The new 2023 Chevy Equinox has a lot of fresh content for potential compact SUV shoppers to salivate over. If you’re in the market for a new SUV and you’ve been eyeing something along the lines of a Chevy Equinox, but you’re not quite settled yet on what to get and why, don’t worry—the overwhelming options available in today’s market make your feelings completely understandable. First, let’s narrow down your shopping to two new versions of the Equinox, both of which have been introduced for the LS trim in this model year’s lineup: the Midnight Edition and the Sport Edition.
Both of these are all new for 2023 for the base-level trim, meaning that if you were looking into the trim options and you decided that you were going to get an LS, you now have access to these alternative special editions. What do these two new editions bring to the table for the LS, and which one is right for you? Well, if you’re here doing your lab work before you get serious about buying a new Equinox, this article will break down what you need to know, and which one you should go with based on your driving and budget preferences.
Equinox LS Midnight Edition
Keep in mind that the Midnight Edition has been available for the Chevy Equinox for years, but this is the first time you can get the Midnight Edition specifically for the base-level LS trim. Some might think that, because the LS is the base trim for the Equinox, maybe this won’t be a feature-rich iteration of the classic Midnight Edition—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the Midnight Edition has retained most of its signature features for the LS trim.
The Midnight Edition contains an all-blacked-out exterior paint job, giving it a cool Batman-esque look. It features black side mirrors, a black grille with mesh inserts, black bumpers, black cladding, and even black door handles. Essentially, the entire exterior is blacked out; even the bowtie emblems—iconic on Chevy vehicles—have been supplanted by a black color scheme.
The Midnight Edition is also decked out with a cool set of wheels; these even have their own look, coming in an 18-inch, ten-spoke bladed windmill design in gloss black. These are made of aluminum and paired with 28-inch all-season tires. You can only get the Midnight Edition package for the LS trim if you have the Equinox configured in a Mosaic Black Metallic exterior color—so, as the name implies, it’s only available in one color.
Equinox LS Sport Edition
Much like the Midnight Edition, you have been able to get your hands on the Sport Edition for the Equinox for years now; however, the 2023 model has introduced the Sport Edition to the LS trim for the very first time. Before, you had to spring for a higher level trim in order to gain access to the Sport Edition features, but now these same features are only a little extra. So what do you get with the Sport Edition for the LS?
The Sport Edition has many of the same features as the Midnight Edition, including a black bowtie badge in the front and back fascia of the vehicle. The Sport Edition also comes with 18-inch glossy black aluminum wheels in the same spoke design as the Midnight Edition, all built to highlight the athletic appeal of the Sport Edition. A black mesh grille and black door handles with black side mirrors carry over from the Midnight Edition to add to its namesake.
The big difference between the Midnight Edition and the Sport Edition is in the color scheme. Where the Midnight Edition needs to be in Mosaic Black Metallic, the Sport Edition is available in any color—any color other than Mosaic Black Metallic, that is. This means you can deck out the Sport Edition with any of the LS available colors, be it Sterling Gray Metallic, Summit White, Blue Glow Metallic, etcetera.
Midnight or Sport? Which Edition Is Right for Me?
So the big difference between the two special editions basically boils down to the color options. With the Midnight Edition, you’re beholden to getting the LS decked out in the Mosaic Black Metallic color scheme, whereas with the Sport Edition, you can choose to have it in different exterior colors. So the essential answer is in the color you want your 2023 Chevy Equinox to boast, and that more or less determines whether the Midnight Edition or Sport Edition is right for you.
As far as features are concerned, both come with the same content. The other thing to consider is that both have the exact same package price. So if you were attempting to buy one or the other based on budget, you don’t have to worry about it because they’re the same price. Again, it really boils down to your color preference.
You have to ask yourself how important colors are to you. How important is your Equinox’s first impression on friends and other drivers? For some, that may not be important, but for those who see their vehicle as an extension of their identity or personality, it would be critical to factor in your Equinox’s aesthetic before you buy. If you want the Equinox in Mosaic Black, it might make sense to get the Midnight Edition for a few hundred more. However, if you get the Equinox in another exterior color but want the blacked-out features from the Midnight Edition, then the Sport Edition would be the better option.
Third Option: Redline Edition
Some of you might know of the third special edition available for the 2023 Chevy Equinox—the Redline Edition. This comes with sporty five-spoke, 19-inch aluminum wheels with red accents, Redline mirror decals, and a black Chevy bowtie emblem, just like with the Midnight Edition and the Sport Edition. Similar to the Midnight Edition, the Redline Edition also comes with black door handles, black ice interior accents, a Redline-themed black grille, a black surround on the windows, and a black interior headliner.
The Redline Edition is not available in several colors, though, in contrast to the Sport Edition; colors like Iron Gray Metallic, Harvest Bronze Metallic, and Radiant Red Tintcoat are all off the table for the Redline Edition, so you’re rather limited in how it looks, appearance-wise—not unlike the Midnight Edition.
The other thing to consider is that the Redline Edition is only available as a package option for the Premier trim. So if you were interested in getting the LS trim and wanted the Redline Edition, that package is sadly not available in this configuration for this model year. However, it is very similar to the Sport Edition in many ways, aside from the Redline decals and wheels.
Getting the Most From Your 2023 Chevy Equinox
For the 2023 Chevy Equinox, the Midnight Edition and Sport Edition are exclusive to the LS trim. That really says a lot about how much value the LS is getting for this particular model year, as it’s being anchored by such popular special edition packages. If you’re planning on buying new, or you’re planning on buying a used 2023 model year at some point in the future, you will only be able to find the Midnight or Sport Edition in models of the LS trim. It’s not unlike past model years, where the Midnight and Sport Editions were only available for specific trims for that year; in this case, this is the cheapest you’ll be able to get the Midnight Edition or the Sport Edition on a brand-new Chevy Equinox with all of the latest new generation features. So that’s also something to consider as you shop for a new compact SUV.
