The 2027 Chevrolet Equinox EV offers a distinctive package of family-friendly interior space, ample electric range, and advanced technology at a relatively low price. This strong value proposition makes it a must-see, though a few things might give you pause, such as the lack of Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, torque steer in the front-wheel-drive (FWD) model, and the fact that adding equipment erodes some of its value advantage.
Photo: James Riswick
The 2027 Equinox EV is available in LT 1, LT 2, and RS trim levels. All trims come standard with FWD and offer an optional dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. Base prices range from about $37,000 to about $46,000, including the destination charge.
For this 2027 Equinox EV review, Chevrolet provided a test vehicle with LT 2 trim and the following key options:
The test vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $50,640, including the $1,800 destination charge to ship the small electric SUV from the Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, assembly plant to a local dealership. This price does not reflect any current rebates, incentives, or price adjustments since Chevrolet manufactured the test vehicle.
Photo: James Riswick
The Equinox EV’s interior benefits from not feeling overly futuristic or weird. Despite having two large screens, one for the instruments and the other for infotainment, it still has real buttons and knobs for the climate controls. OK, some finer or optional details, like the heated and ventilated seats, are controlled via the touchscreen, but at least those virtual buttons always remain on the screen.
Passenger space is vast. Even with the driver’s seat pushed all the way back, all 6-foot-3 of me could very comfortably fit in the back without my knees grazing. That said, there could have been even more back-seat room if the driver’s seat provided more forward tilt and therefore more leg support. As it was, I had to sit even further back than I would prefer.
With all that backseat space, though, fitting forward- or rear-facing child seats is notably easier than in gas-powered compact SUVs. In particular, there is a decent chance you will not have to scoot the front passenger seat forward to accommodate a rear-facing seat. The doors are enormous, too.
The cargo area, however, is not. The specs list 26.4 cubic feet with the back seat raised, which is not great, but in my own cargo testing, the dual-level cargo floor and the storage bin hidden under the floor expanded the space enough to hold more than the supposedly midsize Blazer EV. Ultimately, I found it to be middle-of-the-pack among electric SUVs of this size. Maximum cargo capacity is 57.2 cubic feet.
Photo: James Riswick
Interior storage space is similarly just OK. The primary cupholders are terrific: a 40-ounce jumbo cup and a wine-bottle-sized metal water bottle not only fit inside but are also nicely secured. The door holders can also hold the big bottle. Storage for other items is just OK. The available wireless smartphone charger is a little buried; the skinny bin on the center console has minimal functionality, but more importantly, other electric vehicles (EVs) are just cleverer in this regard.
They also tend to use higher-quality materials throughout. The Equinox EV’s dashboard and front doors feature nice, low-sheen, padded surfaces, but if you look a little lower, you will start to notice hard plastic that seems lower quality than what rivals use. Worse, that hard plastic is everywhere in the back seat. I have experienced a base LT 1 trim level, and without all my test vehicle’s added creature comforts, there is an air of “rental car” about it.
Photo: James Riswick
Every 2027 Equinox EV comes with a 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen and an adjacent 11-inch digital instrument panel. The Convenience Package II includes a head-up display. Other standard features include:
The test vehicle’s Convenience Package II also included a wireless smartphone charger, while a 2027 Equinox EV with the Active Safety Package 3 includes a Bose premium sound system.
One item you will not see on the above list is Apple CarPlay; it is not available. It does not have Android Auto either, but the Google Built-in suite mitigates that absence. The system also does a good job of reading and sending text messages, I would say better than CarPlay, and if you primarily use CarPlay for Google Maps, the version built into the Equinox EV is actually better than what you would stream from your phone.
That said, I cannot start a podcast on my iPhone using Apple’s podcasting app and continue it in the car without streaming it via Bluetooth. That means selecting it on my phone. The same applies to selecting a song purchased from iTunes and played through the Apple Music app (yes, I still buy music). I also could not find the MLB app in the car’s Google Play Store, so I had no choice but to make my baseball game radio selection on my phone, too.
Now, as the owner of a different General Motors (GM) EV without Apple CarPlay, I can say it is only a minor inconvenience for me and a complete non-factor for my wife (the primary driver), who did not use Apple CarPlay even when she had it in her last car.
Photo: James Riswick
The Equinox EV comes standard with a single electric motor powering the front wheels, making it FWD. Total output is 220 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, and the EPA-estimated 2026 range was 319 miles (2027 estimates were not available at the time of this writing, but are unlikely to change).
