[SugarRushMurano]

Has anyone actually test drove this chevy equinox?

I saw 2 in highway since last week, and the looks isnt bad at all.
just got my August 2004 Motor Trend magazine and it ranks #1 in comparo to hyundai santafe, ford explorer and saturn vue.

The interior snapshot is also not bad. The material quality is unknown, until i actually sit in it of course.

It is a chevy, so i dont know about the build quality as well.
Not that i am goint to trade my murano with this equinox, but
it is nice to hear other's opinion:

CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Base Price MSRP $24,335 $29,900
Destination Charge $565 $560
Power Windows Standard Standard
Power Door Locks Standard Standard
Power Steering Standard Standard
Air Conditioning Standard Standard
Power Driver Seat Optional Standard
Leather Seating Areas Optional Optional
Leather Steering Wheel Optional Standard
Front Heated Seats Optional Optional
Rear/Second Row Folding Seat Standard Standard
Cruise Control Standard Standard
Steering Wheel with Mounted Controls Optional Standard
AM/FM Stereo Standard Standard
Compact Disc Player Standard Standard
Rear Window Defogger Standard Standard
Illuminated Vanity Mirror Not Listed Standard
Interior Electrochromic Mirror Optional Standard
Tachometer Standard Standard
Remote Keyless Entry Standard Standard
Exterior CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Alloy Wheels Standard Standard
Tinted Glass Standard Standard
Power Exterior Mirror Standard Standard
Fog Lights Standard Standard
Daytime Running Lights Standard Not Available
Load Bearing Exterior Rack Standard Optional
Power Sunroof Optional Optional
Front Airdam Not Listed Standard
Rear Spoiler Standard Standard
Interval Wipers Standard Standard
Automatic On/Off Headlights Standard Standard
Rear Window Wiper Standard Standard

4-Wheel Anti-Lock Braking System Standard Standard
Driver Air Bag Standard Standard
Passenger Air Bag Standard Standard
Passenger Air Bag Cutoff Switch Not Listed Standard
Automatic Notification of Airbag Deployment Optional Not Available

3-Point Center Seat Belt Standard Standard
Vehicle Anti-Theft Standard Standard
Stolen Vehicle Tracking Optional Not Available
Radio Anti-Theft Standard Not Available
Remote Door Unlock Optional Not Available
Child Safety Door Locks Standard Standard
Tire Inflation/Pressure Monitor Not Listed Optional
Side Guard Door Beams Standard Standard
Emergency Services Optional Not Available
Roadside Assistance Optional Not Available
Hands-Free, Voice-Activated Phone Optional Not Available
Engine and Mechanical CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Standard Engine 3.4L V6 3.5L V6

Driveline All Wheel Drive All Wheel Drive
6-Cylinder Engine Standard Standard
Automatic Transmission Standard Standard
All Wheel Drive Standard Standard
Extended Service Interval Not Listed Standard
Horsepower @ RPM [email protected] [email protected]
Torque @ RPM [email protected] [email protected]
Displacement (cc) 3425 3498
Bore X Stroke (inches) 3.62 X 3.31 3.76 X 3.20
Compression Ratio 9.5 10.3
Fuel Type Unleaded Unleaded
Fuel System SEFI SEFI
Fuel Tank Capacity (gallons) 17.0 21.7
Fuel Economy City (mpg) Not Listed 20
Fuel Economy Highway (mpg) Not Listed 24

Brakes (Front) Disc Disc
Brakes (Rear) Drum Disc
Steering Type Rack and Pinion Rack and Pinion
Turning Diameter (Left) 41.8 37.4
Turning Diameter (Right) 41.8 37.4
Variable Assisted Steering Not Listed Not Available

Front Suspension Independent Independent
Rear Suspension Independent Independent
Tires SBRP235/65R16 BSW, All-Season Tires SBRP235/65TR18 All-Season Tires


