2025 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover family. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. The large front air intakes and fake vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow, lacking the wide, planted look of some other luxury SUVs. The lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the Dynamic SE offering a Stealth appearance package. The SV Edition 2, the highest-performance model, featured unique elements like 23-inch carbon-fiber wheels and a carbon-fiber hood. Inside, the SV Edition 2 boasted red leather upholstery and sport seats with illuminated inserts, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic across all models.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox underwent a significant redesign, adopting a modern look that aligned it more closely with larger Chevrolet models like the Traverse and Suburban. Each trim had distinct styling elements, with the base LT offering a chrome or Midnight Edition High Gloss Black treatment. The RS trim featured sportier elements like black mirrors and badges, while the new ACTIV trim emphasized adventure with all-terrain tires and a chunky design. The Equinox offered customization options like two-tone paint combos and a black or white roof for higher trims. Inside, the Equinox's cabin was updated with a new layout, including a larger infotainment screen and a relocated shifter, enhancing space and functionality. The RS and ACTIV trims featured unique interior themes, with the ACTIV trim offering a lightened cabin with a "Maple Sugar and Black" theme.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine producing 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim could be equipped with the plug-in hybrid powertrain, increasing output to 543 hp and 590 lb-ft, or a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two used the same V8 but with output pushed to 626 hp, making it the most powerful production model in the Range Rover lineup. It could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and had a top speed of 180 mph. The Range Rover Sport's sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring contributed to its agile handling and luxurious ride. Off-road capabilities were supported by the Terrain Response system, hill descent control, and ascent control, with the Autobiography trim offering a two-speed transfer case.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox retained a single engine offering: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 175 horsepower. Torque varied with powertrain, with front-wheel-drive models offering 184 lb-ft and all-wheel-drive models providing 203 lb-ft. The Equinox transitioned from a six-speed automatic to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for FWD models and an eight-speed automatic for AWD versions. The eight-speed automatic improved acceleration and reduced noise compared to the previous six-speed. The Equinox's accelerator was responsive at low speeds, but highway merging highlighted the engine's limitations. The ride was generally quiet and comfortable, with AWD models capable of towing up to 1,500 pounds. The Equinox introduced selectable drive modes, with RS and ACTIV trims offering Normal, Snow, and Off-Road modes for AWD models.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was positioned between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover in terms of dimensions, offering more room than the Velar while remaining a midsize SUV. It was a two-row, five-seater, with front-seat occupants enjoying similar headroom to other midsize luxury SUVs. Rear-seat headroom was not significantly impacted by the sloping roof, and reclining rear seats were standard. The Range Rover Sport provided 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It lacked a split tailgate but featured power operation and an "access height" setting for easier loading. The maximum towing capacity was 7,716 pounds for turbo-six and V8 models, with plug-in hybrids rated at 6,614 pounds.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as standard on RS and ACTIV trims, with front seat ventilation available as part of a package. The Equinox's flat roof provided consistent headroom, with front seats offering 38.2 inches with the moonroof or 40 without, and rear seats offering 37.8 inches with the moonroof and 39.2 without. The moonroof extended into the rear seats, adding light for passengers. The Equinox's cabin featured a well-placed "dead pedal" for driver comfort. Cargo space was slightly reduced, with 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubic feet with them folded. A hidden storage compartment was available beneath the load floor.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration as standard. The screens were visually appealing, but the minimalist design limited physical controls, requiring touchscreen interaction for many functions. Steering-wheel controls offered limited alternatives, but the Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive and included natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car featured "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, though it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Google Built-In, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The native Google Maps integration projected onto the driver information display, allowing for simultaneous infotainment activity. Voice control volume was an issue in one test vehicle, but not in another, suggesting a setting adjustment was needed. The Equinox's tech features were mostly standard, including an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wi-fi hotspot capability, and a six-speaker audio system. Wireless charging was standard on RS and ACTIV trims and available on LT.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered an optional Safety & Technology package with rear pedestrian alert, HD surround vision, traffic-sign recognition, and a camera rearview mirror. The Chevy Safety Assist suite included standard features like rear park assist, lane-change alert, enhanced automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, rear seat reminder, and automatic high beams. Teen Driver Technology allowed parents to set speed and volume limits and receive a "report card" on driving behavior.