There is absolutely nothing wrong with the powertrain in the Equinox. It starts, it runs, and it's relatively smooth. That is, until you ask it for full-throttle performance, when it starts to grind and whine a bit. The new five-speed automatic transmission shifts up and down just fine. It's just not a powertrain that will make your blood boil, although GM claims the Equinox's 0-60 sprint comes in only 8.5 seconds, whether it's AWD or FWD. As we said, this is a 25-year-old engine design that is without benefit of balance shafts, variable-valve timing or variable intake, but it's perfectly adequate for family SUV use. Chevrolet rates it to haul families plus trailer loads of up to 3500 pounds, and it has the guts to do it.We found the long-wheelbase chassis of this 3600-pound car/truck provided a plush ride, good cornering performance, relatively crisp handling, and long-trip comfort. The brakes are well matched to the size and weight of the Equinox FWD that we tested, with good, progressive pedal travel and linear braking force application. Equinox and the Saturn Vue have an electric power steering system. An electronic control unit programmed for a variety of performance characteristics controls an electric motor mounted adjacent to the steering column to provide the right amount of assist for a given driving situation. The steering ratio is variable, so the Equinox has good, steady road feel in highway driving and low effort at low speeds for easier parking. We don't think the average American driver can tell it apart from hydraulic power steering, and that's a good thing, especially when combined with the fact that engine power isn't used to drive the system and can be used to move the vehicle, saving gasoline.
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