The electric Chevrolet Equinox has seen a good amount of sales success so far. Who would've thought the combination of good range, a spacious interior, a right-sized footprint, and a reasonable staring price would strike a chord with buyers looking to go electric?
Thing is, electric still doesn't work for everyone, whether it's for legitimate reasons like impractical charging, or perhaps outside forces, like that pesky resistance to change. Fortunately, the gas-powered 2026 Chevrolet Equinox still exists for those who still want to keep it within the GM family ... and may or may not be resistant to change.
What's new for 2026?
Fresh off a redesign last year, the gas Equinox heads into 2026 mostly unchanged, save for some bells-and-whistles shuffled around here and there. This 2026 model-year tester differs from the last one in two key ways — it's silver, and it rolls on 20-inch wheels. The former is a free colour, and the latter a $650 option.
First impressions
I dig the new look. Similar to how the Equinox EV looks like a scaled-down version of its bigger electric brother, the gas Equinox looks like a scaled-down version of its bigger gas-powered brother. This tester is the top-of-the-line RS, meaning it wears more chiselled front fascia, gloss black accents on the front grille and front and rear bumper trims, two-tone paint, and two-tone 19-inch wheels when you don't tick the box for the 20s. The Equinox may still be a blob on wheels, but the glow-up is a big step forward.
Speaking of, the new-gen Equinox takes an equally big step forward. Okay, so there's much more screen, pairing an 11.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment with a 11-inch digital gauge cluster on an elevated bezel right in front of the driver. And the red accents, well, let's just say they're not to everyone's liking.
But the more time you spend with the 2026 Equinox, the more you appreciate its interior. It's easy to get comfortable in the Equinox, visibility all around is pretty good, it feels solid and well-enough built, and — praise be — the Equinox still uses real buttons and knobs for climate control, and remains an Apple CarPlay and Androuid Auto-equipped holdout in the GM world. Cargo space comes in at 844 litres with the seats up and opens up to 1,798 L. Not class-leading, but more than enough for most buyers on most days.
Did I mention the buttons and knobs? The 2026 Equinox may be tepid at best to drive, but I'll be damned if it isn't easy to live with.
Driving impressions
Tepid would be putting it mildly. All gas-powered 2026 Equinoxes use a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that, if I'm being honest, sounds a lot like the Tucson when you wring it out. It's less powerful than one, putting out 175 horsepower vs. 190 for the Hyundai, but the Chevy is torquier, at 203 pound-feet vs. 178 for the Tucson.
This engine works with a CVT on the base, front-wheel-drive Equinox LT, but all-wheel-drive models — like this RS — use an eight-speed automatic. You might have to stifle a yawn when you have the merge lane all to yourself, but around town, the Equinox is punchy enough, and the eight-speed auto is well-behaved. GM offering an electric version is already a leg-up over most of the competition, but a hybrid or plug-in hybrid — for those who want to try going electric — would be nice.
So what if the Equinox RS isn't as sporty as the red accents and RS badges suggest? It makes up for that with a cushy ride that filters out all but the worst potholes and bumps, very little wind and road noise, and decent if not class-leading fuel economy. This silver one averaged 9.2 L/100 km, compared to 10.5 with the red one last year.
Is the 2026 Equinox worth it?
When a Toyota RAV4 comes too-close-for-comfort to the $60,000 mark and a loaded Mazda CX-5 sets you back $50,000 but it isn't even a hybrid, it's refreshing that the Equinox is something of a value pick. This top-trim 1.5 RS tester comes in at just over $46,500 as-tested, but skip the options you don't really need — like the 20-inch wheels and the panoramic sunroof — and you're well under the $45,000 mark.
That's a good deal considering what the gas-fed 2026 Chevrolet Equinox offers. It isn't the most scintillating driving partner, but the Equinox rides well, it's great on gas, it's roomy, and it doesn't look half-bad. A hybrid would be nice, but that would just drive up the price, so we can wait a bit and enjoy a good deal for once.