Admittedly, I was not looking forward to reviewing a Chevrolet. It may be my deep-rooted subconscious echoing the squeaky interior plastics of late-90s GM products, or perhaps memories of my grandfather’s then-new 1999 Malibu which ended up being a lemon. Since then, GM has made strides to improve their overall image by creating acceptable modes of transportation for the average consumer; good enough to get you from Point A to B with minimal frills and good enough for rental or corporate fleets. The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV attempts to go beyond good enough as it highlights the General’s initiative to breathe more refinement into its commodity vehicle lineup.
Although Chevy still sells a gas-powered Equinox, it only shares its name and nothing else. It is part of GM’s Ultium family of vehicles, which includes the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, and even the Honda Prologue, to name a few. Ditching an entry-level gas motor in favour of an electric drivetrain immediately elevates the Equinox’s refinement; powered by an 85 kWh battery, our tester makes 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel-drive variants with an additional motor on the rear axle make a combined 290 hp and 346 lb-ft of torque. Total range with FWD is about 513 kilometres, while AWD versions are rated at 440 km. On a DC fast-charger, the Equinox EV can charge at a maximum of 150kW; not as fast as some of the competition, but it adds 120 km of charge in as little as 10 minutes.
A character trait attributed to Ultium-based vehicles is their wide stance and the Equinox EV is no different. The low-slung look makes it bigger than it is, giving off an athletic and muscular vibe. The hideaway door handles make for a sleek look more befitting of a higher-end vehicle. As the interim entry-level EV in the Chevrolet line-up until the Bolt eventually returns, the Equinox EV is a step up style-wise compared to the outgoing Bolt EV. The exterior lighting even does a welcome dance as you approach, which is a nice, premium touch. Much like our time with the Blazer EV, driving the Equinox EV around town garnered some attention, as though onlookers were not expecting this to be a Chevy.
The interior of the Equinox EV is largely identical to the Blazer EV, from the gaudy circular air vents — though it’s thankfully toned-down a bit here — to the huge 17-inch touchscreen that is well-integrated with the 11-inch digital gauge cluster. Material choice through the cabin is a nice mix of soft touch and hard plastics, and good fit-and-finish. Like the Blazer EV, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available with the Equinox EV, as Chevrolet — and no other brand in GM’s portfolio — forces you to use the Google-based infotainment system through a subscription service. Although this is a deal-breaker for many people, the system is thankfully very responsive and seamless to use.
Due to the Ultium platform’s wide footprint, the cabin feels spacious and offers a lot of storage solutions. The back seats also have child anchor seats, a folding centre armrest, and two USB-C charging ports. Cargo space is adequate, but the Equinox EV has almost the same amount of cargo space compared to the outgoing Bolt.
The Equinox EV offers many tech features as standard, making it a compelling value for the price. Starting with the base 2LT at $51,533, all trims come standard with blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and more. Our 2RS tester notably came with Chevy’s optional Super Cruise, a $3,240 add-on, bringing the grand total to $56,573 as-tested before any fees, taxes, or incentives. Super Cruise is GM’s semi-autonomous driving system, which is arguably the best in the market. During a short jaunt on the highway, I activated Super Cruise to my amazement. I was shocked at how good the lane discipline is, minimizing wandering in the lane and even making safe lane changes while simultaneously adjusting speed according to traffic.
With Super Cruise off, the Equinox EV provides good feedback through the wheel, albeit with some noticeable torque-steer if you apply throttle mid-corner in a bend. Steering weight can be adjusted via its drive modes; Sport Mode gives it a more weighted feel, but I kept it in lightest setting possible as it feels more natural. Having the battery sit low in the car helps combat the Equniox EV’s 6,060-pound curb weight, but it does not feel as athletic as the Volkswagen ID.4. Ride comfort is typical GM, wallowing over bumps and undulations but provides you with good suspension travel and comfort, even with our tester’s big 21-inch wheels. NVH is typical for the EV segment, very isolated and not too much road noise.
If you are used to the quick responses of other EVs, the front-drive Equinox EV will feel sluggish. GM quotes a zero-to-100 km/h run in nine seconds; we recommend opting for all-wheel-drive, as the extra motor cuts that sprint time down to a more acceptable 7.7 seconds.
Exterior styling and tech features aside, I did have some useability and ergonomic gripes with the Equinox EV. The one-pedal-driving mode caught me off-guard since I am used to less sensitive, more progressive-feeling systems in other EVs. I was looking for a setting to decrease sensitivity, but to my slight disappointment, it was not available. Similar to the Blazer EV, the one-pedal-drive mode in reverse defaults to the usual creep-and-brake like on gas cars, making for a borderline nauseating parking experience.
On top of all that, rather than having a visible physical button to turn on-off one-pedal-driving, Chevrolet opted to make it an icon on the touchscreen located behind the right side of the steering wheel, completely out of your line-of-sight. Another gripe I had is the placement of the hazard switch. With most vehicles, the hazard switch is located somewhere in the center console area or in-between the central HVAC vents. With the Equinox EV, it is in the headliner above your head where the On-Star and Emergency buttons are.
The low-slung and athletic styling of the Equinox EV comes at a cost. To achieve adequate headroom in the back, Chevy lowered the rear seat cushion at the cost of having your feet rest slightly too high, which can become very uncomfortable for longer trips, especially if you are tall. However, the biggest letdown is the dashboard reflection off the windshield. It’s long, with the vents reflecting into the windshield in broad daylight. I was rather annoyed by this, as it is something that could have been rectified during the prototype stage of development. Design quirks like this are acceptable on a work truck or an occasional Sunday vehicle, but not on something intended to be a daily commuter.
Usability and ergonomic woes aside, the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV is a good attempt at breathing some refinement down into General Motors’ entry-level offerings. With great styling, lots of tech features, and minimal road noise intrusion, we can see the Chevrolet faithful and other curious buyers flocking to the Equinox EV, especially with plans of an even lower 1LT trim coming later in the year for those who are budget-conscious. If you’re trading up from a Bolt or any other entry-level EV, you will be impressed with the Equinox EV — as long as you opt for all-wheel-drive.