Dimensions - Exterior CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Length (inches) 188.8 187.6
Width (inches) 71.4 74.0
Wheelbase (inches) 112.5 111.2
Height (inches) 69.3 66.5
Ground Clearance (inches) 8.0 7.0
Curb Weight Automatic (lbs) Not Listed 3960
Curb Weight Manual (lbs) Not Applicable Not Applicable
Front Head Room (inches) 40.9 40.7
Rear Head Room (inches) 40.1 39.7
Front Leg Room (inches) 41.2 43.4
Rear Leg Room (inches) 40.2 36.1
Front Shoulder Room (inches) 55.7 59.6
Rear Shoulder Room (inches) 55.9 59.1
Front Hip Room (inches) 51.1 56.2
Rear Hip Room (inches) 51.3 56.6
Standard Seating 5 5

Payload and Towing CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Standard Payload (lbs) Not Listed 1093
Maximum Payload (lbs) Not Listed 1093
Standard Towing (lbs) 3500 3500
Maximum Towing (lbs) 3500 3500
Maximum GVWR 5070 5053
EPA Passenger Volume Not Listed Not Applicable

Warranty CHEVROLET EQUINOX NISSAN MURANO
Basic (Months) 36 36
Basic (Miles) 36000 36000
Powertrain (Months) 36 60
Powertrain (Miles) 36000 60000
Anti-Corrosion (Months) 72 60
Anti-Corrosion (Miles) 100000 Unlimited

 

[9495]

My dad owned a '91 Chevy Blazer. Serious POS. Actually very good for the first 3 years. Smartly, dad bought the extended warrantee. The EW paid for itself 3 times over in the next 2 years alone. Sold it for next to nothing (more than it was worth) around '97.

In '98 my wife bought a Chevy Prizm. Why? Because it wasn't a Chevy! The Prizm is really just a Toyota Corolla that is branded as a Chevy. So, now almost 6 years later, how do I like the car? Well, let me put it this way. Everything that Toyota made for this car has been absolutely great. Everything that Chevy put on is absolute crap.

Chevy did the interior and the electrical. Guess what problems we have had? :3:

* Very early on several of the clips holding the plastic liner of the trunk broke off.
* at about 3 years (hmmm... Right about when the warrantee ran out) the seals of the dash started coming apart (the little felt strips slipped out) and the dash started to squeak.
* Also about about 3 years the e-brake light come on randomly when the brake was NOT on. This has gotten worse, and now it is ALWAYS on.
* At about 4 years the seatbelt light occasionally comes on when the seatbelt is fastened (seems to be getting more frequent as well).
* The fold-down back seats have gotten quite stiff and are now quite difficult to push down (we vary rarely have anyone riding in the back seat, no kids or anything spilling toys and food down there).
* Numerous other minor little problems with lights, crappy plastic clips breaking, and other things that are an annoyance.

Reliable? Absolutely. But that's is completely credited to Toyota. I will never buy another vehicle that Chevy has anything to do with.

The Toyota Corolla was $2k more than the Prizm when we were looking. Didn't take us long to realize why.

 

[BARCODE]

Speaking of Chevy..... omg.. Last week I had to take the MO in for the NAV system and the "disk error" issue. Since I did purchase the EW on the MO, I got a loaner car from Enterprise Rental car. It was a Chevy Impalla. POS. I had to drive to DC that day and as I just got on I-95, the transmission blows up. Fluid everywhere... 3 hours later.... Get a new car from Enterprise... another Chevy... same kind of car... I get to DC and get pulled over by a COP, tells me the brakes lights don't work and wants to give me a ticket. After a nice explaination he lets me go and tells me to change out the car at the nearest enterprise rental place... When I get there they tell me how sorry they are and proceed to TRY and give me another Chevy.... I drove out with a Ford Taurus.. Difference of night and day. But not like my MO..... :2:

 

[mgthe3]

Haven't driven one but uhhhh, the interior looks kinda cheapy.

And the engine sure is missing hp per cc against the Mo, isn't it?
I saw that it is being built in the Suzuki plant......hmmmm.

The Venture 3400 could smoke it's tires at will.....different motor I guess.

