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Look
at the Chevrolet Equinox dead on, and it has almost a happy
face. It should. This long-awaited son of Blazer is aiming
its sights squarely at some older rivals in the compact
sport utility category -- namely Ford Escape, Honda CR-V,
and various Jeep models, plus some upstart newcomers. That's
a lot of scuffle to entertain while coming out of the chute.
Equinox,
which debuted as an '05 several months ago, has established
its position as the new kid to beat for lots of reasons:
Trendy styling that's smooth but not sissy, standard 3.4-liter
V-6 powerplant with 185-HP, and sporty handling on 16-inch
wheels that are sturdy enough for those necessary SUV jobs
(hauling kids, cargo, a canoe on top, perhaps). Inside are
the kinds of innovations that confirm someone at Chevy's
parent company, General Motors, was thinking clearly when
the okay was given. The Equinox, which bumped away the last
vestiges of its predecessor Blazer, perfectly fills the
compact SUV bill, with its comfort-oriented, car-like underpinnings.
Add the longest wheelbase in class, a sliding rear seat
for added legroom, seating that's actually easy to get into
and out of, a flat-fold front passenger seat, and even cargo
shelving that's stackable over the main trunk area floor.
Among high tech advances are responsive, power assist steering
and optional side curtain airbags to protect all five passengers
when loaded.
With
a base price in the $21 K range, sweetened with some attractive
incentive candy no doubt, it's no wonder this cute ute is
smiling.
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