Holden Equinox

The cabin of Equinox is charged with many tech features. But at the same time, it’s ruined by the harsh and flat plastics, that eventually degrades the affinity of the Equinox’s interior. Also, the big centre console isn’t realistic and drivers might find it annoying. However, apart from the cabin material and unpractical configurations, there are a lot of things that you’ll like in this mid-size SUV. Like, the cabin of Equinox remains silent irrespective of the vehicle speed and traffic, thanks to the active noise cancellation and an acoustic windshield. Also, you’ll appreciate the generous passenger space and cargo capacity of 846-litre with the second-row seats up. Comparatively, it’s 340 litres more than Mazda CX-5, and 333 more than Hyundai Tuscon. Surprisingly, with rear power foldable seats, you can extend the boot space of Equinox to 1798 litres. And, the user-friendly space of Equinox extends the comfort and interior experience further with the heated leather steering wheel, front, and rear seats, wireless phone charging, express up/down power windows, dual-zone climate control, Bose Premium Audio System, and 4.2-inch driver information display. Plus, you’ll get first of its kind innovative haptic seats which vibrate to alert the driver in case Equinox senses possibilities of collision.

The exterior design of the new Equinox looks appealing but it’s almost the same as of the outgoing Equinox, and it can be refined thoroughly to match the presence of Mazda CX-5. So, when it comes to the personality of Equinox, it seems to be a perfect fit in 2017. However, apart from the common SUV looks, Equinox seems to be a good fit as per its price range which starts from $ 33,527. The front face of this mid-size SUV reflects a high caliber with a uniquely designed grille that sharps out at the nose of Equinox. Under the grille, you’ll get programmed Active Aero Shutters, that technology improves the aerodynamics by closing at high speeds and opening at low speeds. Moreover, in the front of Equinox, you’ll get standard fog lamps and LED daytime running lights. Whereas the headlamps are offered in three varieties-halogen, High-Intensity Discharge (HID), and LED among the five grades of Equinox. The acoustic windshield that works as a sound insulator ensures that the cabin remains silent even at high winding speeds. Plus, you’ll get solar absorbing windows that reduce the transmission of infrared rays, while keeping interiors visible.

Equinox might not look like a beast SUV from outside. But, it’ll never let you down when it comes to its ride quality. This SUV is far much better than its rivals in handling the rough road conditions without compromising the cabin comfort. However, with the 19-inch alloy wheels that come standard with LTZ and LTZ-V, this SUV gets a little bumpy. But, overall the ride comfort is great. The multi-link rear suspension and MacPherson strut front suspension keeps the Equinox in the right balance irrespective of the road condition. Plus, the electric power-assisted steering is refined and well-tuned as per the Australian roads. It is quick and precise and works perfectly while turning sharp corners. Also, the Electronic Stability Control function helps in keeping the vehicle in the right track while maintaining the traction of the wheels. This further improves with the AWD grades of Equinox that makes off-roading more safer and pleasant.

With a wide range of turbo engines available across the grades, the mid-size Equinox offers the power capability of true SUVs’. It’s available in both FWD and AWD system that is available in only top grades. Under the hood, the LS and LS+ are mated with a perky 1.5L Turbo petrol engine. It can generate a maximum power of 127 kW at 5600 rpm and torque of 275 Nm at 4200 rpm. Another more powerful 2.0L Turbo petrol engine is available in the top three grades LT, LTZ, LTZ-V. This engine can produce a whopping power of 188kW at 5500rpm and torque of 353Nm at 4500rpm. With this engine, you can tow a maximum weight of 2000 kg. Plus, you can also select the newly introduced 1.6L Turbo diesel engine which is optional among all the grades except the base model. Comparatively, this engine unfolds muffled power of 100kW at 4000rpm but adequate torque of 320Nm at 3000rpm. And, you’ll get three transmission choices among all the grades. Moreover, the base grade is coupled with the standard 6-speed manual transmission, and the 6-speed automatic transmission is optional in all the grades but is standard in the LS+ grade. Moreover, the top three variants of Equinox are coupled with the 9-speed automatic transmission that works swiftly and gets the most out of the 2.0L petrol engine without holding it back. All the variants of Equinox come with Engine start/stop function that is designed to turn off the engine when the vehicle is in idle condition, which ultimately benefits fuel efficiency while reducing emissions.

Equinox has been rated 5 star by ANCAP. It’s one of the safest mid-size SUV in the segment. The strong body structure is engineered to deflect the direct impact of the collision from the cabin. Plus, it gets more secure with the combination of airbags that covers front and second-row passengers. Equinox comes with an array of standard active safety features that include, automatic on/off headlamps with a delay function, electric park brake, a rearview camera, rear Park Assist, Roll Over Mitigation, and Electronic Stability Control that consists of ABS, EBD, EBA, TCS. Further, with 4-wheel disc brakes, Equinox offers immense braking power, however, the vehicle vibrates a little when instant brakes are applied.

With powerful and perky engines, Holden Equinox lets you continue the journey with comfort and safety. On the driving front, the steering is responsive and communicates well with the driver input. Be it urban, highway or off-road rides, Holden Equinox will never let you down. However, the quality of cabin material is not up to the standard of the mid-size SUV. But, ignoring this factor, Equinox has the most spacious interiors, cargo space in its segment.