Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2022 Lexus RX

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 RX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Equinox and the RX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, 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 Lexus RX:

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 Lexus RX:

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

There are almost 12 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The RX isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Lexus vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lexus is ranked 6th.

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

Both the Equinox and the RX 450h have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Equinox’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RX 450h 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 RX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Equinox higher (7 out of 10) than the Lexus RX (5 to 7). This means the Equinox produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RX every 15,000 miles.

The Equinox stops much shorter than the RX:

The Equinox’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RX’s optional 55 series tires.

The Equinox has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The RX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Equinox Premier AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the RX 350 F Sport AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Equinox’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the RX’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1250 pounds less than the Lexus RX.

The Equinox is 9.4 inches shorter than the RX, making the Equinox easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 RX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The RX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has .6 inches more front headroom and 1.9 inches more rear legroom than the RX.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the RX with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 16 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the RX with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 32.6 cubic feet).

The Equinox’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RX’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 RX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Equinox, using the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the RX.

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 RX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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 RX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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 RX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Equinox will cost $1250 to $3280 less than the RX over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the RX because typical repairs cost much less on the Equinox than the RX, including $690 less for a water pump, $294 less for a starter, $1211 less for a timing belt/chain and $1511 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 $13912 to $16547 less than for the Lexus RX.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Lexus RX by almost two to one during the 2021 model year.