2020 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2021 Ford Explorer

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premier trim, equipped with a more powerful engine, all-wheel drive (AWD), a power panoramic sunroof, and a Confidence and Convenience II option package, had a price tag of $40,040, including the $1,195 destination charge. While this seemed steep, Chevrolet factored in expected rebates and incentives, such as a $4,500 discount at the time. The Equinox Premier boasted a clean design with 19-inch wheels, gray contrast cladding, roof rails, and extra chrome detailing, giving it a sophisticated look without overt SUV styling cues.

Inside, the Equinox Premier featured a high-contrast cabin with Jet Black and Brandy leather, a panoramic glass sunroof, and polished metallic interior accents. Despite its upscale appearance, the interior felt less premium due to the prevalence of hard and shiny plastic. This was more acceptable at a lower price point, but less so with a sticker price starting with the number “4.”

The 2021 Ford Explorer followed Ford’s “small, medium, large, XL” approach to SUV production, bearing a family resemblance to other Ford SUVs. The Explorer’s exterior was sporty with raked belt lines and distinctive visages, though it could be mistaken for the Edge at a quick glance. The Explorer offered six trim levels, from the base model to the Platinum, with prices ranging from $32,925 to $52,730. The exterior and interior quality improved with higher trims.

Inside, the Explorer provided three rows of seats as standard, with cloth upholstery on the base model. The dash was clean, featuring familiar gauges, an 8-inch LCD touchscreen, and large knobs and buttons for the audio system and climate controls. The center console housed a rotary gearshift, freeing up space for storage. The XLT trim, the most popular, offered better equipment like a power front passenger seat and nicer finishes, while leather upholstery was standard on higher trims.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered two engine options. The standard turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine produced 170 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 203 pound-feet of torque between 2,500 rpm and 4,500 rpm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine, available in both FWD and AWD, averaged 24.3 mpg in AWD, below the EPA’s 28 mpg combined rating. For better performance and towing capacity, the 2.0-liter turbo engine was the choice, delivering 252 hp at 5,500 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque between 2,500 and 4,500 rpm, with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This version averaged 22.1 mpg, slightly below the EPA’s 24 mpg combined rating. Both versions had firm ride qualities and more road and wind noise than desirable, with the Premier’s 19-inch wheels providing a more athletic feel on winding roads.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, weighing 4,345 pounds at its lightest, featured a base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Limited Hybrid trim offered a V6 hybrid drivetrain with 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims featured a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, with the sport-oriented Explorer ST offering 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer excelled in towing, with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds, depending on the trim and engine, making it suitable for towing an 18-foot dual axle Airstream.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox LS had cloth upholstery with a 10-way power driver’s seat, while the Premier trim featured leather, an 8-way power front passenger’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. Both trims were comfortable but could benefit from longer seat cushions for better thigh support. The Equinox’s sliding rear seat maximized passenger or cargo space, with generous legroom in the rearmost position. Cargo volume was 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The cabin offered ample storage with a large center console storage bin and various bins, trays, and cubbies.

The 2021 Ford Explorer had seating for seven in the base trim, with captain’s chairs in the second row for other trims, reducing capacity to six. The Explorer offered 39 inches of legroom for second-row passengers, ahead of some competitors but behind others like the Kia Telluride. With the third row deployed, the Explorer provided 21 cubic feet of cargo space, but overall cargo volume with the rear seats folded was 81 cubic feet, comparable to smaller SUVs.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered several infotainment systems with 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen displays, all including Bluetooth pairing for two devices, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and Chevrolet Connected Access services. Upgrades included a high-definition display, cloud connectivity, improved voice recognition, HD Radio, satellite radio, navigation, and a Bose premium sound system. The Premier trim had the larger high-definition 8-inch touchscreen and Bose sound system, with intuitive and easy-to-use technology. Additional features included wireless smartphone charging and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2021 Ford Explorer’s base trim featured an 8-inch touchscreen with AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, and a six-speaker audio system. The Limited trim added a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and HD radio, with higher trims offering a 10.1-inch touchscreen and up to 14 speakers. The Explorer provided charging access from two USB ports in the center console and five 12-volt power points, with the ST trim replacing one with a 110-volt AC power outlet. From the Limited trim up, a wireless charging pad was included.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a safe following distance monitor, and automatic high-beam headlights. Additional features included a reversing camera, rear-seat reminder system, and Teen Driver technology. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, lane change warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic warning, and a Safety Alert Seat. The Equinox earned top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and an “Acceptable” rating for adaptive headlights. The Explorer’s Ford Co-Pilot360 suite included auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic brake support. Higher trims offered additional features like adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and speed sign recognition.