2015 Chevrolet Equinox 2LT Package $14,990

The 2015 Chevrolet Equinox is a compact crossover SUV that's offered in four trim levels: L, LS, LT and LTZ. Standard equipment on the entry-level L includes 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a driver seat with power height adjustment, a 60/40-split second-row seat that slides and reclines, cruise control, a trip computer and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel with audio controls. In terms of onboard electronics, Bluetooth phone connectivity, OnStar communications (with an in-car 4G WiFi hotspot) and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio input jack and an iPod/USB interface are also standard. The Equinox LS is very similar but has a few extra minor features, the most notable being satellite radio. The LT trim level is split into two subsets: 1LT and 2LT. The 1LT adds heated mirrors, rear privacy glass, roof rack side rails, premium cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a rearview camera and an upgraded audio system that has a 7-inch touchscreen (Chevy's MyLink interface), Bluetooth audio connectivity, voice controls and smartphone integration for Internet radio apps such as Pandora. Moving up to the 2LT gets you foglights, remote start, automatic climate control, heated front seats, an eight-way power driver seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and a Pioneer sound system with eight speakers. At the top of the line, there's the LTZ, which further adds 18-inch chromed alloy wheels, a power liftgate, rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, an eight-way power passenger seat, driver memory settings, a lane departure warning system and forward collision alert. LTZ models equipped with the V6 engine also get firmer suspension tuning. Many of the standard features of the upper trim levels can be added to the less expensive models as options. Other stand-alone options include 19-inch chrome-clad alloy wheels (LTZ V6 only), a sunroof, a navigation system (2LT and LTZ) and a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system (LTZ only). 2015 Highlights The 2015 Chevrolet Equinox carries over largely unchanged. There's a new trim level, the L, and OnStar now includes a 4G LTE connection with an in-car WiFi hotspot. Performance & mpg The 2015 Chevrolet Equinox is offered with one of two powertrains: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter V6 engine. Both come with a six-speed automatic transmission and are available with front- or all-wheel drive. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder puts out 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. In Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive Equinox with the four-cylinder engine accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds, which is a little slower than average for this segment. For the four-cylinder engine, the EPA estimates 26 mpg combined (22 city/32 highway) with front-wheel drive and 23 mpg combined (20/29) with all-wheel drive. While these numbers are respectable, we've had a hard time reproducing them in the real world, especially on the highway. The optional 3.6-liter V6 produces 301 hp and 272 lb-ft of torque. In testing of the essentially identical GMC Terrain with the V6 and all-wheel drive, we recorded a 0-60 time of 7.0 seconds. That's impressive, as it's about half a second quicker than average for small and midsize crossovers with a six-cylinder or upgraded turbocharged engine. EPA fuel economy estimates for this engine drop quite a bit though, with the V6/front-wheel-drive combo coming in at 20 mpg combined (17/24) and the all-wheel drive with the V6 getting 19 mpg combined (16/23). Properly equipped, four-cylinder models will tow up to 1,500 pounds, while the V6 towing capacity climbsto a more useful 3,500 pounds.