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Walkaround
The 2007 Chevy Equinox is aerodynamically smoother, thanks to a subtle re-shaping of front and rear fascias as well as the rear spoiler. From the front, Equinox still looks the part of a Chevy truck, with its requisite single-bar grille sporting a large gold Chevrolet bow-tie emblem. But the black mask overlapping the front bumper has shrunken and retreated, which we find a subtle but worthwhile aesthetic improvement.
It's harder to see the difference in the rear spoiler. And in side view, Equinox looks pretty much the same as before. That's good, because we've liked Equinox from that angle since it debuted for '05.
In that broadside view, Equinox looks quite a bit different from the rest of the Chevy truck family. The roof pillars and the sheetmetal above the windows but below the roof seem to be extra-thick, imparting a feeling of extra solidity and strength, important for a truck made on a car platform. When you shut the doors, the sound is more like the muted mating of plastic than the hollow clang of sheetmetal. It's a sound that no other Chevy truck makes.
The doors open wide for easy entry and exit, and the rear gate goes up and out of the way, allowing you to stand fully upright for easy loading of groceries, camping equipment, or dogs.
The Equinox looks solidly planted on its wheels. Equinox is based on a car-type platform, with unit-body construction rather than body on frame for better ride and handling.
Interior Features
Inside, where the people live, work and ride, is where the Chevy Equinox shines when compared to some of its competitors. Up front, Equinox carries flexible net storage pockets on both sides of the center tunnel. The center console/armrest has a small storage cubby and a coin holder for toll money. Dual cupholders pop out of the end of it, but they're flimsy and get in the way of the handbrake. The armrest flips up, providing better access to an open floor console that's a perfect place for a purse, briefcase or tote bag. The floor-mounted cupholder works well, while slots farther to the rear holds CDs angled forward for easy selection.
The Equinox cabin is a clean and functional design. That said, some of the materials and control interfaces we found inside last year's Equinox seemed to us less than bright. Chevrolet has addressed some of our concerns for '07 with a new instrument cluster, center stack, shift knob, steering wheel, and heater and ventilation (HVAC) controls. Window switches are now lighted. Also new for '07 is a standard Driver Information Center that includes more than 20 personalization and vehicle information features, such as trip odometer, fuel range, outside temperature display and door locking programs.
The rear seat rides on a track that allows it to slide back and forth up to eight inches, to bring kids or briefcases closer to the front, or to provide extra legroom for tall second-row passengers. With both front and rear seats in the full rearward positions, there's more rear-passenger legroom in the Equinox than you'll found in many larger SUVs: a full 40.2 inches. With the rear seat full forward, there's 35.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind it. But even with the seat pushed back into limousine position, there's still plenty of room for your stuff. GM calls this innovative feature the Multi-Flex rear seat.
Because the rear seatback is split 60/40, Equinox can transport two rear passengers along with long cargo items. The front passenger seat folds flat, further extending cargo room length. When folded, the hard front seatback can be used as a table or desktop. Rear passengers also enjoy a 12-volt power outlet and, new for '07, a fold-down center armrest with two additional cupholders. Rear head restraints were downscaled last year, improving rearward visibility for the driver.
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