The Chevrolet Equinox is a Theta-based mid-size crossover SUV introduced by General Motors in 2004 for the 2005 model year.
North American Debut
The Chevrolet Equinox debuted at the 2004 Los Angeles Auto Show and went on sale in summer 2005. At that time, mid-size crossover SUVs were just beginning to conquer the automotive industry, and General Motors decided to departure from truck-based SUVs by creating the brand new Theta platform.
First Generation
The first-generation Chevy Equinox was mechanically similar to the Saturn Vue, a mid-size crossover SUV that was sold and built by Saturn (and was the Saturn’s best-selling model at that time). However, the Equinox was larger than the Vue: the wheelbase of the former was 112.5 inches against 106.6 inches of the latter.
In 2006, General Motors introduced the Pontiac Torrent which was an Equinox’s sibling that had a slightly different front and rear styling. Amongst the Theta-based North American trio, only the Equinox survived.
It is interesting that the first-generation Chevy Equinox was assembled in Canada while its 3.4L LNJ V6 engine – in China, and its Aisin AF33 transmission – in Japan.
Second Generation
The second-generation Chevy Equinox was introduced as the 2010 model at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11, 2009. It went on sale in June 2009. The main improvement wasn’t cosmetic; the vehicle received a pair of upgraded gasoline direct injection engines, with better fuel economy claimed by GM.
In 2013, the production moved from Canada to Spring Hill Manufacturing in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
2016 Chevy Equinox
For 2016 model year, the Chevrolet Equinox received its first mid-cycle uplift, including a new grille, headlights, and front fascia as well as reworked taillights. The MSRP starts from $22,600.
It is Chevy’s third best-selling vehicle in North America, after the Silverado and the Cruze, respectively.