2021 Honda CR-V vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2021 Honda CR-V had a design that blended into the crowded compact crossover market. Its styling was nearly identical to its competitors, with only minor details like the grille and some chromed plastic features setting it apart. The color options were limited, especially for the base LX trim, which only offered black, silver, and white. The interior was modern, with angular seats and a choice of black, gray, or ivory cloth or leather, depending on the trim level. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered more distinctive styling, particularly in mid-tier trims.

In contrast, the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured a refreshed look with a new grille, LED headlights, and subtle changes to the rear fascia. The design was more upright and chunkier, with large fake air intakes flanking the grille. The Equinox maintained a car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of some competitors. Inside, the dashboard had a creative design with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center. The RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, giving it a bit more personality. However, the black interior felt too subdued.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not known for its thrilling performance but offered smooth and steady acceleration with its 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It took about 7.8 seconds to reach 60 mph, which was competitive within its class. The CR-V's continuously variable transmission (CVT) provided a predictable driving experience, though it lacked the engagement of conventional automatic transmissions found in competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The CR-V's suspension setup provided decent handling and ride quality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. It used a six-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive optional. The Equinox had more torque than most rivals, making it responsive in city driving. However, the engine felt coarse and unresponsive at higher speeds, and the transmission's shifts were rough. The Equinox lacked the sporty handling of the Mazda CX-5 and the refinement of the Honda CR-V, though it was comfortable on poorly maintained roads.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was designed to fit five people comfortably and carry their gear. It offered 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The tailgate options varied by trim, with the Touring trim offering a hands-free power tailgate. Roof rails were standard only on the top Touring trim. The CR-V's interior space and cargo capacity were competitive within its class.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox also seated five across two rows, with decent headroom and second-row legroom. However, front seat legroom was slightly lacking, and the lack of a telescoping steering wheel made finding a comfortable driving position challenging. The Equinox offered a tall seating position and good forward visibility, though rear visibility was hampered by the small rear window. Cargo space was 29.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked features like a sliding second-row seat.

The 2021 Honda CR-V's base LX trim had a 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity, while higher trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The audio system varied by trim, with the Touring trim offering a 300-watt system with a subwoofer. Charging ports were plentiful, with USB ports and a 12-volt outlet in the front console, and additional USB ports in the second row. The Touring trim added a wireless phone charger.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trims got an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with large menu icons and good screen graphics. The Equinox also offered multiple USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for phones was too small.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing system, which included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard from the EX trim onwards.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but got a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The NHTSA gave it a five-star overall safety rating. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy's Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.