If you find yourself struggling to decide which new SUV is right for you, you’re at the right place. Here, we’re taking a look at an interesting battle: the 2020 Chevy Equinox vs 2020 Nissan Rogue. These crossover vehicles are very similar, so you may wonder which one is the best bang for your buck. The only way to know for sure is to take a closer look at the specs, the prices, and the aesthetic appeal. To save you some time and research, we have compiled the most important facts about the 2020 Equinox and the 2020 Rogue. They’re quite similar, but there are enough important differences to sway your decision. With that information out of the way, let’s go ahead and start comparing these two models.
Exterior
The 2020 Equinox
Let’s start with the shell. The 2020 Chevy Equinox comes in 10 colors, including Cajun Red, Iridescent Pearl, Pacific Blue, Nightfall Gray, Silver Ice, Chocolate, Summit White, Mosaic Black, Cayenne Orange, and Midnight Blue. You can purchase the Equinox in two different editions, the Midnight Edition, and the Redline Edition. The Equinox also comes in 3 different trim options, which include the lowest LS, the LT, and the Premier.
The Midnight Edition comes with Jet Black perforated leather seating, 19-inch Gloss Black aluminum wheels, a unique black grille, front fog lamps with black bezel surround, and front and rear black bowtie emblems. This is a great option for blackout drivers. The Redline edition, on the other hand, comes with a black grille, 19-inch black wheels with red accents, black mirror caps, black window surround, black bowtie emblems, and Equinox badges with red outlines. This package pairs great with the Cajun Red exterior coat.
The standard Equinox comes with 18-inch bright machined aluminum wheels with Sparkle Silver pockets, but you can upgrade to three different wheels. These include 19-inch versions of the Sparkle Silver pocketed wheels, and the aforementioned wheels that come with the Midnight and Redline additions. There are a plethora of exterior add-on options, which include bright wheel locks, a panoramic power sunroof, roof rack cross rails, molded assist steps, rear splash guards, a bright rear bumper protector, and an illuminated black bowtie emblem.
The 2020 Nissan Rogue
The 2020 Nissan Rogue comes in 9 colors, which include white, silver, gray, black, red, blue, orange, brown, and green. The Rogue comes in a premium package option, which includes upgraded wheels and tires. There are no specific special editions of the Rogue, but it does come in 3 different trims. These trims include the Rogue S, the Rogue SV, and the Rogue SL. Each of these is available in either all-wheel drive (AWD) or front-wheel drive (FWD). The Premier trim comes with larger 19-inch wheels, and the lower trims come with 17-inch wheels. The SL definitely has the sportiest look, with more body details and larger wheels and tires.
As far as exterior accessories go, the Rogue does come with kayak-specific top rain carriers. These are installed upon purchase and will fold down when they’re not being used. This is a helpful accessory for outdoorsy drivers.
Interior
The 2020 Chevy Equinox
There’s a lot to say about the Equinox’s interior, so hang tight. As far as tech stuff goes, this model comes with a Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System that you can get with or without navigation. You can also add rear seat Infotainment systems, either with or without a DVD player. Lastly, you can get an HD radio with a 7-speaker Bose sound system. Overall, the Equinox is packed with great tech for its price.
Now for the aesthetic and practicality features. All 2020 Equinox’s come with front bucket seats and options for ventilated front seats. The Equinox also offers 8-way powered seats for maximum comfort. Oh, and if you’re feeling really proud of your ride, you can even get embroidered front row headrests that read “Equinox.” A heated steering wheel, tablet holders, cargo nets, and floor mats are also optional. The Premium trim comes in either black/brandy leather interior, Black, or Ash Gray. The LS comes in Ash Gray cloth, and the LT comes in Ash Gray or Jet Black. Lastly, you can add a smoker’s package, which comes with a lighter and a cup holder-mounted ashtray.
The 2020 Nissan Rogue
Like the Equinox, the Rogue comes with a Bose sound system, Bluetooth audio, and a Navigation system. It also comes with zero gravity seats, but instead of 8-way powered seats, the Rogue comes with 4-way powered seats. There aren’t any options for Infotainment add-ons, so if that’s a dealbreaker, the Equinox is your best bet here. The Rogue’s interior is more basic than the Equinox’s. The SL trim comes in black or tan interior, the SV comes in charcoal cloth, but the Caspian Blue exterior comes with a tan interior, and the base-level S only comes with charcoal cloth. The options are somewhat limiting, but their neutrality does make it easy to match them to your choice of exterior color.
Mechanical Aspects, Mileage, And Pricing
The 2020 Chevy Equinox
Now that we’ve covered aesthetics, let’s take a look at the most important aspects. Performance, mileage, and pricing are all top concerns for buyers, so we’ll summarize the important stuff for you. First, the Equinox comes in either a 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission, or a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The LS is only available in the 1.5-liter engine. The Equinox comes in either all-wheel drive (AWD) or front-wheel drive (FWD). The best part about the Equinox is that it has a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds at the highest trim level. Since it’s a smaller SUV, this is actually a nice perk.
The Equinox gets 26 miles per gallon in the city, and 31 on the highway. There are 6 different starting prices for the Equinox due to its AWD/FWD diversity. The FWD L trim starts at $23,800, and it does not come in AWD. The FWD LS starts off at $26,300, and the AWD begins at $27,900. The FWD LT MSRPs for $27,500, and the AWD starts at $29,100. Finally, the FWD Premier starts at $31,400, and the AWD version starts at $33,000, being the most expensive trim. In short, you can get an Equinox anywhere from $23,800 to $33,000, depending on your personal preferences and customization choices.
The 2020 Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue gets an average of 26 MPG in the city, and 33 on the highway. It has a 2.5 4-cylinder engine, with automatic transmission. As far as prices go, they’re similar to the Equinox. FWD S starts at $25,490, and the AWD at $26,840. The SV begins at $26,870 and the AWD starts out at $28,220. Finally, the FWD SL lists for $31,840, and the AWD at $33,190. So, the cheapest trim is a little over $3,000 more than the cheapest Equinox trim, but the most expensive Rogue trim is only $190 more than the priciest Equinox trim. In short, the Equinox is for sure the better deal if you’re looking at the lowest trim options.
The Winner?
Overall, the 2020 Equinox is the better buy. It has more color and exterior customization options, its interior is more diverse, it has many entertainment options, and you can buy it for a cheaper price. The Rogue is great competition, and it’s definitely nice to look at, but it’s pricier with fewer available add-on options. Both SUVs are great, but Chevy takes the cake this time.
