2021 Chevrolet Equinox

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2021 Chevrolet Equinox

/10

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Original MSRP

$24,995–$34,295

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Features We Love

The Equinox is exactly what I expected from an affordable compact SUV in the best way possible. Nothing about it feels overcomplicated, but there were definitely a few features that surprised me, especially when it came to storage, comfort, and how well it handled a rear-facing car seat setup.

Rear-facing car seat fit behind the driver: I’m six feet tall, and I still had enough room with a rear-facing infant seat installed behind me, which is impressive for a compact SUV.
Two lower anchor positions in the second row: each outboard seat has its own set of lower LATCH anchors, which keeps installs simple for families with two car seats.
Top tether anchors across the back row: having tether anchors across the rear seating positions gives more flexibility for forward-facing car seats.
Huge center console for the size: the center console completely surprised me because my entire water bottle fit inside with room left over.
Trunk space is excellent for a compact SUV: the Uppababy stroller fit easily, and I still had room left over in the cargo area.
Extra cargo cubbies make the trunk more functional: I loved the hidden lower storage and side cubbies for keeping things organized long term.

Car Mom Review

The Exterior

The Equinox really leans into simple, timeless compact SUV styling. Nothing about the exterior is trying too hard, but honestly, that’s part of why I think these tend to age pretty well over time.

Compact Size Makes This Easy To Manage

The Equinox feels approachable to drive and park while still giving families enough room for everyday life. Even though it’s smaller than the Traverse, I still had good headroom and felt comfortable getting in and out.

Simple front-end styling keeps it timeless: Chevy kept the design straightforward with chrome detailing and a clean front grille.
Compact proportions work well for families: this is the kind of SUV that feels manageable if you don’t want to jump into a huge three-row vehicle.
Metallic black paint looked really sharp: Kelly specifically called out the color because it gave the Equinox a more elevated look.

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Timeless compact SUV styling that lasts.

First Row

The first row of the Equinox feels simple but functional. The technology is basic, but everything is easy to use, and Chevy did a good job making the space feel comfortable without overcomplicating it.

Comfortable Seats and Great Headroom for a Compact SUV

Even though the Equinox is smaller, I still had plenty of room up front at six feet tall. The cloth seats on this LT trim actually surprised me too because the detailing and contrast stitching made them feel more elevated than I expected.

Heated seats still come on this trim: I was happy to see heated seats included even on a lower trim level.
Steering wheel controls are easy to use: the controls are simple and straightforward without a huge learning curve.

Small Screen but All the Features Families Need

The display is definitely on the smaller side, but it still includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and available Wi-Fi, which are the features most families actually care about day to day.

Storage Feels Bigger Than Expected

The biggest surprise up front was honestly the storage. The center console was massive for a compact SUV, and the cupholders easily fit Kelly’s large water bottle.

Illuminated center console adds usability: I liked that the storage area lights up because it makes it easier to find things quickly.

Second Row

The second row in the Equinox works surprisingly well for a compact SUV, especially if you’re mainly planning around two car seats. I was honestly impressed with how much room I still had behind my driver’s seat with a rear-facing infant seat installed, especially considering I’m six feet tall.

Two lower anchor positions make second-row installs simple

The Equinox has two sets of lower LATCH anchors in the outboard second-row seats, which keeps installs straightforward for families running two car seats side-by-side in the back. I installed a rear-facing infant seat with the lower anchors and had no issues getting it set up.

Rear-facing seat still fit behind me: even with the driver’s seat adjusted for me at six feet tall, I still had enough clearance with the infant seat installed behind the driver.
Forward-facing install was easy: I installed the forward-facing seat with the seatbelt, and the install itself was easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Top tether anchors across the back row give more flexibility

There are top tether anchors across the rear seating positions, which gives families more flexibility for forward-facing car seats. The outboard headrests are also removable, which can help with certain installs.

Larger forward-facing seats may start to feel tight

This is still a compact SUV, and I definitely started to feel the limitations once I installed the forward-facing seat. With the specific car seats I brought, I really could not make multiple larger setups work comfortably side-by-side.

No middle head restraint: I really dislike that there’s no middle head restraint because it makes that middle seat less comfortable and less ideal for passengers.

