Nice rims and a mocha steel metallic paint color had our 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ standing out in the wild when we first took a look at our test model. The recently redesigned Equinox is a sharp crossover and we were looking forward to driving one of Chevy’s big sellers to see what all the fuss was about.
Exterior
The refined exterior of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ gives this crossover a real advantage over some its competitors as this is a great looking vehicle. Up front, the horizontal-split grille is eye-catching along with the overall muscular look touched with the flaring fenders. Our loaner sported a rear power programmable rear lift gate, power outside heated mirrors, sporty 18 inch chrome clad aluminum wheels, deep tinted glass, a roof mounted luggage rack with side rails, remote keyless entry, front fog lamps, plenty of chrome and halogen projector beam headlamps. The Equinox in LTZ package looked great as the mocha steel metallic color matched the high-end look of this crossover.
Interior
When you enter the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox FWD LTZ, you know you’re in a high-end crossover with the cross-stitched dual-tone perforated jet black/brownstone leather seating and flowing dashboard that is normally reserved for luxury vehicles. Hints of the Cadillac SRX abound and that my friends is a bonus for Equinox buyers. Our test model was loaded with heated front seats, 8-way power driver seats with power lumbar, multi-flex sliding rear seat with 60/40 split seat back and 3 position recline, tilt and telescoping steering column, color touch navigation radio with 7 inch screen, CD/MP3 player, AUX input and USB port, forward collision alert and lane departure warning, XM radio, On Star, premium 8 speaker system with amplifier and equalization, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio control and Bluetooth phone. The driver’s position is high enough to give you command of the road but not too high where handling is compromised. The excellent fit and finish of the interior components is well noted and a big step forward in the evolution of the New Chevy.
