2022 Chevrolet Traverse vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured a refreshed look with a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The headlights were bisected by trim pieces extending from the grille, giving it a sleeker appearance. The grille was more upright and flanked by large fake air intakes, making the Equinox look chunkier than its predecessor. Despite these updates, the Equinox maintained its car-based crossover identity, avoiding the rugged styling of competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. The interior boasted a creative dashboard design with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center, and materials and fit and finish were decent for its price range. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, though the interior felt too subdued.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse, while essentially a glorified minivan, offered a stylish and practical alternative for those needing a spacious SUV. Prices started at $33,700 for the base LS model, with the top-tier High Country costing $53,400. The Traverse received a light restyle for 2022, including new headlights, taillights, and grille designs. Our RS test vehicle featured blacked-out trim and dark gray 20-inch wheels, making it one of the most appealing vehicles in its segment. The interior of the RS trim included black leather upholstery with red and light gray contrast stitching, and a variety of materials, though some hard plastic surfaces were less desirable. The design was simple and logical, with easy-to-use controls and a comfortable ride quality, though road and wind noise were more noticeable on the highway.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower, making it feel responsive in city driving but less so at higher speeds. The engine felt coarse and unresponsive at higher rpm, and the automatic transmission's shifts were a bit rough. The Equinox was not designed for sporty handling, lacking the solidity and refinement of some competitors, though it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained roads.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came with a single engine option: a 3.6-liter V6 producing 310 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Traverse had a tow rating of 5,000 pounds when properly equipped and offered various driving modes, including Tow/Haul, Snow, and Off-Road. The V6 engine provided adequate power for the Traverse's size, though it could whine under acceleration. The official EPA fuel economy rating for the AWD model was 20 mpg combined, and our test car returned 20.9 mpg. The Traverse offered a firm yet compliant ride in town and performed well on the highway, though road and wind noise were more noticeable. In the mountains, the Traverse felt more athletic than some rivals, with good steering and braking performance, though the RS trim's tires were not ideal for spirited driving.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom and good second-row legroom. However, front seat legroom was somewhat lacking, and the lack of a telescoping steering wheel made it difficult to find a comfortable driving position. The Equinox provided a tall seating position and good forward visibility, though rear visibility was hampered by the small rear window. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed, though the layout looked awkward. Cargo space was near the bottom of the segment, with 29.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. A power liftgate was available, but the Equinox lacked some of the versatile storage features of competitors.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse offered seating for seven with second-row captain's chairs in the RS trim, though lower trims could seat up to eight with a second-row bench seat. The RS trim included power-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and triple-zone climate control. The second-row Smart Slide function and long rear doors made accessing the third row easier. The all-black cabin of the RS trim was comfortable, though the captain's chairs lacked leg support. The third-row seat was adequate for adults if the second-row passengers cooperated, though not as comfortable as in larger SUVs. The Traverse offered abundant storage space, including a hidden compartment behind the infotainment screen and another under the cargo floor. Cargo space was generous, with 23 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 98.2 cubic feet.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trims received an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen in our test car was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage, though the center-console slot for a phone was too small. Overall, the infotainment system covered the basics well without too much fuss.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the LS and LT Cloth models, while higher trims received an 8-inch high-definition display. The Premier and High Country trims also included an 8-inch digital instrumentation panel. Both infotainment systems offered Bluetooth connectivity for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and access to connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. The 8-inch touchscreen system was available with navigation, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and expanded connected services. A Bose premium sound system was standard starting with the RS trim, though it was not particularly impressive. The voice recognition system worked well, and the available digital rearview mirror and surround-view camera were useful features.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned the highest "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and the second-tier "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The Equinox also received an "Acceptable" score for LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use. The NHTSA gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, and more. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse came standard with Chevy Safety Assist, which included forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a following-distance indicator. The optional Safety Package for the LS trim added rear parking assist sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims included adaptive cruise control, high-speed automatic emergency braking, and a rear pedestrian alert system. The Traverse received top "Good" ratings in most IIHS crash tests but an "Acceptable" rating in the new side-impact test. The NHTSA had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Traverse at the time of writing.