Ahead of its expected launch at this week’s Chicago Auto Show, newly leaked photos of the refreshed 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have surfaced. The compact, fuel-efficient Equinox has been largely unchanged since its redesign for the 2009 model year, something that hasn’t affected its sales–as one of Chevrolet’s top-selling models, seeing almost 250,000 units sold during 2014 alone.
The update, said to be largely cosmetic, will include a new headlight design with LED daytime running lamps, fog lamps, and a redesigned bumper aimed at modernizing the Equinox’s look. The update may also include a more understated wheel design, interior updates, and a wider grille with chrome inserts, though little should change under the hood. Powertrain options will likely remain between a 2.4-liter I-4 good for 182 horsepower and a 3.6-liter V6 producing 301 horsepower, both with available all-wheel-drive. No details have surfaced concerning updates to the Equinox’s transmission, though it’d be nice to see an 8-speed unit available sometime soon.
In addition, expect the Equinox’s platform mate, the GMC Terrain, to see similar updates this week in Chicago. According to Chevrolet PR, the motivation for the Equinox’s slight update comes from recently redesigned competition, such as the Ford Escape and the Mazda CX-5. However, the Equinox’s refresh is only slated to be relevant for one or two model years, as Chevy plans to completely redesign the Equinox line for 2017 or 2018.
The refreshed Equinox will officially debut on Thursday, February 12, so stay tuned on TFLcar.com for the official press release.
Please enjoy this TFLcar.com video review of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox.
Frank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, he was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise is in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.
