Holden Equinox Prototype 2017 Review

Holden has a lot riding on the new Equinox medium SUV. It expects it to be one of its primary sales pillars going forward, along with the Colorado pick-up and the Astra small car.

On-sale in November (2017) with a choice of three powertrains and front or all-wheel drive, the Equinox has been the subject of a substantial local tuning program which Holden gave us a taste of this week.

What’s it all about?
The Equinox is a brand-new vehicle, based on a new architecture and developed in the USA but with input from local engineers going back five years. Pitched into the five-seat medium SUV segment to replace Captiva, it is intended to go head-to-head from this November with the Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and many others fighting it out in this hyper-competitive category.

Sourced from Chevrolet, it’s a crucial vehicle because there are big sales to be had if Holden can get it right. That’s a big if, of course…

Here we’re getting a brief drive of a captured test fleet (CTF) Equinox that’s been built on the assembly line and is therefore an almost 100 per cent accurate depiction of what you’ll see on the showroom.

Holden’s also today released some details about powertrain and equipment levels that will be coming.

Technically speaking
The Equinox will be sold in Australia with the choice of two turbo-petrol engines and one turbo-diesel four-cylinder. The base petrol engine is a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder that makes 127kW and 275Nm. The 2.0-litre petrol makes a meaty 188kW and 353Nm, while the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel is rated at 100kW and 320Nm.

In the early stages of development Holden was only slated to get the 1.5, but some strong lobbying added the other two engines to the program.

The 2.0-litre Equinox gets a nine-speed automatic transmission and the same combo is confirmed for next year’s imported NG Commodore. The diesel, meantime, gets a six-speed auto and the 1.5-litre the choice of six-speed auto and manual gearboxes.

Both front and on-demand all-wheel drive will be available, while unique Australian tuning includes suspension hardware, dampers and steering. Front suspension is MacPherson strut, rear-end by four-link independent and steering is electric-assist.

With Holden swapping from all-weather to summer tyres, offering three wheel sizes (17-, 18- and 19-inch) and front- and all-wheel-drive variants, it has ended up with three suspension tunes. Via the local tuning team, changes were made to bushes, dampers, springs and sway bars.

Holden has confirmed the Aussie-spec Equinox will include torque vectoring (by brake) to improve handling and electric upper and lower grille shutters for better aero efficiency.

Based on GM’s new D2XX monocoque architecture, the Equinox is 102mm longer than the CX-5 at 4652mm, 3mm wider (1843mm) and 14mm lower (1661mm). Its wheelbase is 25mm longer than the Mazda at 2725mm. Luggage capacity is claimed to be 846 litres with both seat rows in-place.

In the USA, kerb weight is as low as 1508kg for a front-wheel drive 1.5. Mazda claims 1511kg for its lightest CX-5.

Braked towing capacity is claimed to be as high as 2000kg for the 2.0 [up from 1585kg in the USA).

Australian supply of Equinox will come from Mexico.

How much; what does it get?
Pricing’s not part of the official discussion right now, but if you look at the $28,690-$49,990 pricing range of the Mazda CX-5 then that offers a clue, as the Equinox will arrive with a similarly comprehensive line-up of drivetrains and specification levels.

On top of that, there will be a high level of safety and comfort equipment, although how far down the range it will trickle remains to be seen. Suffice it to say, Holden is telling us autonomous emergency braking, forward collision alert with head-up warning, following distance indicator, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, blind spot alert, rear cross traffic alert and even an alert via vibrating seats are all systems that are available to it.

There’s also a reversing camera, park assist, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, push-button and remote start, wireless phone charging, hands-free powered tailgate, embedded sat-nav, LED headlights and daytime running lamps, ventilated and heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a two-panel panoramic sunroof, four USB ports, three aux power outlets, 230 volt universal power outlets and fold-flat seats.

Expect more details on the Aussie Equinox range and the equipment fitted through the model walk by, well the Spring Equinox (or thereabouts)…

What’s it like to drive
Our short (captive) test drive comprised a run through a slalom and a couple of laps of Holden’s ride and handling course in a front-wheel drive 2.0-litre Equinox rolling on 18-inch rubber.

This loop features steep up and downhills, a couple of heavy braking moments, a hairpin with ruts mid-corner and a long right-hand corner with an off-camber exit. And, oh yeah, it was also raining, turning one particular double apex left-hander into an ice rink.

But the Equinox handled it all with confidence. In terms of overall driving character, it was closer to a CX-5 than an RAV4; ie -- it had quite a firm ride allied with direct steering. Indeed, by the standards of this category, Equinox is an involving drive, without overdoing it.

The drivetrain is going to win plenty of friends, because it is both strong and smooth. It pulls with enough oomph for Holden to forecast a mid-seven second 0-100km/h time. It can also overcome traction control and induce some wheel-spin on a wet road, while there’s also moderate torque steer apparent through the steering wheel when turning and accelerating.

There’s no sport mode to sharpen up throttle, gearshift or steering weight. You can change gear manually via a +/- rocker button on the top of the shifter, which is the most obvious sign of the vehicle’s American origins.

That said, the rest of the interior doesn’t inspire such thoughts. It’s clean, modern and spacious, with plenty of room for two adults in row two and lots of luggage behind them.

So, what do we think?
It’s impossible based on a such a short taste to declare the Equinox a benchmark or anything so dramatic. But it is so far ahead of Captiva, it at least shapes up as competitive against the best vehicles in its segment. That’s a huge step forward for Holden.

In fact, it’s clear the engineers have done their job, delivering a competitive vehicle. Now let’s see how it’s priced, equipped and marketed.

2017 Holden Equinox pricing and specifications:
Price (estimated): $29,000-$50,000
Engine: 1.5-litre, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, 1.6-litre turbo-diesel
Output: 127kW/275Nm (1.5), 188kW/353Nm (2.0), 100kW/320Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic (1.5 and 1.6), nine-speed auto (2.0)
Fuel: TBA
CO2: TBA
Safety Rating: N/A