The Chevrolet Equinox and its sister vehicle GMC Terrain were the only two of nine midsize SUV’s to earn the Insurance Institute for highway safety’s top safety rating. The test, which constitutes 25% of the vehicle’s driver’s side front end ramming into a 5-foot barrier at 40 mph, aims to emulate what happens when that part of a vehicle hits another object such as another car or a tree.
Both the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain were tested with GM’s Forward Collision Alert system, which is part of a safety package that includes Lane Departure Warning and Rear Park Assist. The Forward Collision Alert system uses a high-resolution digital camera to look for the shapes of vehicles and lane markings, and uses audible warnings and a high-mounted visual display to warn the driver when a collision is imminent. When the system detects that a collision is imminent, it pre-charges the brakes to help the vehicle stop as quickly as possible.
The Equinox and the Terrain were previously named Top Safety Picks, but the criteria for Top Safety Pick+ was changed for 2014 to include vehicles offering a frontal crash protection system. The vehicles also must achieve a “good” rating in four out of five crash tests, with no less than an “acceptable” on the fifth test. Both the Equinox and the Terrain achieved “good” ratings in all five tests.
Check out our review of the Equinox below:
Also watch us test the GMC Terrain at high altitude!
