Compare the2022 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2021 Infiniti QX50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Chassis
Passenger Space
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the Chevrolet Equinox’s rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Infiniti QX50 doesn’t offer comfort guides on its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Equinox are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The QX50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Equinox and the QX50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Equinox	QX50
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	159	177
Neck Injury Risk	17%	18%
Neck Stress	190 lbs.	240 lbs.
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	37 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	26%	30%
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	70 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	264/236 lbs.	373/609 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Equinox	QX50
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Equinox the rating of “Top Pick” for 2021, a rating granted to only 119 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 14 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Equinox’s reliability 26 points higher than the QX50.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox third among compact suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The QX50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 15th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox gets better fuel mileage than the QX50:

			MPG
Equinox
	2WD	1.5 Turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	4WD	1.5 Turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy
QX50
	2WD	2.0 Turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	4WD	2.0 Turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Equinox’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The QX50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The QX50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Infiniti QX50 (6). This means the Equinox produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the QX50 every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Equinox stops shorter than the QX50:

	Equinox	QX50
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Equinox has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Chassis

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 650 pounds less than the Infiniti QX50.

The front grille of the Equinox offers available electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The QX50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Equinox has 1.3 inches more front legroom and 1.2 inches more rear legroom than the QX50.

Towing

The Equinox’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX50’s (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

The Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The QX50 can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Ergonomics

The Equinox’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The QX50 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Equinox and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Equinox is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The QX50 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Infiniti Connection can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the QX50 and aren’t offered on the QX50 Pure.

The Equinox Premier’s standard rear view mirror and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The QX50 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Equinox and the QX50 offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the QX50.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Equinox Premier has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The QX50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Equinox (except LS) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The QX50 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Equinox with a number “8” insurance rate while the QX50 is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the QX50 because typical repairs cost much less on the Equinox than the QX50, including $300 less for a water pump, $113 less for a starter, $138 less for front struts and $707 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Equinox will be $8297 to $13476 less than for the Infiniti QX50.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti QX50 isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox second among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The QX50 isn’t in the top three.