2017 Chevrolet Equinox

2017 is the final model year of the second-generation (2010–2017) Equinox and carries over its powertrains. The volume LS/LT trims use the 182-hp 2.4L Ecotec four, which is modest for the class. A 301-hp V6 was optional.

The naturally aspirated four has a low torque peak that arrives high in the rev range. The V6 adds substantial torque but is not the volume configuration.

The four-cylinder Equinox is among the slowest compact SUVs of its era, especially with a load aboard. The V6 is much quicker.

The 2.4L is quiet when cruising but feels strained and gets coarse when merging, passing or climbing hills with passengers. The optional V6 is smooth and strong.

The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly in normal driving but is slow to downshift and tends to hold or hunt for gears on grades with the four-cylinder.

This item measures max capacity in any configuration, and the V6 is rated for 3,500 lbs. Volume four-cylinder models are limited to 1,500 lbs.

FWD is standard and AWD is optional on the LS, LT and Premier trims, with both engines. It is a basic on-demand system with no terrain modes, low range or torque vectoring.

A pavement-oriented crossover with about 6.9 in of ground clearance and no off-road trim, skid plates or terrain management.

There are two engines: the 2.4L I4 (also offered as a flex-fuel version) and the 3.6L V6, both with a 6-speed automatic. There is no turbo, hybrid or plug-in option.

The volume 2.4L FWD configuration is competitive for a non-hybrid compact SUV of its era. AWD and the V6 cost meaningful fuel economy.

City economy is middling for the segment.

Highway economy is a relative strength of the 2.4L FWD configuration.

An 18.8-gallon tank paired with 25 MPG combined gives a good cruising range. The figure is computed from the EPA combined rating and the tank size, because EPA does not publish a range for gas vehicles.

This is the EPA annual fuel cost at its current standard price and mileage assumptions, which is mid-pack for a gas compact SUV.

Both engines run on regular unleaded, and an E85 flex-fuel version of the 2.4L was also offered.

2017 was the last year of the second generation (2010–2017). NHTSA rates both FWD and AWD at 4 stars overall, held back by a 4-star frontal result (4★ passenger side) and a 4-star rollover rating.

The Equinox earns Good in every IIHS crash test it was given, including the driver-side small overlap test after GM's 2014 structural changes. It earned no 2017 award: front crash prevention is only Basic (warning only), there is no headlight rating, and the passenger-side small overlap test was never run.

Only stability control and a rear vision camera are standard. Blind-zone and rear cross-traffic alerts are package options on the volume LT. Forward collision alert and lane departure warning are confined to an upper-trim package, and the car offers no automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist or adaptive cruise on any trim.

No automatic braking is offered. The optional camera-based Forward Collision Alert only warns the driver, which earns IIHS's lowest 'Basic' front crash prevention rating.

Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert were added to the Equinox for 2016. They give alerts only, with no braking, and are package options rather than standard on the volume LT.

Only a camera-based Lane Departure Warning is offered, as an upper-trim package option. It warns without steering, and no trim has lane keep assist or centering.

Every trim of the second-generation Equinox has conventional cruise control only. Adaptive cruise first appeared as a Premier option on the 2018 redesign.

No hands-free driving system was offered. Super Cruise did not reach the Equinox until the 2025 redesign.

IIHS never rated the 2017 Equinox's headlights, and auto high beams were not offered. The volume trims use basic halogen reflectors and HIDs were limited to the top trim. Its 2018 successor's projector lamps all rated Marginal, which suggests this older halogen setup is no better.

The tall, upright seating gives a good forward view. However, thick C/D pillars and a small, steeply raked rear window create rear-quarter blind spots. A rear camera is standard, but there is no surround-view camera.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable, with two full LATCH positions plus a tether-only center seat. The sliding rear seat and generous rear legroom make rear-facing seats easy to fit, though three across is tight.

Two-row, five-passenger compact crossover on every 2017 trim.

Generous front headroom for the class in the second-generation body.

Front legroom is average-to-short for a compact SUV.

Tall roofline gives rear passengers more headroom than most 2017 compact rivals.

Long 112.5-in wheelbase and sliding rear bench give class-leading rear legroom for 2017.

No third row is offered on any 2017 Equinox; it is a strict two-row, five-seat SUV.

Cargo space behind the rear seat trails the CR-V and RAV4; the long rear seat track trades cargo for legroom.

Maximum cargo is below the 70+ cu ft offered by the CR-V and RAV4 of the period.

Deep center console with a large bin and adequate door pockets, plus a sliding rear seat to trade legroom for cargo. There is no underfloor tray or 120V household outlet on volume trims.

Reviewers call the front seats comfortable and the reclining, sliding rear bench relaxing. On volume trims front bolstering is limited, and power adjustment is only on the driver's seat.

The Equinox's soft, composed ride was one of its consistent strengths, though there was some float over undulations.

The 2.4L models use active noise cancellation, and reviewers find the cabin quiet at cruise. The four-cylinder gets loud under hard acceleration.

Heated front seats, automatic climate control and remote start come only with the LT Convenience package or on the Premier. There are no ventilated seats, heated steering wheel or rear-seat heaters at any trim.

