Whether zipping through town on your way to work, picking up kids after school, or going out to enjoy yourself on the weekend, few vehicles are as perfectly suited to every lifestyle as a compact crossover SUV. It’s no surprise that the Chevy Equinox is one of Chevrolet’s most popular models, being surpassed in sales only by the Silverado series of trucks. Before you head to a Chevy dealer near you looking for one of these vehicles, it’s worth taking some time to consider your options and make sure you know what you want—especially now that the standard Equinox is being joined by an all-electric Equinox EV model.
Knowing exactly what you need in a vehicle can be tricky, but it’s vital for making sure you get what you want and drive away completely happy. While I can’t tell you what you need, I can take you through your Equinox options to explore what each of them offers and make that part of things easier. Today, I’m going to go over both the standard Chevy Equinox and the Equinox EV, with an eye on what you can expect from each trim level on both models to make it easier to consider your options and get the perfect vehicle.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox
There aren’t many huge changes for the Chevy Equinox for 2024, which is no surprise since it’s already such a fantastic vehicle. You have four trims to choose from, though they all come with the same engine and overall performance. Let’s take a look at each one to see what they bring to the road for you.
The Equinox LS
The starting trim for the Equinox is the LS, which includes all of the standard features and options. With the LS, you get a 1.5L Turbo 4-cylinder engine that delivers 175 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty of power for a small crossover like this. It comes with 17-inch wheels and the Chevy Safety Assist suite of features, including a Forward Collision Alert with Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist with a Lane Departure Warning, and more. Inside the LS are a 7-inch infotainment display, a 3.5-inch monochromatic driver information screen, a six-speaker sound system, and cloth seating with four-way manual seats.
The Equinox LT
Moving up from the LS, we have the LT and several improvements, including additional safety technology like the available Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert and available Front and Rear Park Assist. While the LT still has cloth seating, it features available heated front seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. You’ll also find an available wrapped steering wheel, a standard 4.2-inch multi-color driver information screen, and an available remote start function with the standard keyless open and keyless start features.
The Equinox RS
If you like the features of the LT but want to kick up the style of your Equinox a bit, then the RS is a great choice. This model comes with 19-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in all-season tires, RS badging, and stylish exterior touches like front and rear black bowtie emblems. Inside, available Jet Black with Red accents and perforated leather-appointed seating sets the RS apart and adds to its gorgeous overall feel.
The Equinox Premier
The Premier is the pinnacle trim for the Chevy Equinox and gives you all the features and options you could want. For example, the Premier comes with a standard hands-free gesture rear liftgate that makes loading and unloading your vehicle easier, along with heated power outside mirrors with integrated turn signals to improve your visibility and signal to other drivers. You get an 8-inch infotainment display inside the Premier, with perforated leather-appointed seating, a heated steering wheel, and a wireless charging pad.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV
If you’re interested in taking your first steps into the all-electric future of the auto industry, then the Equinox EV is a fantastic choice. In the same way the standard Equinox provides a budget-friendly option with a great driving experience, the Equinox EV is an accessible and practical electrified crossover that’s also fun to drive. You have five different trims available here, but there are really three levels and two style options on the higher 2 and 3 trims, so let’s take a quick look at each one.
The Equinox EV 1LT
The starting point for the Equinox EV, the 1LT has standard features, including 19-inch wheels, front-wheel drive (FWD) with a single motor that delivers 210 hp and 242 lb-ft of torque, and an estimated 250 miles of range from a full charge. Standard safety features on the Equinox EV include Chevy Safety Assist with all of the same great technology as the Equinox, along with Rear Park Assist, Reverse Automatic Braking, and much more. Inside the 1LT, you’ll find an 11-inch infotainment display paired with an 11-inch driver information screen, along with manually-adjustable front seats.
The Equinox EV 2LT/2RS
You get a number of improvements by moving up to the 2LT, which makes it a fantastic choice if you want a superior experience while still sticking to a budget. This model comes with FWD and the same overall performance as the 1LT, but its enhanced battery system gets an estimated 300 miles from a full charge. 19-inch wheels remain standard on the 2LT, while the 2RS comes with 20-inch dark aluminum wheels. You also get a front LED light bar, heated outside mirrors, and more available options than the 1LT. Inside this model, you’ll find an eight-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and more.
The differences between the LT and RS models largely come down to the kind of style you can get on them. For example, the 2LT has a two-tone white roof available, while the 2RS has a black roof instead. You can also get a black interior with red accents or an Adrenaline Red interior on the 2RS model, whereas the 2LT has a black interior with blue accents or a Sky Cool Gray interior available instead. Otherwise, the actual features and tech on them are quite similar.
The Equinox EV 3LT/3RS
Here we have the pinnacle experience for the Equinox EV, and much like the 2 levels above, you can choose either LT or RS styling. Much like the 2 models, the 3LT and 3RS have the same FWD performance standard, with electric all-wheel drive (eAWD) available. I should note that eAWD is offered on all trim levels, so keep that in mind, and it boosts performance up to 290 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque while getting an estimated 280 miles of range from a full charge. Choosing a 3RS model with eAWD gives you 19.2 kW Level 2 charging, compared to 11.5 kW Level 2 charging on all other models, letting it get about 51 miles of range from one hour of charging—you can get about 34 miles from an hour of charge with other ones.
Inside the 3LT and 3RS models, you’ll find an eight-way power driver’s seat and six-way power front-passenger seat, with heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. These models come with a heated steering wheel—a flat-bottom one for the 3RS—along with a massive 17.7-inch infotainment display and an available head-up display. These two come with 21-inch wheels and more great options, plus you can choose a black interior with blue or red accents for the LT and RS, respectively.
What Comes Next?
Now comes the tricky part: sorting through all of these fantastic options to choose the one that’s right for you. If you’re not in a situation where you can get the most from an EV model just yet, then the tried and true Equinox is likely the way to go. That being said, it’s impossible to deny the incredible performance and gorgeous style of the Equinox EV, not to mention all of the impressive tech features Chevy has loaded it up with—so if you have the infrastructure around you to take advantage of an EV model, then it’s a tremendous starting option. You can’t go wrong with any Equinox model we looked at; you just have to decide which will best meet your needs.
