Compare the2024 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 BMW X2

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 X2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Automatic Emergency Braking in the Equinox as “Superior.” The X2 scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The X2 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Equinox’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The X2 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Equinox’s optional Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The X2 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Compared to metal, the Equinox’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The BMW X2 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Equinox and the X2 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 and daytime running lights.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Equinox 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X2. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X2 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 8 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are BMW 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 2023 Initial Quality Study. The X2 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox FWD gets better fuel mileage than the X2 sDrive28i (26 city/31 hwy vs. 24 city/32 hwy).

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 X2 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 BMW X2 (3 to 7). This means the Equinox produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X2 every 15,000 miles.

The Equinox stops shorter than the X2:

For better traction, the Equinox’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X2 (235/50R19 vs. 225/50R18).

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 X2 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the X2 (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the X2’s (57.2% to 42.8%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Equinox has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X2 (7.9 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Equinox to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Equinox w/18” Wheels’ minimum ground clearance is .8 inch higher than on the X2 (8 vs. 7.2 inches).

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 pounds less than the BMW X2.

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 X2 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 X2 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has 9.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X2 (103.2 vs. 94.1).

The Equinox has .8 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the X2.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X2 with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 21.6 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X2 with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 50.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Equinox easier. The Equinox’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.6 inches, while the X2’s liftover is 30.6 inches.

The Equinox’s cargo area is larger than the X2’s in every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X2 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Equinox Premier’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The X2 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Equinox has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The X2 has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Equinox uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X2 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Equinox offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The X2 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Equinox Premier’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X2 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 X2 has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature 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 X2 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its BMW Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Equinox has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X2 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Equinox has standard extendable sun visors. The X2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Both the Equinox and the X2 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 X2.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X2 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 X2 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Equinox will cost $1290 to $2160 less than the X2 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Equinox will be $8493 to $11535 less than for the BMW X2.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chevrolet Equinox and the BMW X2, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the BMW X2 by almost 1114 to one during 2023.