The 2017 Equinox, the final year of the second generation, opened at about $24,000 delivered in L FWD form, near the bottom of the compact SUV class.

The LT 2.4L is the volume trim, and AWD is the common configuration, consistent with the 2018–2020 Equinox scorecards. At about $29,400 delivered it is priced in line with mid-trim CR-V and RAV4 rivals.

Routine service on the naturally aspirated 2.4L and 6-speed automatic is inexpensive. By 2017 the oil-consumption problem that plagued the 2010–2013 2.4L had largely been addressed, so this final-year model carries less repair exposure than early second-gen cars or the 2018 launch-year turbo.

Resale is historically the Equinox's weak point because of heavy fleet volume and incentives. A 2017 reached age five in 2022, at the height of the used-car price spike, which lifted it above the nameplate norm of roughly 48%.

GM's 3/36 basic coverage is the segment floor. It matches Honda and Toyota and is half of Hyundai/Kia's term.

5/60 powertrain coverage is the class minimum, well short of Hyundai/Kia's 10 yr / 100,000 mi.

MY2017 Chevrolets came with Chevrolet Complete Care: up to two scheduled maintenance visits (oil and filter) in the first 2 yr / 24,000 mi, plus 5 yr / 60,000 mi roadside assistance and courtesy transportation, and an OnStar/4G LTE trial. That roughly matches ToyotaCare, though only the first oil changes are covered.

$29,395 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (52% retained, or about $15,285) leaves about $14,110 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,400 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $19,510 in total.

2017 is the final year of the second generation (2010-2017), a carry-over with years of running fixes behind it. J.D. Power rates its Quality & Reliability 89/100 'Great', and the model won a J.D. Power Dependability award at three years old. But the volume 2.4L engine's oil-consumption reputation drags on owner-reported long-term reliability, and the engine accounts for about two-thirds of NHTSA owner complaints. That makes it above average from J.D. Power and mixed from owners.

Chevrolet sits in the lower-middle of Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and near industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study. That is mid-pack, well short of Toyota, Honda and Lexus.

There are no NHTSA safety recalls for MY2017, a clean record compared with the five on the 2018 launch year. The TSB picture is weaker. The 2.4L's oil consumption and the timing-chain wear that follows it were handled through bulletins and a class action rather than a recall, and GM declined to cover 2014-2017 engines for free. That systemic, unrecalled engine pattern holds the score below the clean-recall band.

The volume 2017 Equinox uses the 2.4L Ecotec LEA four with the 6T45 6-speed automatic; a 3.6L V6 was optional. GM revised the pistons and rings for 2014+, but the LEA kept a well-documented reputation for excessive oil consumption, which can starve the timing chain. Owners report adding a quart a week, with engine complaints clustering around 90k miles. The V6 and the 6-speed are comparatively sound, but the volume engine is a known problem family.

This is the second-generation cabin, which had the stitched-look dash when it launched in 2010 but was dated by 2017. Its hard plastics trailed the CX-5, CR-V and Escape. It is competitive in low-touch areas but unremarkable for the money.

As the eighth year of a long-running design built at CAMI Ingersoll, the 2017's assembly was mature and consistent. Its J.D. Power Quality & Reliability score of 89 beats the 2018 launch year's 82, and it has no manufacturing-defect recalls.

Chevrolet has the largest single-brand mainstream dealer network in the US (roughly 2,800-3,000 franchised stores), with dense rural coverage and generally solid service satisfaction.

The second-generation Equinox sold in very high volume and shares its 2.4L Ecotec, 3.6L V6 and 6T45 with the Terrain, Captiva Sport, Malibu and others. Parts are cheap and plentiful, with broad aftermarket and independent-shop support. Oil-consumption-related engine repairs are the cost risk.

One 7-inch MyLink touchscreen across the line; no larger screen offered.

The older MyLink is simple and keeps physical climate/audio knobs, but it is laggy and dated next to 2017 rivals' systems. The busy, button-heavy center stack was a common complaint.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto, wired or wireless, was offered on any 2017 Equinox. Projection arrived only with the 2018 redesign.

Basic Bluetooth voice commands, with embedded navigation optional only on upper trims. OnStar turn-by-turn is subscription-based, and there is no phone projection to fall back on.

The base six-speaker system is adequate. An eight-speaker Pioneer premium system is available on upper trims, a modest step up.

Analog gauges with a small monochrome/basic driver information center; no configurable digital cluster offered.

There are no over-the-air software updates. Infotainment and nav map updates need a dealer visit or USB.

OnStar 4G LTE with a Wi-Fi hotspot is standard. The myChevrolet/RemoteLink app handles lock/unlock and remote start, subscription-gated after the trial; there is no digital key.

USB-A ports up front plus 12V outlets, with no USB-C and no wireless charging. A 110V outlet is fitted only on upper trims.

Volume trims use a traditional keyed ignition. Remote start comes with the LT Convenience package or Premier, and a programmable power liftgate on upper trims; no phone-as-key.

A rear-vision camera is standard, but its resolution is low by modern standards. Rear park assist and rear cross-traffic alert are on upper trims only, with no surround-view camera.

