2026 Chevrolet Equinox: A Practical Compact SUV With Clear Tradeoffs
The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox carries over its 2025 redesign with a 175-hp turbo engine, a choice of drivetrains, and useful everyday practicality.
2026 Chevrolet Equinox at a glance
The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox is a compact SUV aimed at shoppers who want straightforward utility and a choice of drivetrains. After a full redesign for 2025, it carries over for 2026 rather than starting over. Every trim now includes a drive-mode selector, and the biggest decision is whether front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive better matches the job.
Car and Driver describes the Equinox as a value-oriented compact SUV with solid practicality and standard technology. The same review flags average performance and a noisy highway-speed cabin. The result is a vehicle with a clear shopper profile: sensible and feature-conscious, but not primarily aimed at drivers seeking sporty response or a quiet highway ride.
| Item | 2026 Chevrolet Equinox |
|---|---|
| Model-year status | Carryover after a full redesign for 2025 |
| Engine | Turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder |
| Output | 175 horsepower |
| Front-wheel-drive transmission | CVT |
| All-wheel-drive transmission | Eight-speed automatic |
| Rated fuel economy (city/highway) | FWD: 26/28 mpg; AWD: 24/29 mpg |
| Maximum towing | FWD: 800 pounds; AWD: 1,500 pounds |
| Standard across all trims | Drive-mode selector |
What’s new for 2026
The 2026 Equinox is a carryover year following the 2025 redesign, with updates concentrated in equipment and appearance. All trims now include a drive-mode selector. On LT, roof rails move out of the Convenience II package. For Activ and RS, Polar White Tricoat replaces Iridescent Pearl Tricoat.
Those details are worth checking when comparing trims. The drive-mode selector is a broad change across the lineup, while the LT roof-rail packaging and the Activ/RS color change are more configuration-specific. The overall vehicle remains a carryover after the 2025 redesign, so shoppers should focus on the equipment and drivetrain that fit their needs rather than expect a clean-sheet change.
Powertrain and drivetrain tradeoffs
Every 2026 Equinox uses a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder making 175 horsepower. Front-wheel-drive versions pair it with a CVT, while all-wheel-drive versions use an eight-speed automatic.
The fuel-economy figures are a genuine tradeoff rather than a simple FWD-wins/AWD-loses story. FWD is rated at 26/28 mpg city/highway, while AWD is rated at 24/29 mpg. FWD has the higher city figure; AWD has the higher highway figure. Towing is the clearer dividing line: maximum capacity is 800 pounds with FWD and 1,500 pounds with AWD.
That points to a practical shopping rule. Choose the drivetrain whose towing rating fits the job, then weigh the city/highway ratings against how you drive. The transmission changes with the drivetrain as well, so the FWD-versus-AWD decision affects more than the driven wheels.
Practicality for everyday use
The available towing figures give the Equinox’s practicality a concrete boundary. An 800-pound maximum may cover a light-duty need, while the AWD model’s 1,500-pound maximum gives it more headroom within the Equinox range. Buyers should match the rating to their intended load and confirm the exact configuration before purchasing.
That practical focus lines up with Car and Driver’s description of solid practicality and standard technology. The Equinox’s appeal is therefore less about a headline performance number and more about a straightforward compact-SUV formula: one engine, two drivetrain choices, useful towing differentiation, and trim details that are easy to identify.
What the professional review says
Car and Driver’s assessment is balanced. It sees the 2026 Equinox as value-oriented and practical, and notes its standard technology. It also characterizes performance as average and the cabin as noisy at highway speeds.
Those positives and negatives point to the same conclusion: the Equinox makes more sense for a shopper prioritizing utility and features than for someone choosing a compact SUV primarily for quick acceleration or serene highway cruising. A test drive that includes the kind of roads you use most is especially important if performance or cabin noise is a deciding factor.
Who should consider the 2026 Equinox
- Practicality-first shoppers who want a compact SUV with a clear FWD/AWD choice and a towing rating up to 1,500 pounds.
- Buyers who value standard technology and everyday usability more than sporty performance or a notably quiet highway cabin.
- Drivers comparing trims carefully, especially LT shoppers reviewing roof-rail packaging and Activ or RS shoppers considering the Polar White Tricoat change.
- Shoppers who can match the drivetrain to the job: FWD for an 800-pound maximum, or AWD for the 1,500-pound maximum and its eight-speed automatic.
Who may want to wait or look elsewhere
The 2026 Equinox may not be the right immediate choice for:
- Drivers who put acceleration first. Car and Driver calls performance average, so a thorough test drive should come before signing.
- Frequent highway travelers who are sensitive to cabin noise. The professional review specifically flags noise at highway speeds.
- Owners with towing needs above 1,500 pounds. The highest listed Equinox capacity does not cover that requirement.
- Shoppers hoping for a substantially changed 2026 vehicle. This model carries over after the 2025 redesign, with changes focused on the drive-mode selector, LT packaging, and Activ/RS color.
Bottom line
The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox is a sensible carryover compact SUV with a clear, shopper-friendly set of choices. Its 175-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder is standard across the lineup, while FWD and AWD bring different transmissions, fuel-economy figures, and towing limits. The most useful 2026 updates are the standard drive-mode selector and the trim-specific LT, Activ, and RS changes.
Shopper take: The Equinox deserves a place on a practical compact-SUV shortlist if solid practicality, standard technology, and a straightforward drivetrain decision matter more than sporty performance or a quiet highway cabin. Choose carefully between FWD and AWD, then drive the vehicle at highway speed if Car and Driver’s two main caveats—average performance and cabin noise—could change your decision.
Sources
- Car and Driver — 2026 Chevrolet Equinox review — checked September 7, 2026