If you’re looking for a versatile compact SUV that you can use to commute to the office, run errands after you clock out, and head out for adventures on the weekends, you might be considering heading down to your local Chevy dealer to test drive an Equinox. In a crowded field, the Equinox stands out as an affordable and well-rounded option. However, the Equinox isn’t just a single vehicle anymore since Chevrolet has expanded the nameplate’s lineup with the new 2024 Equinox EV.
As you might expect, the Equinox EV is also a compact SUV, but one that has an all-electric powertrain instead of a gas-powered engine. But the Equinox EV isn’t just an Equinox body with an electric motor instead of an engine—there are other major details that differentiate it from the Equinox. If you’re deciding whether to stick with the classic Equinox or go green with the Equinox EV, you’ll definitely want to read on as we take a closer look at eight things that these sibling SUVs do differently.
#1 – Style
Looking at the two SUVs, it’s very clear that they are two distinct models. While the Equinox looks very much like a traditional compact crossover, fitting in with the design language used by many of its competitors, the Equinox EV is going for a cutting-edge look. It has sleek slits for headlights, slim tail lights that run across almost the entire width of the liftgate, and a unique grille that has a whole different shape and pattern from the one on the Equinox.
#2 – Dimensions
The Equinox EV may share a name with the gas-powered Equinox, but it doesn’t share its predecessor’s body. Instead, it was built from the ground up to be an EV. However, Chevy also built it to be part of the Equinox family, so the dimensions are pretty similar. The Equinox EV is 7.3 inches longer, two inches wider, and 0.8 inches lower than the Equinox. This translates to more legroom up front, although the normal Equinox actually has more headroom.
The Equinox EV also doesn’t have as much cargo space. While the Equinox has 63.9 cu.ft. of cargo volume, the Equinox EV has 57.2 cu.ft. The Equinox EV doesn’t just have different basic dimensions than the Equinox—it also has a different shape. Of particular importance is the fact that the liftgate has a significant slope near the top. This means that the Equinox EV still offers a large footprint for cargo space but might present a problem if you need to transport something particularly bulky.
#3 – Power
The 2024 Equinox is powered by a turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder engine that produces 175 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque. This setup allows the SUV to go from zero to 60 mph in around eight seconds, which is fine for driving around town but can definitely feel a bit slow if you need to accelerate to highway speeds or pass a vehicle on a two-lane rural road. The Equinox is offered with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, but choosing one over the other doesn’t affect the system’s overall power—it just distributes it between the wheels differently. If you’re familiar with the difference between FWD and AWD on traditional vehicles, you might think that this point is a bit obvious, but that’s not the case when comparing the Equinox to its electrified counterpart.
The Equinox EV can also be had with FWD or AWD, but the difference between the two setups is more complicated than it is on the Equinox. That’s because the FWD setup uses a single electric motor, while AWD models have two motors (one powering each axle). FWD models produce 213 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, making them a bit quicker than the traditional Equinox, but not dramatically so, with a zero to 60 mph time of 7.7 seconds instead of eight seconds. However, the AWD version is a big upgrade when it comes to performance, offering 288 hp, 333 lb-ft of torque, and a zero to 60 mph time of just 5.8 seconds.
#4 – Fuel Economy
According to the EPA, the average 2024 vehicle gets 28 MPG. That makes the Equinox exactly average since it gets 26 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway, coming together for a rating of 28 MPG combined. If you upgrade to AWD, that figure drops down to 26 MPG combined. Of course, the Equinox EV doesn’t use gasoline at all, but the EPA uses a stat called miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) to help compare EVs to traditional vehicles. The Equinox EV gets 108 MPGe with FWD and 96 MPGe with AWD, clearly making it the more efficient option.
#5 – Range
The 2024 Equinox EV offers solid range for an electric vehicle. The FWD version gets an estimated 319 miles of range, which is plenty for most drivers, even those with longer commutes. Getting AWD drops that down to 285 miles, but that should still be easy to live with, especially if you’re able to get a charging station installed at home. However, there’s no denying that the gas-powered Equinox can go further on a tank of gas than the Equinox EV can on a full charge, with an estimated range of 417 miles with FWD and 406 miles with AWD. Filling a tank of gas also takes less time, although the Equinox EV can still be charged fairly quickly at public DC fast charging stations, where you can get about 70 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes.
#6 – Tech
The 2024 Equinox EV is definitely designed to be a futuristic model, so it shouldn’t come as a shock to learn that it has a bigger touchscreen than the 2024 Equinox. While the gas-powered model has a standard seven-inch touchscreen that only gets as big as eight inches if you upgrade, the Equinox EV comes standard with a 17.7-inch touchscreen and an 11-inch digital gauge cluster behind the wheel. This system also features Google Built-In, which lets you use navigation apps, music streaming, and other services from Google through the EV’s interface. However, you should know that this feature replaces Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are standard on the 2024 Equinox.
#7 – Price
The Equinox has long been an affordable choice for drivers on a budget. The base LS trim of the 2024 model has a starting price of just $26,600, and the top-tier Premier trim starts at $31,800. The LT and RS trims offer choices somewhere in between, so drivers can choose the one that works for their budget. The base 1LT trim on the 2024 Equinox EV is more expensive than the highest level Equinox trim, starting at $33,600. The trim levels on the Equinox EV also have a wider range of prices, with the top-tier 3RS starting at $45,400 and the 2LT, 3LT, and 2RS filling out the middle. Basically, the Equinox EV is affordable for an electric vehicle but expensive for an Equinox. However, the available EV tax credits and incentives can go a long way towards closing that gap, and the lower operating costs of electric vehicles will help save even more money in the long run.
