2019 Chevrolet Equinox

A compact SUV in a highly competitive market, the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox can be a compelling option. The Teen Driver System comes standard and a range of four trims, three engine types and all wheel drive (AWD) allows customization. The basic warranty is three years, 36,000 miles.

• 2019 Chevrolet Equinox pricing
• 2019 Chevrolet Equinox safety
• 2019 Chevrolet Equinox competitor comparison
• 2019 Chevrolet Equinox trim comparison
• 2019 Chevrolet Equinox — the bottom line

2019 Chevrolet Equinox pricing

The Equinox’s manufacturer recommended price (MSRP) starts at $23,800 and goes up to $31,100 for the top trim at the time of publication. The prices listed here are for the base model within that trim and do not include any additional options that may be available, such as a more powerful engine or all-wheel drive, which we cover below.

You do not necessarily have to pay MSRP for a vehicle. Depending on where and when you shop, you may find one for less. Shop around and use industry guides such as NADAguides or Kelley Blue Book to see what the fair purchase price is in your area.

What’s next? When you have an idea of which car you want, shop around for a car loan. Auto dealers can raise customer APRs and habitually do so. The best way to avoid this is to apply for an auto loan outside of a dealership. Potential lenders could include Chevrolet Financing but also check with your bank, credit union or online lender.

It does not hurt your credit to apply to multiple lenders any more than it does to apply to one — just submit all applications within two weeks (14 days). In your search, you could also fill out an online form at LendingTree and receive up to five potential auto loan offers at once. Here’s where to find the best auto loan rates in 2019.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox safety

Pros

The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox earned a five out of five star crash test safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It also earned top marks in crash test safety and a “superior” in front crash prevention from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

• Teen Driver System. This system is standard on all trims of the Equinox. When a key fob that you register as belonging to a teen driver activates the car, any preset limits a parent made are applied, such as a speed alert, a speed limit and an audio volume limit. You could also mute the audio until the driver and front passenger buckle their seat belts, and the car can generate a “report card” for each trip the teen driver takes, showing distance driven, maximum speed, collision alerts and more.
• Safety options. While the Teen Driver System is standard, there are more safety features available on the LT and Premium trim levels for extra charge. Some of these things include low-speed forward automatic braking, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, forward distance indicator, adaptive cruise control, rear park assist, side blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert.

Cons

The Equinox earned lower marks for its headlights and for the ease of use for child seat anchors in IIHS testing. And the extra safety options not only require you to upgrade to a higher trim level, they can also cost about $2,000 in addition to the trim upgrade cost.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox trim comparison

As we mentioned earlier, the Equinox has four trims available, plus package options. Because pricing and options can get confusing quickly, we broke them down. Here’s what comes standard on each trim level at no extra cost.

Each trim builds upon the one before it. For example, the LS trim has everything the L offers, plus new features.

For the LT trim, rather than Chevrolet assuming which upgrades you want, you have the option to choose from many available packages. This allows you to customize your car, choose the features you want, without paying for features you don’t want. One such package is the Redline Special Edition, which adds tech upgrades and black and red styling.

Trim powertrains – engines

Chevrolet offers three types of engines for the 2019 Equinox and the option of all-wheel drive on certain trim levels.

Trim powertrains – AWD

All wheel drive (AWD) is available on trims starting with the LS. AWD does increase the MSRP. How much it increases depends on the trim. The largest price increase is on the LT 2.0 L Turbo. To add AWD to this trim and engine choice costs $2,600.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox competitor comparison

There are many compact SUVs out there, so if none of the options for the Equinox looked good to you, here are four competitors of the Equinox and how they compare based on price, expert scoring, standard technology and fuel economy.

*Chart data is for base 2019 models. Expert score averages Kelley Blue Book (KBB) and Edmunds expert ratings. Standard technology refers to features included in the lowest trim level for each model at no extra cost (not an exhaustive list). Fuel economy is combined city / highway mileage as defined by the EPA.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox — the bottom line

You might like this vehicle if you’re looking for a compact SUV. The Equinox has a lower base price than competitors and still gives you plenty of creature comforts and technology. You may especially like this car if you have a teen driver.

You might not like this car if you want active safety features beyond what comes with the teen driver system. Paying extra for active safety features on top of paying for an upgraded trim may push it over your budget, or at least over what competitors offer.