“We’re number four” is not what you might call a winning chant, but in the growing world of electric vehicles, it’s a mark worth noting. The esteemed third runnerup in the U.S. EV sales race for the first three months of 2025 is the Chevrolet Equinox EV. It’s a stylish SUV that’s everything you could want in a car, not just an EV, wrapped in an affordable package—starting at around $35,000.
The beauty of the Equinox EV is that it’s General Motors at its best—as we saw with the Cadillac Lyriq two months ago. This is a car that is at once familiar and revolutionary. It’s an electric car, but when you get in and settle into the comfortable driver’s seat, everything is familiar and controls are at hand. All that’s missing is a starter button. If your key is in your pocket and you’re in the driver’s seat, the car is on and ready to go. It couldn’t be simpler to put it in gear and head out.
The learning curve is very short; this just seems to be the way all cars should operate (and probably will, soon).
Given the good looks, ease of operation and reasonable price, it’s not surprising the Equinox EV accounted for more than half of growing Chevrolet EV sales so far this year—the rest were the Silverado, Blazer, Bolt and Brightdrop commercial vehicles.
The powertrain/packaging
The Chevrolet Equinox EV also makes it relatively easy to sort through its options. First choice is front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The FWD has a 213 horsepower motor and delivers 319 miles of range on a charge. The AWD has a motor on each axle for 288 horsepower and 285 miles of range. I drove the FWD model and found the power to be adequate.
I noted that the car, like most EVs, was swift because of the huge low-end torque, but not fast like some classic muscle cars. It will get you up to speed on the freeway and give you the oomph to pass a slow-moving truck, all while sipping electrons.
The road ride was excellent. It handles well and gives the driver a good sense of the road conditions. Stopping is a standout. The Equinox has aggressive regenerative braking, so it stops quickly and surely, without needing to use the brake. Just lift off the accelerator and the SUV will come to a stop. The brakes will probably last forever.
Four trim levels give you some packages to choose from, but the basic package with the Equinox has a solid level of equipment, including 19-inch wheels, an 85 kWh battery with the capability of charging at up to 150 kW, a 12.7-inch LCD display and an 11-inch driver information center, seating for five and a collection of current safety technology to aid braking and avoid danger.
The convenience package in our test model added power and heat to the driver’s seat adjustment, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, a power liftgate and a variety of other enhancements. The package was $8,300 with no ability to choose individual options, so it resulted in a final price of $43,590 for our model, still a relative bargain in the EV world.
On top of that, Chevrolet is running several options for deals on the Equinox, with two-year leases for less than $300 or low-interest financing for purchases.
A note on prices: With the tariff talking going on, keep an eye on the Equinox pricing. The car is assembled in Mexico with 40% Mexican content, augmented by 20% Korean content and only 12% U.S./Canadian content. Like most vehicles today, it’s an international product, so pricing may be subject to change at any time.
