Compare the2023 Fiat 500XVS 2023 Chevrolet Equinox

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Fiat 500X 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 Fiat 500X 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 500X has standard Reactive Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Reactive Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Equinox doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the 500X. But it costs extra on the Equinox.

The 500X Sport’s optional 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 500X 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, crash mitigating brakes, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, front and rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The 500X comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The Equinox’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The 500X’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Equinox’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

The engine in the 500X has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the Equinox has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

The 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (177 vs. 175) and 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (210 vs. 203) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Fiat 500X, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Equinox.

For better stopping power the 500X’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Equinox:

The 500X stops much shorter than the Equinox:

The 500X AWD’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. The 500X Sport’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Equinox’s optional 50 series tires.

The 500X has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the 500X flat and controlled during cornering. The Equinox’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The 500X has vehicle 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.

The 500X handles at .78 G’s, while the Equinox LT AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the 500X’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Equinox’s (36.3 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The 500X’s turning circle is 5.3 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (36.3 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

The 500X is 1 foot, 3.9 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the 500X easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 500X has .5 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear hip room than the Equinox.

The 500X’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Equinox’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The 500X’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 500X’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Equinox’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the 500X Sport has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Equinox doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Insurance will cost less for the 500X owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the 500X with a number “5” insurance rate while the Equinox is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 500X is less expensive to operate than the Equinox because it costs $655 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 500X than the Equinox, including $6 less for a water pump, $732 less for a muffler, $157 less for front brake pads, $148 less for a starter, $59 less for fuel injection, $167 less for a fuel pump, $64 less for front struts, $459 less for a timing belt/chain and $109 less for a power steering pump.