At long last, Chevrolet has now completed a thorough freshening of its SUV lineup with this 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS. Competing in a jam-packed segment that includes best-sellers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, car companies need to bring their A-game here. After languishing mostly unchanged for a few years, the Equniox heads into 2025 with a new look inside and out. But it’s what’s on the inside that counts, so let’s see if the new one has the goods to be a compelling alternative from the default choices.

What’s new for 2025?

Chevrolet followed the new Traverse closely when designing this all-new Equinox. It shares a similar look front to back as its big brother; where the previous-generation model looked dowdy and plain, this all-new Equinox is more chiseled and sportier-looking than its predecessor. The RS trim adds more aggressive front and rear fascias, as well as specific 19-inch wheels, various red accents inside and out, and a contrasting black roof. By and large, the new Equinox has a sportier and more athletic design compared to the CR-V and RAV4, and is even slightly longer overall than the RAV4.

What’s under the hood of the 2025 Equinox?

Despite the sporty look, the powertrain under the hood of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox isn’t quite as sporty as you would expect. While many competitors in the segment offering the choice of gas or hybrid powertrains, and some even going as far as plug-in hybrid and fully electric, this particular Equinox body style only has a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Rated at 175 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, this engine is adequate enough around town, but struggles on the highway and sounds coarse when you wring it out. At least Chevrolet knows it, only offering Snow/Ice, Off-Road, and Normal drive modes—no Sport mode to speak of. Front-wheel-drive Equinoxes use a CVT, while our all-wheel-drive tester gets a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic. Chevrolet does offer an electric Equinox, but it’s based on the Ultium platform and looks completely different than this one.

Fuel economy from the 2025 Equinox is good, but not great. It’s rated at 10 L/100 kilometres in the city, 8.2 combined, and 9.1 highway. I averaged 10.5 L/100 km throughout the week over mostly city driving, and using the remote start often to make up for the chilly temperatures. These numbers are mostly in line with the Equinox’s gas-only competitors, but obviously pale in comparison to its hybrid alternatives.

The 2025 Equinox RS makes up for the lack of sportiness with a smooth ride that goes big on comfort. It’s very quiet inside, much more so than its predecessor, and filters out bumps and potholes with ease. Just don’t go crazy testing its limits on tight on-ramps and twisty roads; the 2025 Equinox is very much comfort-first.

Interior practicality, comfort, and tech

Inside, the Equinox rewards you with a rather nice interior, especially if you’re coming from the outgoing model. Once again, it bears a strong resemblance to the Traverse layout-wise, emphasizing screens and tech more than before but still being easy to use. An 11-inch gauge cluster and an 11.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment come together under one panel. The graphics are crisp and clear, the Google-based infotainment works well but still includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you prefer, and a wireless phone charger is perfectly situated where you rest your right arm.

The Equinox still retains physical switchear for climate and audio controls, material quality and fit-and-finish is massively improved over the previous Equinox, and the sea of black is broken up by red trim and stitching on our RS tester. Passenger space front and rear are perfect for four full sized adults, and there is no centre hump for middle-seat passengers in the second row. With 844 liters of cargo space in the rear with the seats up, growing to 1,798 when folded, there should be enough space for everyone to bring along a carry-on bag.

Is the 2025 Equinox worth it?

Starting at $43,833, and working out to $45,523 as-tested, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS is priced directly in line with the likes of the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Toyota RAV4. With its powertrain improvements and all-new look inside and out, the new Equinox is no doubt a strong competitor in the segment. If Chevrolet adds a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option, then it can really take a bite out of the RAV4 and CR-V’s popularity.