 

[j a y]

i know first hand that the equinox has a cheap interior.. it was actually the car i was looking into getting before i checked out the murano.. but the inside has a nice look and design to it.. but its all plastic.. i can just imagine all the rattles in a couple of months... neat looking suv tho.. lots of leg room in the back.. the whole shelf thing in the back is a waste of space imho...

 

[SugarRushMurano]

Jay... did you test drove the equinox?

what do you thing of the ride? (engine response, power, Cabin quiteness, steering etc..)

 

[j a y]

SugarRush i did not test drive the murano.. i was scheduled to but like i said i fell in love with the murano b4 i could even drive a equinox... you can check out www.equinoxcentral.com they have some good information in there.. i was checking out that site when i was reading up on the suv..

 

[danielg280]

Rented one over the weekend

on a trip to Chicago. What a piece of crap. Cheap looking and feeling plastic interior, unergonomic interior that puts nothing within easy reach. Much more cramped cabin than Murano. Bouncy suspension that was all over the road at highway speeds, mushy steering and really poor turning circle (had to make a number of three point turns that would have been "u" turns in the Murano). About the only good thing I could say about it was it was pretty quick off the line.

 

[danielg280]

Oh yeah, and. . .

noticeable wind noise at highway speed.

 

[mattsmurano]

I rented one while I was in MN. I was so glad to have my Murano back when I got home. The Equinox drove okay, but it felt so cheap. It felt like a cheap mini-suv to me.... Not something that would compare to the Murano.

 

[wolfy]

I test drove a Chevy Equinox twice. I was going back and forth between the Equinox and the Murano. I liked the color selection of the Equinox and the sticker price. However, I loved everything about the Murano except for the color options. I wouldn't even have looked at the Equinox if the Murano came in Red or Mauve. After I test drove the Equinox, here's what I didn't like - 1) The interior is plastic and looks cheap, and 2) The space in the back has built ins which limits the amount of space you have. It did drive nicely. However, I choose the Murano in Polished Pewter with the Caffe Latte leather interior and I love it!

 

[Mr. A]

I test drove a Chevy Equinox twice. I was going back and forth between the Equinox and the Murano. I liked the color selection of the Equinox and the sticker price. However, I loved everything about the Murano except for the color options. I wouldn't even have looked at the Equinox if the Murano came in Red or Mauve. After I test drove the Equinox, here's what I didn't like - 1) The interior is plastic and looks cheap, and 2) The space in the back has built ins which limits the amount of space you have. It did drive nicely. However, I choose the Murano in Polished Pewter with the Caffe Latte leather interior and I love it!

I drove one also and agree with wolfy..But i hated the seats it was like sitting on a board way to firm for me. leather wasnt to bad but I wont buy one.

 

[dacraig]

Equinox is a nice attempt at improving the look, but remember the engine design is extremely old. Isn't it a pushrod?????????
Drove one and I couldn't get out of it quick enough. The seats were hard as concrete. Chevy should only be allowed to build trucks and Corvettes.

 

[jaak]

I'm amazed pushrod engines still exist. It's just wrong to me, to have that much mass in the valvetrain. DOHC shouldn't be a selling feature.... It should be the norm.

 

[ToddEichel]

I actually just test drove one last Saturday. Never liked Chevy trucks but I wanted to be fair and give it chance. Shouldn't have wated my time. The storage space in the back is really small due to the huge shock tower covers, there's probably only about 2 1/2 to 3 feet between them, plus the driver side door is so close to the seat, I couldn't get my hand down to the side of the seat to adjust it with the door closed. I'll admit the interior is a step up from Chevy's previous offerings but it's still no where near most other automaker's standards, including Ford. Thought the exhaust was pretty loud, too. I'm the first one to enjoy a good exhaust note, but it's pretty much constant, and there's not much power to back it up once you're moving. I think it's got electronic steering which artificially changes the ratio and weighting depending on speed. I suppose you'd get used to it, but it was pretty disconcerting initially. Cranked the wheel too hard making a right out of the parking lot and almost hit the curb.... I think it was Car and Driver that about all they could say about it was that it was painless. Which I think is what most people want in that type of vehicle. Unlike those of us who actually enjoy driving, that see a vehicle as more than an appliance to get from point A to point B.