Compare the2027 Chevrolet Equinox VS 2026 Subaru Crosstrek

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Chevrolet Equinox achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Subaru Crosstrek has not been tested.

The Equinox has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Equinox has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and it’s not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

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

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Equinox is much safer than the Crosstrek:

	Equinox	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg Forces L/R	292/337 pounds	607/629 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

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 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Crosstrek:

	Equinox	Crosstrek
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	80	131
Shoulder Deflection	1.06 in	1.65 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.3 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.57 in	2.17 in
Shoulder Force	402 lbs.	714 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.3 in	1.97 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	736 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Crosstrek’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

			MPG
Equinox
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/29 hwy
Crosstrek
	AWD	Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	24 city/29 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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

	Equinox	Crosstrek
60 to 0 MPH	126 feet	140 feet	Motor Trend

For better traction, the Equinox has larger tires than the Crosstrek (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R17).

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox RS offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Crosstrek (107.5 inches vs. 104.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Equinox is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Equinox RS AWD handles at .79 G’s, while the Crosstrek Wilderness pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

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

The Equinox has 3.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Crosstrek (104.3 vs. 100.5).

The Equinox has .2 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 3.4 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (29.8 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (63.5 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Equinox’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Equinox’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

The Equinox uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Crosstrek 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 Equinox has a standard 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, with the optional automatic climate control feature. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Equinox ACTIV/RS, the optional memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Equinox ACTIV/RS’ optional 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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Equinox and the Crosstrek have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Equinox is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Crosstrek prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Equinox’s front and rear power windows all lower 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 Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Equinox’s standard Keyless Access allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start standard on the Crosstrek doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear doors.

The Equinox’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Heated mirrors cost extra on the Crosstrek and aren’t offered on the Crosstrek Base.

When the Equinox ACTIV/RS with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Crosstrek’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Equinox has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Crosstrek, and aren’t available on the Crosstrek Base. The Equinox ACTIV/RS also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek.

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

The Equinox has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Crosstrek Limited/Wilderness.

Both the Equinox and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Equinox has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Equinox is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Subaru Crosstrek by 73% during 2025.