The Chevrolet Equinox is the bowtie brand’s bread-and-butter compact SUV, aimed at the heart of the market. It takes on heavy hitters such as the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, the Mazda CX-5, and the Nissan Rogue. Chevrolet offers the 2026 Equinox in LT, Activ, and RS trim levels, and we cover the Equinox EV, a distinct electric vehicle, separately.
2026 Chevrolet Equinox Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox
After a redesign for 2025, the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox gets very few changes. A new Polar White exterior color is available, and a drive-mode selector dial is now standard across all trim levels. The 2025 redesign gave the Equinox a slightly larger footprint, updated its interior technology with a larger screen, and added the off-road-styled Activ trim level.
Design
The Equinox is the more traditional of the brand’s two mainstream compact SUVs, while the Blazer is the style leader with a sportier look. Still, the Equinox has some flair, with a slight Coke-bottle shape to the flanks, a floating-roof look at the rear, and a unique grille for each trim level. Dark wheel arches and rocker panels suggest some rugged capability, but the Equinox isn’t really an off-roader, even in Activ trim with all-terrain tires. The RS looks sportier thanks to 19-inch wheels, a darker grille, and black mirror caps.
Powertrain
Every Equinox is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that spins up 175 horsepower. With front-wheel drive (FWD), torque output is 183 pound-feet, but that increases to 203 lb-ft with all-wheel drive (AWD). FWD models employ a continuously variable automatic transmission, while AWD versions use a conventional eight-speed automatic. The AWD system is rudimentary, and requires activation using a button on the dash. The FWD Equinox can tow just 800 pounds, but that increases to 2,000 pounds with AWD. Fuel economy comes in at an EPA-rated 26 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, 27 mpg combined with FWD and 25/29/26 mpg with AWD.
Interior
Front-seat occupants sit on standard heated seats with cloth upholstery and manual adjustments in the LT model. The Activ and the RS get a power driver’s seat, with the upholstery changing to suede microfiber in the Activ and synthetic leather in the RS. A heated steering wheel is standard, and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a dual-pane sunroof are available. The Equinox has good cargo space, with 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and up to 63.5 cubic feet behind the front row.
Technology
Equinox buyers get an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. Also standard are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a trial satellite radio subscription. A six-speaker audio system is standard, and the Activ and RS models include a wireless smartphone charger. Chevrolet doesn’t offer a premium audio system, but a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot is available with a subscription.
Safety
Every Chevy Equinox comes with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitors with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, rear-park assist, and Safety Alert driver’s seat (a General Motors feature) that vibrates in the direction of a potential hazard. A Safety and Technology package adds rear-pedestrian alert, traffic-sign recognition, and a surround-view camera system. This generation of the Equinox hadn't been crash-tested at the time of writing.
Pricing and Release Date
At the time of writing, the LT FWD started at $30,795, the Activ at $35,595, and the RS at the same $35,595, all including a $1,995 destination fee. AWD adds $2,000 to each model. In addition to the features mentioned above, the LT comes standard with keyless access and remote start, while the Activ and RS variants get automatic wipers, roof rails, dual-zone automatic climate control, a hands-free power liftgate, and a universal garage door opener. The 2026 Equinox is on sale now.
