Compare the2023 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota 4Runner 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 seat belts.

The Toyota 4Runner has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help 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 4Runner has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner 4WD’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The 4Runner has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Equinox’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 4Runner has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Equinox.

The 4Runner’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 4Runner and the Equinox have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Toyota 4Runner weighs 888 to 1531 pounds more than the Chevrolet Equinox. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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, results indicate that the Toyota 4Runner is safer than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	4Runner	Equinox
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	41	109
Chest Movement	1.1 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	179 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	233 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	89	288
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	55 G’s
Hip Force	381 lbs.	630 lbs.

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

Warranty

The 4Runner’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Equinox.

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 4Runner’s reliability 13 points higher than the Equinox.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Chevrolet is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 17th.

Engine

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 95 more horsepower (270 vs. 175) and 75 lbs.-ft. more torque (278 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota 4Runner is faster than the Chevrolet Equinox:

	4Runner	Equinox
Zero to 30 MPH	3 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.7 sec	9.6 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.9 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.1 sec	17.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.2 MPH	82 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The 4Runner has 8.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox FWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 14.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The 4Runner has 7.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Equinox AWD’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 15.6 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the 4Runner’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Equinox:

	4Runner	Equinox
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	12.3 inches	11.3 inches

The 4Runner’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Equinox are solid, not vented.

The 4Runner stops shorter than the Equinox:

	4Runner	Equinox
60 to 0 MPH	131 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the 4Runner has larger standard tires than the Equinox (245/60R20 vs. 225/65R17). The 4Runner’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Equinox (265/70R17 vs. 235/50R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 4Runner Limited/TRD Sport has standard 20-inch wheels. The Equinox’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Chevrolet Equinox only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Equinox; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The 4Runner has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the 4Runner flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Equinox doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 4Runner has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Equinox doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 4Runner’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the Equinox (109.8 inches vs. 107.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 4Runner is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Equinox.

The 4Runner’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.6% to 46.4%) than the Equinox’s (56% to 44%). This gives the 4Runner more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the 4Runner has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Equinox (9.6 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the 4Runner to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Equinox can only carry 5.

The 4Runner has 24.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Equinox (128 vs. 103.2).

The 4Runner has .8 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, .6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 4 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Equinox.

Cargo Capacity

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Equinox.

	4Runner	Equinox
Third Seat Folded	46.3 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	47.2 cubic feet	29.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	89.7 cubic feet	63.9 cubic feet

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The Equinox doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s cargo area is larger than the Equinox’s in almost every dimension:

	4Runner	Equinox
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/66.3”	34.9”/67.4”
Max Width	57.7”	53.7”
Min Width	42.4”	40.7”
Height	39.5”	31”

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the 4Runner. The Equinox doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Equinox’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The 4Runner’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The 4Runner uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Equinox uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the 4Runner 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 4Runner’s front and rear power windows all 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 passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Equinox can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Economic Advantages

The 4Runner will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 4Runner will retain 62.96% to 69.47% of its original price after five years, while the Equinox only retains 44.91% to 45.97%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 4Runner is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $727 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 4Runner than the Equinox, including $494 less for a muffler, $179 less for front brake pads, $95 less for fuel injection, $134 less for a fuel pump, $30 less for front struts and $313 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The Equinox has never been chosen.

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