No head-up display offered on any 2017 Equinox trim.

Wide rear doors, 39.9 in of rear legroom and a sliding rear bench make rear-facing seats easy. IIHS rates LATCH ease of use only Acceptable, and the 31.5 cu ft hold is tight for a stroller plus gear.

NHTSA rates it 4 stars overall, and it scores Good on IIHS small overlap. Automatic emergency braking is not available at any price, and FCW/LDW/blind-spot are optional only.

A roomy reclining rear seat, a quiet cabin and an optional rear-seat DVD system suit trips. There are no rear vents on some trims or rear USB charging, and luggage space with seats up is small.

The soft ride and smooth six-speed automatic are easy in traffic. The heavy (~3,760 lb) body and 182-hp 2.4L feel sluggish when merging, and thick rear pillars hurt visibility.

25 MPG combined (FWD 2.4L) on regular fuel was par to slightly below the 2017 class (CR-V 28–29, RAV4 25–26).

It is long for the class at 187.8 in, with a 40-ft turning circle and limited rear visibility. A rear camera is standard, but sensors are upper-trim only.

The 2.4L tows only 1,500 lbs; the optional V6 is rated for 3,500 lbs. Payload is about 1,180 lbs and the cargo hold is modest.

Common GM components and a large fleet presence help, but the 2.4L Ecotec's oil-consumption history and a consumer-oriented cabin limit hard-use credibility.

Roof rails on LT and up, cargo tie-downs and a dealer hitch, plus a 110V outlet on upper trims. Otherwise there are few work-specific provisions.

A quiet, soft-riding cabin and ~470-mile range (18.8 gal) make it a decent highway cruiser. There is no adaptive cruise or lane-keep to reduce fatigue.

On-demand AWD is available and roof rails on LT+, but ground clearance is only 6.9 in and there is no off-road trim. The 2.4L's 1,500-lb tow rating limits toys.

The sliding 60/40 rear seat and roof rails add flexibility, but 63.7 cu ft max is below class leaders and the seats don't fold fully flat.

Secure and predictable, but the heavy body leans in corners and feels ponderous next to the CX-5 and Escape.

Electric power steering is light and accurate enough but numb, typical of the class.

Four-wheel discs with adequate stopping power. Instrumented stops for the heavy second-gen Equinox were mid-pack to long, around 125–130 ft from 60 mph.

The six-speed automatic shifts smoothly, but the 182-hp 2.4L strains to move ~3,760 lbs (0–60 in ~9.5 s) and the transmission is slow to kick down. The optional V6 is far stronger.

Active noise cancellation keeps the 2.4L quiet at cruise, but it gets loud and coarse under hard acceleration.

A wide turning circle for a compact SUV, driven by the long 112.5-in wheelbase.

There is a commanding seat height with ample headroom. Thick rear pillars cut visibility, and the button-heavy center stack and short front legroom (41.2 in) count against it.

With the volume 2.4L it is an appliance: slow, uninvolving and tuned purely for comfort. The V6 adds some verve.

Every trim gets a rearview camera, OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi and MyLink infotainment. However, automatic emergency braking was not available at all; forward collision alert and lane departure warning were optional on upper trims only, while rivals such as the 2017 RAV4 made Toyota Safety Sense standard. It is competitive on comfort features and behind on safety tech.

The sticker price is low ($23,995–$32,685 delivered). An available 301-hp 3.6L V6, rare in the class, gives strong performance per dollar. Large closeout incentives on the outgoing generation pushed transaction prices down further. An aging cabin, the missing AEB and weak resale hold it at fair-to-good value.

There are four trims (L, LS, LT, Premier), FWD or AWD (the L is FWD-only), and two engines, the 182-hp 2.4L I4 and the 301-hp 3.6L V6 on LT/Premier. That is a reasonable ladder with a V6 choice most rivals lack, but there is no hybrid and options are package-bound.

Even in its final year the second-gen Equinox sold strongly. Calendar 2017 US sales reached about 290,000 (overlapping with the new 2018 launch), making it Chevrolet's top crossover and a top-five compact SUV behind the RAV4, Rogue, CR-V and Escape.

Chevrolet is a familiar mainstream brand with a vast dealer network, but its crossovers lack the resale reputation and loyalty of Toyota, Honda or Subaru. A heavy rental-fleet presence and the 2.4L oil-consumption reputation of this generation soften the image.

As the run-out year of the outgoing generation, the 2017 Equinox carried steady cash, bonus-cash and 0% GM Financial offers that deepened as the all-new 2018 arrived. That made big discounts easy to find without being distress pricing.

2017 was the eighth and final year of a generation that launched for MY2010 and was refreshed only for 2016. Its platform, interior and driver-assist tech were dated, and an all-new third generation replaced it for 2018, so buyers faced an immediate redesign.

Reviewers credited the quiet ride, roomy rear seat and strong V6, but criticized the sluggish 2.4L, mediocre real-world economy, poor rear visibility and dated cabin. By 2017 it routinely ranked in the lower half of compact SUV comparisons and won no major awards.