​​Autoblog Checks Out the Equinox for Family Duty​ 

60 years ago, the default family car was a full-size rear-drive sedan powered by a V8, with the Chevrolet Impala often taking the sales crown. Ten years later, a general downsizing brought the mid-size Oldsmobile Cutlass to the sales lead. Eventually, front-wheel drive became ubiquitous, and smaller mid-size sedans rose to the top of the popularity charts. Until ten years ago, the best-selling passenger vehicle was not a sedan at all but a compact crossover with either front- or all-wheel drive.    

And so it has been ever since. Toyota and Honda models have been sales leaders, but right behind them is the Chevrolet Equinox. While the Silverado, Sierra, and other 4-door full-size trucks have taken on family duties, Chevrolet still wants many families to have a Chevrolet as their family car. Thus, they have gone to great lengths to get families to put an Equinox in their driveway. Autoblog looked at a 2026 Equinox Activ with AWD to check in on Chevrolet’s efforts and came away impressed. Sharp Automotive summarizes its review.   

Not to be confused with the Equinox EV, this Equinox is gas-powered only. It has a simple lineup: the entry-level LT, the off-road-leaning ACTIV, and the street-sport-leaning RS, which share the top level at the same price. All trims come standard with front-wheel drive and offer available all-wheel drive (AWD). Given our weather, Sharp Automotive mostly stocks the AWD models.  

All Equinoxes share the same 175-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4. AWD models deliver 203 lb-ft of torque and pair the engine with an 8-speed transmission. FWD models produce 184 lb-ft and use a continuously variable transmission. EPA-estimated fuel economy for the AWD model is 25 city and 29 highway, while FWD models get one more MPG in the city. There is no hybrid model.  For that, look across our showroom to the RAV4. 

Autoblog found the drivetrain sufficient for family duty but lacking in thrills. The ACTIV’s standard all-terrain tires add a bit of off-road capability, but that is the extent of the ACTIV’s off-road enhancements. The ground clearance is unchanged from the other models, and there are no added skid plates or off-road drive modes. Much of what makes the model an ACTIV is visual, with chrome separating the grilles and front lighting features, an available two-tone exterior, and exclusive chunky 17-inch wheels that provide plenty of room for tire sidewalls. 

Autoblog rated the Equinox’s styling 8.5 out of 10. From the outside, it has a confident look that makes clear the Equinox is ready for what most families will throw at it. The interior is surprisingly upscale. The ACTIV features a two-tone interior with contrasting seating surfaces and additional contrast piping. The dash impresses with an attractive horizontal layout, with most components outlined with brushed-metal trim. The 11.3-inch center touchscreen shares a housing with the 11.0-inch digital driver’s display, but the latter is framed separately by that brushed-metal trim.   

Both the center console and the center display are slightly canted toward the driver. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the model line, and the onboard operating interface also works well, with a permanent menu on the left for the most-used displays. The main screen is swipable and quick to respond. Chevrolet wisely left volume and climate functions to physical controls with knobs and buttons, depending on which is most convenient. 

The cabin is spacious, with rear seat occupants enjoying nearly 40 inches of legroom. Behind the rear seats is just a hair under 30 cubic feet, and this expands to 63.5 cubic feet with the seats folded.  

Unexpected is that heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard across the model line.   All models come with the expected array of safety and driver assist technologies, including: 

• Forward Collision Alert 

• Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking 

• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning 

• Side cyclist alert 

• Rear Cross Traffic Braking 

• Reverse Automatic Braking 

• Following Distance Indicator 

• Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking 

• Teen Driver Controls 

• Rear Park Assist 

Key upgrades that make up the nearly $5,000 jump from the LT include an 8-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar control, suede microfiber seating surfaces, heated outboard rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, a hands-free power liftgate, heated windshield wiper park, rain-sensing intermittent front wipers, and a cabin humidity sensor. 

Autoblog sums up their review with: “If you don’t put power demands on the Equinox ACTIV, the rest of the package is marvelous. Attractive, spacious, comfortable, and tech-forward, the Equinox ACTIV is a crossover that will please most owners and their families. The interior is very user-friendly and capable of providing a high level of comfort regardless of how long the drive is.” 

The Equinox is designed to deliver value and satisfaction to American families.  Visit Sharp Automotive to see if it is just what your family needs.