Pressroom South Korea

-      The brand’s newest SUV leads its expanding SUV product portfolio in Korea
-      Perfect balance of design and technology makes it the ideal family SUV
-      Cutting-edge safety technologies come standard for all customers

SEOUL – Chevrolet unveiled the All-new Equinox – a fresh and modern SUV sized and designed to meet the needs of mid-size SUV customers across Korea. Sales contract and vehicles delivery began today.

Following The New Spark, the Equinox is the second of 15 new or refreshed products that Chevrolet is launching over the next five years in the domestic market. The Equinox is the first offering in Chevrolet’s refreshed SUV lineup in Korea to meet the rapidly growing demand in the segment.

“The direction that Chevrolet is heading is what our Korean customers want from us,” said Kaher Kazem, president and CEO of GM Korea. “We’re applying the same customer focus to grow our SUV business – starting with the Chevrolet Equinox. Built on the brand’s great SUV legacy, the Equinox provides everything our customers want from an SUV.”

The Equinox takes its name from the vernal and autumnal equinoxes when the Earth and sun are at equilibrium. Like the astrological definition of its name, the Chevrolet Equinox is developed with balance in mind. It provides a balance of an SUV and sedan, a balance of sportiness and sophistication, and a balance of performance and efficiency.

Fresh new Chevrolet design

The Equinox’s expressive exterior has a lean, muscular look that echoes Chevrolet’s global design cues. It is a richer, more detailed design featuring chrome trim on all models.

Projection-type LED headlamps are a Chevrolet first, incorporated alongside LED daytime running lights. At the rear, horizontal taillamps emphasize the Equinox’s wide stance, while up-level models feature LED taillamps.

Extensive aerodynamic development in the wind tunnel influenced the sleek shape. New electronically controlled upper and lower grille shutters account for the greater aerodynamic performance. They close in certain conditions on the highway, when engine cooling needs are reduced, pushing more air around the vehicle to reduce drag.

Subtle character lines on the sides give the Equinox a sense of agility and strength. The C-pillar is sharply curved and finished in chrome for a premium dynamic appearance. The gradually sweeping roofline sharply drops off, preserving the overall balance and giving the vehicle a sporty look.

The lean body sides accentuate the power of the wheel arches, which are filled with substantial 19-inch wheels that define the stance of a premium SUV.

Its refined shape maintains the Equinox’s traditional efficient proportions of a mid-size SUV. The Equinox has the segment-longest wheelbase in terms of proportion to total length. This optimized size makes the Equinox easier to park and maneuver. Meanwhile, its long wheelbase increases legroom and ensures plenty of interior space.

Featuring the Chevrolet-signature dual-cockpit design, the interior incorporates a variety of materials and colors that are appropriately balanced. They are highlighted by soft ambient lighting. Chevrolet’s latest connectivity technologies are front and center, including 7- and 8-inch-diagonal MyLink infotainment systems designed to support Apple CarPlay.

The interior takes advantage of the Equinox’s all-new architecture to offer a down-and-away instrument panel, while a low windshield base provides a commanding outward view. The second-row seats fold flat to create a flat loading space. This makes the Equinox perfect for trips to big-box stores or simply for a picnic inside the car.

Segment-leading safety

The Equinox’s body structure design was optimized with a mixed-material strategy for strength and low weight. More than 82 percent of the Equinox’s body structure is composed of high-grade steel materials, with high-strength steel comprising nearly 20 percent. This guarantees best-in-segment body strength.

It also offers a comprehensive suite of available active safety technologies and adaptive crash-avoidance features that provide ease of use and peace of mind on the road. The radar- and camera-based adaptive technologies can provide alerts to potential threats, allowing the driver to react and make changes to avoid them.

They include:

• A new Safety Alert Seat (Haptic Seat)
• Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator
• Low-Speed Forward Automatic Braking
• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert 
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Rear Seat Reminder
• Seat belt reminders for all seats 
• Rear Parking Assist

All of these technologies come standard on all trim levels so that all Equinox users can enjoy the same level of protection.

Performance upon smart engineering

The 1.6-liter turbo-diesel engine generates 136ps at 3,500 rpm and 32.6kg.m of torque at 2,000~2,250 rpm. Combined with standard stop & start technology, the Equinox offers a combined fuel economy rating of 13.3 km/L.

The eco-friendly high-efficiency engine is a clean-sheet redesign developed entirely within General Motors, including the engine control system. Development was driven from GM’s diesel product center in Torino, Italy, and involved more than 24,000 hours of computational analysis, while simulated and real-world testing totaled more than 7 million kilometers of driving.

Chevrolet’s engineering DNA is made manifest in the Equinox through its assured stability at high speeds and its exceptional ride and handling. The Equinox’s accurate and responsive steering comes courtesy of the rack-type Electric Power Steering system.

Owners can opt for an electronic all-wheel-drive system that can be engaged or disengaged with the press of a button. The system also changes power allocation based on road and driving conditions. This improves traction, aids cornering on slippery or icy roads, and increases stability at high speeds.

Family-friendly convenience features

The Equinox offers a series of comfort features that are perfect for family road trips on weekends. They include cargo area features such as a large hidden underfloor storage space and a flat cargo floor that makes loading and unloading easier.

The hands-free power tailgate recognizes foot movements through sensors in the rear bumper to open the trunk when both hands are occupied. Trunk leveling memory allows customers to adjust the tailgate opening height at two levels, and one-touch rear folding seats make it easy to create a flat floor for loading goods.

Available front and rear heated seats and front ventilated seats provide ultimate comfort in all climates. The combination of four USB charging ports – two in the front row and two in the back – plus a wireless phone charging pad and a 220V inverter ensures that all passengers can enjoy their digital devices on the road without worrying about charging.

The price of the Chevrolet Equinox starts from KRW 29.87 million.

The Equinox is Chevrolet’s second-best selling vehicle in the United States, with annual sales of over 290,000 units in 2017. Since the first generation was introduced in 2004, sales of the Equinox have surpassed 2 million units.