2016 Chevrolet Equinox Video

The Chevy Equinox has been a surprise hit for General Motors in its second generation, but it's been on sale virtually unchanged since 2010. It's time for some updates--especially now that the CR-V, RAV4, and Santa Fe are all better than ever. 

For the 2016 model year, Chevrolet is giving the Equinox a quick refresh before an all-new vehicle arrives in a few years.

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Up front, the Equinox has been revamped with a reshaped grille and brighter headlights--it's a lot closer to the big Traverse now. On some versions, LED running lights will be standard.

Inside the changes aren't too dramatic, but a seven-inch color touchscreen is now standard, as are Bluetooth and a rearview camera. Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system is standard on LT and LTZ models. The instrument panel design has been restyled,  and there’s a nifty new storage shelf to keep all the knickknacks in place while on the go.

The Equinox still has one of the more useful second-row seats among mid-size crossovers. The sliding rear seat can be adjusted for more rear-seat legroom or for more cargo space, whichever you need. Fold the rear seats forward, and the Equinox offers as much as 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space.

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Under the hood, the Equinox sticks with a choice between two very good powertrains. The base engine is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, while the upgrade is a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that's worth more than 300 horsepower. Power is sent to the front or all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Chevrolet says the four-cylinder's 32-mpg EPA highway rating should carry over to the new model.

Finally, on the safety front, the Equinox will be available with blind-spot monitors, a forward-collision warning system, and a lane-departure warning system.

The updated 2016 Chevrolet Equinox will go on sale in the fall of 2015.

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