2008 Chevrolet Equinox

Although it resembles a small SUV, Chevrolet calls the Equinox a crossover vehicle -- the first in the automaker's lineup. The growing appeal of vehicles like the Equinox lies in the fact that they offer sedan-like handling, ride, and safety features with SUV-like space and towing capability. Chevy makes a point of noting that the Equinox has more space behind the rear seat than the Honda CRV or the Ford Escape, yet the vehicle also excels in front and side-impact crash tests, adding to its appeal as a functional and stylish family vehicle.

Building on these facts, Chevy expands the Equinox lineup for 2008 with the addition of a new Sport version. To improve the sportiness of the new trim, Chevy lowered the ride height, removed the roof rack, added a body-color fascia, and upped the power with a 263-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine, an increase of more than 40 percent over the standard trim's 185-horsepower V6.

Chevy also added a new upscale Equinox LTZ trim, with heated front seats and a premium Pioneer sound system with a CD changer, among other features. It joins the LT1 and LT2 trims in the lineup. All trims come in front-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions.

Other than the new trims, Chevy made only minor changes to the Equinox for 2008. OnStar has been added to the standard equipment list for all trims, with the capability to add OnStar's new GPS satellite navigation system. Chevy also adds a new Electronic Trailer Sway Control feature, integrated into the vehicle's StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System.