Chevy Teases the New Equinox Ahead of Chicago Debut

2016 Chevrolet Equinox (Credit: © GM)

The Chevy Equinox had one heck of a 2014 calendar year, as 242,242 units found new homes, putting it in fourth place — just behind the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Toyota RAV4 — in a crowded segment. And it managed to pull this off with an outdated body that really has no right to be mentioned in the same breath as the top-three of the class. Chevrolet must have noticed that it can do even better with a new look, as it has announced that it will reveal a refreshed Equinox at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show.

Along with the announcement, Chevrolet also revealed a teaser image that shows off a front end that looks to be completely redone. To make things clearer, I created an image (below) that puts the teaser image side-by-side with the 2015 model. Just the small shot that Chevy released shows a brand-new headlight configuration, larger fog lights with an LED accent, new ridges on the front apron, a new and sportier bumper insert, and what look to be more defined wheel arches. Unfortunately, Chevy did not release a teaser image of the back end, but I expect to see revisions to match the front.

2015 Equinox Vs. 2016 Equinox (Credit: © GM)

Because this is just a refresh, do not expect to see major overhauls to the drivetrain or the cabin. The latter will likely receive updated electronics, some repositioned buttons, and maybe a few extra options. The drivetrain, on the other hand, will likely remain unchanged, save for some improvements in fuel economy. If there are any drivetrain updates, I would expect them to include the addition of the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine as a midway point between the base four-cylinder and the 301-horsepower V-6, but that is unlikely.

Stay tuned, as the Chevy will debut the Equinox on February 12, 2015, and we’ll have all of the details for you.