2022 Honda Odyssey vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a minivan that catered to families with its practical design and thoughtful features. Its sliding side doors made it easy to load children into car seats, even in tight parking spaces. The Odyssey offered a comfortable third-row seat, accommodating additional passengers like grandparents or carpool groups without hassle. With ample cargo space, it could transform into a cargo hauler by folding down or removing seats, rivaling the capacity of larger SUVs. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Odyssey maintained a sense of style with its kinked sliding doors and sleek character lines, especially in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch wheels. The interior boasted quality materials and a user-friendly layout, although the center stack's switchgear placement required some acclimation. The expansive windshield and small front quarter windows provided excellent visibility, reinforcing its minivan identity.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox underwent styling updates, featuring a new grille, LED headlights, and subtle rear fascia changes. It maintained a car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of some competitors. The Equinox's tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia gave it a less car-like look compared to some rivals. Inside, the dashboard design was creative, with a touchscreen and air vents forming a cohesive whole. The materials and fit and finish were decent for its price range, with cloth seats standard and perforated leather available. The RS model added black exterior trim, darkened wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, giving it a touch of personality. However, the subdued interior design left something to be desired. Overall, the Equinox offered a balanced design, appealing to those seeking a middle ground between rugged and car-like aesthetics.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It featured a front-wheel-drive system and a 10-speed automatic transmission with pushbutton controls. Unlike some competitors, the Odyssey did not offer all-wheel drive or an electrified powertrain, resulting in an EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. While not designed for spirited driving, the Odyssey provided a pleasant driving experience during daily commutes. It was quick when merging onto highways and responsive in corners, but its brakes tended to heat up on downhill stretches, causing pedal vibration and noise. Despite this, the Odyssey remained enjoyable to drive, offering a balance of performance and practicality.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. It was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive as standard and all-wheel drive as an option. The Equinox's torque was advantageous in stop-and-go traffic, providing smooth acceleration from a standstill. However, at higher speeds, the engine felt coarse and unresponsive, and the transmission's shifts were somewhat rough. While not designed for sporty handling, the Equinox offered decent comfort on various road surfaces. It lacked the refinement of some competitors but provided a satisfactory driving experience for everyday use.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height compared to most SUVs. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather, power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The interior boasted ample storage space, with clever compartments and a center console tray. The second-row seats provided comfort and flexibility, with the Magic Slide feature allowing for easy configuration. The third-row seat was spacious and comfortable, accommodating adults without complaints. The Odyssey offered 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expandable to 88.8 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded. Removing the second-row seats created a massive 144.9 cubic feet of cargo space, rivaling larger SUVs.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox provided seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom and legroom. However, some competitors offered more legroom for front-seat occupants. The Equinox's tall seating position provided good forward visibility, although rear visibility was somewhat hampered by the small rear window. The climate control buttons were conveniently placed, and the dual-zone automatic climate control was available on higher trims. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was below average for the segment. While a power liftgate was available, the Equinox lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or additional cargo-area storage options.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with a range of technology features, although its infotainment system was becoming outdated compared to rivals. Starting with the EX trim, it offered an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring trim added navigation and HondaLink connected services. The Odyssey Touring and Elite featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, allowing the driver to monitor and communicate with rear-seat passengers. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display, but it was considered behind the times. The Elite trim added an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad. Overall, the Odyssey's infotainment and technology package needed an upgrade to remain competitive.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 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 MyLink infotainment system was user-friendly, with large menu icons and good screen graphics. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a significant advantage. The Equinox offered multiple USB ports and power outlets, although the center-console slot for phones was too small. While tech-savvy buyers might desire more features, the Equinox's infotainment system covered the basics effectively.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was well-equipped with safety features, including the Honda Sensing suite, which encompassed adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. It also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. However, the Honda Sensing system lacked refinement, occasionally issuing false warnings or taking abrupt actions. The blind-spot monitoring system's warning light was not ideally placed, and its radar coverage was limited. The Odyssey received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top scores in most IIHS crash tests, although it received 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 Equinox received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. 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. Some features, like adaptive cruise control, were standard on competitor vehicles.