I averaged 104 MPGe on my 75-mile mixed-driving evaluation route, which is comparable to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 108 MPGe combined estimate. In other words, the range estimate is achievable. Opting for AWD adds a rear motor, which significantly increases output to 300 hp and 355 pound-feet. Its EPA-estimated 2027 range is 307 miles.
Normally, I would say FWD is just fine, even for those who must endure frostier winters. That is certainly true of the Nissan Leaf and Toyota bZ. However, those do a better job of judiciously sending all their immediate electric torque to the front wheels. The Equinox EV, by contrast, tugs at the wheel when accelerating and, while turning, feels like it locks onto the initial steering angle, making it harder to adjust the angle or return to center.
I do not think this is a safety issue, but it can be frustrating and comes across as a lack of refinement. I have driven an AWD Equinox EV, and there is still a whiff of “torque steer,” though it is mitigated. So, although the FWD model provides more than enough straight-line punch and highway passing power, I would still recommend the AWD version.
Needless to say, a trip along the mountain road segment of my evaluation route was a chore because of all that torque steer. The Equinox also does not feel as agile or, as fun as other EVs on a winding road, including more affordable ones such as the Leaf, bZ, Toyota C-HR, and Chevy’s own Bolt.
The ride quality is also just OK, but I suspect the Convenience Package II’s 21-inch wheels are responsible for the increased harshness I detected over sharper bumps. The standard 19s would probably be better. Interior noise levels, however, were excellent.
Photo: James Riswick
The 2027 Equinox EV comes standard with the now-expected suite of driver assistance technologies. They include:
The LT 2 trim includes the items in the Active Safety Package 2, which is optional on the base LT 1. It includes:
My test vehicle also came with the Active Safety Package 3, which is optional on the LT 2 and RS trims. It includes:
As always, I was very impressed with Super Cruise and its ability to drive hands-free on highways, both divided Interstate highways and those with traffic lights, intersections, and driveways. The latter are more likely to require you to take over steering, but Super Cruise’s unique steering wheel light bar makes it crystal clear when that needs to happen. The wheel is the main reason I prefer Super Cruise over Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free system.
At the same time, the Active Safety Package 3 costs $3,945 on top of the $3,100 Convenience Package II, which you also have to add to get it. As much as Super Cruise makes a real difference on longer journeys (I use it quite a bit in my wife’s personal car), I do not think it represents that much of a difference from the Equinox EV’s standard adaptive cruise control system, even if that does not include steering assistance.
All of the Equinox EV’s other driver assistance systems worked as intended. Unlike some other GM vehicles, the lane keeping system did not intervene erratically or excessively. The driver monitoring system also did not drive me up the wall with hypervigilant alerts, unlike the Toyota bZ and C-HR. I also like GM’s Safety Alert Seat, which buzzes the driver's seat instead of beeping. It is both attention-grabbing and less annoying.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the structurally similar 2026 Equinox EV five out of five stars for overall safety. As of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not yet tested it.
According to the JD Power 2026 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Nissan Rogue ranks highest in the Compact SUV segment, with the Ford Escape and Buick Envision ranked second and third, respectively.
According to the JD Power 2026 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the Toyota RAV4 ranks highest in the Compact SUV segment, with the Nissan Rogue and Kia Sportage ranked second and third, respectively.
According to the JD Power 2026 Electric Vehicle Ownership (EVX) Study, the Ford Mustang Mach-E ranks highest in the Mass Market Battery Electric Vehicles segment, with the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Kia EV9 ranked second and third, respectively.
Other 2027 Equinox EV competitors include the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Tesla Model Y.
The Equinox EV is a great family vehicle for the money. Skipping some options, including Super Cruise, is probably necessary to keep its value proposition intact. Also, if you are just looking for a low priced EV, the Nissan Leaf, Toyota C-HR, and Chevy’s own Bolt are probably better bets. Nevertheless, this electric SUV provides a compelling blend of price, features, size, and range.
James Riswick has been testing and reviewing cars since 2007 and has served as an editor at Edmunds and Autoblog. In addition to jdpower.com, he has also contributed to Autotrader, Autoguide Magazine, Auto Express, Capital One Auto Navigator, Car and Driver, and Hagerty. He resides in Southern California and owns a 1998 BMW Z3, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon, and a 2025 Cadillac Optiq.
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