Compare the2024 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2024 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
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
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 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/Wilderness has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a 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’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Equinox doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Crosstrek’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, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Equinox:

	Crosstrek	Equinox
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.65 in	1.73 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.3 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	215	733
Head Peak Forces	no contact	101 G’s
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	491 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

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 43 points higher than the Equinox.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 14 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (182 vs. 175) than the Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

	Crosstrek 2.0	Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness	Equinox
Zero to 60 MPH	9.1 sec	7.9 sec	9.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	84.8 MPH	88.6 MPH	81.2 MPH

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	Sport/Limited 2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		2.0 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
Equinox
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 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).

The Crosstrek has a standard locking fuel door. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Equinox. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Crosstrek has a standard 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

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

	Crosstrek	Equinox
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11.8 inches

The Crosstrek’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 Crosstrek stops much shorter than the Equinox:

	Crosstrek	Equinox
70 to 0 MPH	172 feet	182 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	128 feet	135 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 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.

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek Wilderness’ turning circle is 6.8 feet tighter than the Equinox RS’ (34.8 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. The Crosstrek Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.3 inches higher than on the Equinox w/18” Wheels (9.3 vs. 8 inches).

Chassis

The Crosstrek is 6.7 inches shorter than the Equinox, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has 2 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front hip room and 3.5 inches more rear hip 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.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Chevrolet Equinox is limited to 1500 pounds. The Crosstrek offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

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 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 headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Equinox’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek 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 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Equinox and isn’t available on the Equinox LS.

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.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Crosstrek as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.