Third Row

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Trunk

The Equinox Has One of the Better Trunks in the Compact SUV Category

The trunk was one of the biggest surprises for me in the Equinox. For a compact SUV, 29.9 cubic feet behind the second row is really solid, and the Uppababy stroller fit back there with plenty of room left over.

Stroller Space Is Not the Problem Here

I had an Uppababy stroller in the trunk, and it fit really well. This is exactly what I want to see in a compact SUV because if you’re shopping for a five-passenger car, stroller space can make or break the setup.

29.9 cubic feet behind the second row: that puts the Equinox above the Kia Seltos at 26.6 cubic feet and the Ford Bronco Sport at 22.4 cubic feet.
Close to the Chevy Blazer: the Blazer has 30.5 cubic feet, so the Equinox is only slightly behind it despite being the smaller SUV.
Less than the Kia Sportage and Ford Escape: the Sportage has 39.6 cubic feet and the Escape has 37.5 cubic feet, so those give you noticeably more cargo room.

Hidden Storage Makes the Trunk More Family-Friendly

The main cargo area is strong, but the extra storage underneath is what made me really excited. I loved the lower cubby space and the little side cubbies because those are perfect for things you want to keep in the car long term, like diapers, emergency items, extra clothes, or random kid gear.

For the size of the car, I’d give this trunk a 10 out of 10.

Safety

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox Earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick Award

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox was named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick when equipped with specific headlights included on the LT trim option.

Seatbelt Pretensioners Are Included in the Front and Rear Outboard Seats

The Equinox includes seatbelt pretensioners in the front seating positions and rear outboard seats to help tighten the seatbelt during certain types of collisions.

Standard Safety Technology Is Included Across the Lineup

I also liked seeing that the Equinox included a lot of the safety features families are typically looking for in a daily driver SUV, including:

Forward collision alert
Lane keep assist
Automatic emergency braking
Available adaptive cruise control
Rear park assist on higher trims
Blind spot monitoring on higher trims

Car Seat Setup

If you’re considering the Chevrolet Equinox for your family, here’s the full rundown on how car seats fit in this car based on the setup I tested. I brought two seats with me: a rear-facing Clek Liing infant seat and a forward-facing Graco 4Ever convertible seat so I could see how this compact SUV actually functions for real families.

Quick Car Seat Facts in the 2021 Chevy Equinox

Two sets of lower LATCH anchors in the outboard seats
Three top tether anchors across the second row
Removable second-row headrests
No middle head restraint in the second row
Kelly mentioned narrower car seats may work better in this setup
Tight with two larger car seats installed at the same time

Worked Better for Rear-Facing Car Seats Than I Expected

Behind the driver’s seat, I installed the rear-facing Clek Liing using the lower anchors, and honestly, I was impressed with the amount of room. I’m about 6 feet tall and still had enough space to sit comfortably up front with the infant seat behind me, which isn’t always the case in a compact SUV. In this particular infant seat, the anti-rebound bar stays up while driving, so I didn’t need any extra clearance there either.

On the passenger side, I installed the Graco 4Ever forward-facing with the seatbelt. The install itself was super easy, and I do appreciate that the Equinox has removable headrests because that can make a big difference when you’re trying to get a secure fit with certain car seats.

The 2021 Chevy Equinox Felt Tight With Bulkier Car Seats

Now for the honest part: with the exact seats I brought, this setup felt tight. The forward-facing seat was taking up quite a bit of room, and overall I just didn’t feel like this specific combination was working especially well in this vehicle. I do think narrower car seats could make a difference here, but if you’re planning on multiple larger seats, I would absolutely test your exact setup before buying.

One thing I really didn’t love in the 2021 Chevy Equinox is that there’s no middle head restraint in the second row. That’s a downside for me because if someone is sitting in that center seat, there’s less protection against whiplash in a collision.

Overall, I think the Equinox could work really well for a family with one or two car seats, especially if you’re using slimmer seats or mainly driving with one child. But if you’re trying to fit multiple bulky seats or maximize second-row space, I’d definitely bring your car seats to the dealership and test everything yourself before making a decision.

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