Short Take Road Test
The three-year-old Equinox is, in automotive terms, getting a tad gray around the temples. As a result, for 2008 it receives the automotive equivalent of a botox injection: a sport model with more horsepower.
Until this, all Equinoxes had a 3.4-liter pushrod v-6 making 185 horsepower. Coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission, this combination is good for 8.3-second runs to 60 mph and an electronically limited 109-mph top speed. Although the powertrain is nothing to write home about, it does go about its business with reasonable smoothness and is generally hard to fault.
The new sport model, which commands a $5000 premium over the $24,595 base four-wheel-drive model, enjoys 264 almost raucous ponies from a dohc 3.6-liter v-6 with a six-speed automatic transmission. Our four-wheel-drive sport (front drive is available) ran to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, through the quarter in 15.4 seconds at 90 mph, and merrily on to a speed-governed 121 mph. Not sports-car standards, but quite good in the suv world. This powertrain also has a useful manumatic feature that doesn’t override the driver’s commands, and the engine sounds satisfyingly aggressive once it hits the midrange. At low revs, it tends to drone.
For the extra five grand, sport customers also a get firmer suspension that lowers the wagon by about an inch, lower-profile tires, heated front seats, and some dressed-up body trim. The extra-starch suspension and tires don’t feel too extreme as the sport model still rides well, and skidpad grip increased from 0.77 g to 0.80 g. Stopping from 70 mph required 174 feet, an enormous 22-foot improvement. Still, though, no one will be hunting apexes in the Equinox as its sheer size—it’s only 3.8 inches shorter than a Ford Explorer—and weight (3993 pounds) give it an unappreciated heft in corners.
The engine is certainly willing. Unfortunately, it’s saddled with an suv that has a rental-car interior, a u-turn-killing 41.8-foot turning circle, and fuel economy of only 17 mpg during its stay with us. The Equinox is a decent enough vehicle, but the sport model suggests something special that’s not completely there.
