2020 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premier, with its Premier trim, all-wheel drive, and a power panoramic sunroof, was priced at $40,040, including destination charges. Despite the high price, Chevrolet often included rebates and incentives to reduce the cost. The Equinox Premier featured a clean design with 19-inch wheels, gray contrast cladding, roof rails, and chrome detailing, giving it a sophisticated look. Inside, the Jet Black and Brandy leather, panoramic sunroof, and metallic accents provided an upscale appearance, though the presence of hard plastic detracted from the overall feel.

In contrast, the 2021 Lexus GX 460 retained its decade-old body shell with updates like the spindle grille and triple-beam LED headlights. The Premium trim came with standard silver 18-inch wheels, while 19-inch wheels were optional. The GX's styling was coherent despite its age, with a massive grille and a tough, aggressive look. However, the interior felt outdated, with wood trim resembling plastic and an abundance of actual plastic. Standard leather upholstery was a plus, but the overall interior did not meet modern luxury SUV standards.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered two engine options. The standard 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine produced 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine provided adequate performance, with an AWD version averaging 24.3 mpg, below the EPA's 28 mpg rating. For better performance and towing capacity, the 2.0-liter turbo engine delivered 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. This version averaged 22.1 mpg, also below the EPA's 24 mpg rating. Both versions had firm ride qualities and more road and wind noise than desired. The Premier's 19-inch wheels made it feel more athletic on winding roads, with well-controlled body motions and natural steering and braking response.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 featured a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX's 5,130-pound weight affected its performance, requiring careful planning for merging and overtaking. The ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, with low grip and body roll in corners. The GX excelled in off-road capability, with a Torsen center differential, low-range 4WD, and driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added features like a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, and Crawl Control. The GX had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered comfortable seating with cloth upholstery in the LS trim and leather in the Premier trim. The Premier trim included heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. The sliding rear seat maximized passenger or cargo space, with generous legroom in the rear. Cargo volume measured 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The cabin had ample storage, including a large center console storage bin and various bins, trays, and cubbies.

The 2021 Lexus GX's interior ergonomics felt outdated, with an upright dashboard and high center console limiting legroom. The steering wheel's odd angle and tall seating position felt bus-like. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, but forward visibility was limited by the tall hood. The center-console storage bin, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders were small. The GX came standard with three rows of seating, with a power-folding third row available on higher trims. However, the third row was best for children, and accessing it was difficult. Cargo space with the second and third rows folded was 64.7 cubic feet, less than the Land Rover Discovery's 73.0 cubic feet.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox offered several infotainment systems with 7-inch or 8-inch touchscreen displays. All systems included Bluetooth pairing, 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 Equinox's technology was intuitive and easy to use, with wireless smartphone charging and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system available.

The 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, with standard Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. The standard infotainment system had outdated graphics and limited functions. Below the main screen was a seven-segment display for time and temperature. The GX included analog controls for most functions, providing a refreshing alternative to screen-centric interfaces. A 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system was available.

The 2020 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, a safe following distance monitor, and automatic high-beam headlights. A reversing camera, rear-seat reminder system, and Teen Driver technology were also standard. Upgrades included adaptive cruise control, 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 Lexus GX 460 included the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some safety features available in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist. The GX had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS.