Compare the2022 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Crosstrek are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Equinox doesn’t offer height-adjustable front seat belts.

The Subaru Crosstrek has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Crosstrek Limited has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Equinox doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Equinox.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Crosstrek CVT’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Crosstrek CVT’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Equinox doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Crosstrek and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	Crosstrek	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.1 inches
Hip Force	346 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	428 lbs.	630 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	201	377

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, with its optional front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 114 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Equinox is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The Crosstrek’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

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 Crosstrek’s reliability 21 points higher than the Equinox.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 9 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Crosstrek Sport/Limited’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (182 vs. 170) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Crosstrek is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox (automatics tested):

	Crosstrek 2.0	Crosstrek Sport/Limited	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	8.8 sec	7.8 sec	9.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.7 sec	16 sec	16.9 sec

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Equinox doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Crosstrek gets better mileage than the Equinox:

			MPG
Crosstrek
AWD	Auto	2.0 DOHC flat-4	28 city/33 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
Equinox
FWD	Auto	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
AWD	Auto	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/30 hwy

The Crosstrek has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 14.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Crosstrek has a gallon more fuel capacity than the Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 15.6 gallons).

Transmission

The Crosstrek offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Equinox doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Crosstrek offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Equinox doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Crosstrek stops much shorter than the Equinox:

	Crosstrek	Equinox
70 to 0 MPH	169 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Crosstrek’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Equinox LS/LT’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Crosstrek has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Crosstrek flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Crosstrek Limited handles at .81 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Crosstrek Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Equinox LT AWD (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Crosstrek’s turning circle is 6.2 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (35.4 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox (8.7 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Crosstrek is 6.6 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has 2.2 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Equinox doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Equinox. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Crosstrek’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Equinox’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Crosstrek has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Equinox doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Crosstrek’s available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Equinox’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek Limited has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Equinox doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Equinox LS doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Crosstrek owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Crosstrek will cost $150 less than the Equinox over a five-year period.

The Crosstrek will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Crosstrek will retain 62.13% to 65.32% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 42.36% to 47.88%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Crosstrek is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $273 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Crosstrek than the Equinox, including $95 less for a water pump, $658 less for a muffler, $157 less for front brake pads, $241 less for fuel injection, $315 less for a fuel pump, $251 less for a timing belt/chain and $349 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Crosstrek will be $6916 to $9430 less than for the Chevrolet Equinox.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Crosstrek and the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance.