

Precise enough but numb — the standard EV electric rack, accurate off-center and easy to place, with no meaningful feedback. Consumer Reports rates it a step up from the Blazer EV's, describing it as quicker, which is a comparative improvement rather than a strength in its own right.

The blend is the achievement here. Consumer Reports singles out 'competitively short stopping distances' and a 'fairly normal' pedal that avoids the grabby regen handoff that spoils many EVs, and the one-pedal/Regen on Demand paddle setup is cleanly calibrated. The instrumented numbers are only average for the class — Car and Driver recorded 189 ft from 70 mph in FWD form, 178 ft with eAWD — which keeps it below the top band.

A single-speed Ultium drive unit with nothing to shift or restart: linear, immediate torque from rest, no stop/start shudder, and a well-judged one-pedal calibration with a Regen on Demand paddle for manual blending. It is not a perfect 100 because full throttle from low speed can scrabble and tug at the front tires in the single-motor car, and outright thrust is adequate rather than eager at 7.7 seconds to 60.

Near-silent under load with no vibration through the controls — Consumer Reports credits the 'whisper-quiet' cabin directly to the electric drive, and reviewers report essentially no powertrain noise at any speed. This is among the Equinox EV's best attributes.

38.06 ft curb-to-curb is mid-pack for a compact SUV — tidier than the 190.5-inch overall length would suggest, thanks to the EV architecture's short front overhang and generous steering lock.

Adjustability is fine — 8-way power driver's seat, commanding sightline height, real physical climate and volume controls below the screen — but the surrounding ergonomics draw consistent criticism: Consumer Reports finds the dashboard unusually deep and distancing, the windshield pillars extremely thick, the retractable door handles awkward, and the emergency flasher badly placed. Flat front cushions with weak lower-back support compound it.

Appliance-like by intent and by result. The volume FWD car takes 7.7 seconds to 60, the chassis is tuned for comfort over involvement, the steering offers nothing back, and reviewers who liked the car liked it for being sensible — AutoGuide's verdict was literally 'Mainest of Mainstream'. Even the RS trims are a styling package rather than a dynamic one.

Every 2024 trim carries the 17.7-inch touchscreen and 11-inch driver display, heated front seats, a power liftgate, a rear camera mirror and the complete Chevy Safety Assist suite plus adaptive cruise, blind-spot alert and rear cross-traffic braking — an unusually full baseline for a mainstream compact SUV, and the 319-mile battery is standard rather than an upgrade. It falls short of the top band for one reason buyers care about disproportionately: there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto at any price, and the surround-view camera and Super Cruise are extra.

This is the car's whole argument and it holds: 319 miles of EPA range for $43,295, fully eligible for the $7,500 credit at the point of sale, put it under $36,000 net in 2024 when a comparable-range Model Y was $44,990 and an Ioniq 5 of similar price had no credit at all. Deductions are for the AWD version's shorter range and the content that mainstream rivals include for free (phone projection), not for the price.

Four trims in two style families (2LT/3LT, 2RS/3RS) with FWD or a $3,300 eAWD option is a reasonable spread, but the 2024 ladder is compressed into roughly $43k–$52k with nothing below it — the advertised $34,995 1LT never got built for this model year, and for much of 2024 the only car a buyer could actually order was an RS Launch Edition near $49,000. Real choice arrived late and from the top down.

From a mid-2024 start the Equinox EV sold 28,874 units in the calendar year — eighth among all EVs sold in the US despite being on sale for barely half of it — and the trajectory is the story: 18,089 of those came in Q4 alone, by which point it was outselling every rival in its segment. It is short of the top band only because the full-year total still trailed the Mach-E and Ioniq 5 that had a whole year to sell.

Chevrolet is a broadly trusted mainstream badge with no aspirational premium, and in the EV context specifically its recent record was working against this car in 2024 — the Bolt battery recall and the Blazer EV software stop-sale the year before had made GM's electric software a punchline. Nothing about the bowtie adds to residual value or satisfaction the way a Toyota or Tesla badge does in this segment.

Buyer benefit here was as good as it got in 2024: the full $7,500 federal credit applied at the dealer, interest-free financing and subsidized lease programs by late in the year, and — the telling part — GM's own $7,500 Ultium Promise Bonus Cash on any units that did not qualify for the credit, so the discount was effectively guaranteed either way. Held below the very top only because the credit was policy rather than the manufacturer's own money and has since expired.

2024 is the first model year of an entirely new nameplate on GM's then-current Ultium/BEV3 architecture, with a clean-sheet interior, Google built-in software and a battery chemistry and 400V pack that were new to the brand. There is no redesign risk for a 2024 buyer — the risk runs the other way, as first-year build and software teething, and the 2025 model's far lower entry price undercut it within a year.

The 2024 Equinox EV swept the awards that reward value: MotorWeek's Drivers' Choice Best of the Year and Best EV, InsideEVs' inaugural Breakthrough Vehicle of the Year, a 2025 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year finalist spot and a Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy finalist. Reviewers are near-unanimous on the range-per-dollar case; the consistent reservation — no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, plus merely adequate DC charging speed and ordinary driving dynamics — is what keeps it from being the outright comparison-test winner everywhere.