The Chevy Equinox has entered its fourth generation, with the nameplate being one of the longest-running compact SUVs on the market. After making its debut two decades ago with a 2005 model, the latest iteration of the five-door, two-row, five-seater compact SUV has been significantly updated for the model year with the introduction of the brand new 2025 Chevy Equinox ACTIV. It's a rugged trim that helps the Equinox compete more effectively against some of its brawny segment rivals, such as the Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan Rogue.
The all-new ACTIV brings with it a lot of new features as part of the redesigned aura that Equinox now emanates as part of its fourth-generation evolution. This includes a rugged front end with its own unique front grille surround featuring vertical grille inserts and accents with a gray-metallic finish. Rugged all-terrain tires give you an opportunity to put the drive selector to use, while the standard roof-mounted side rails are designed to make cargo carrying easier.
The redesign of the Equinox ACTIV takes a lot of inspiration from the Chevy Silverado and Traverse, opting for a very bold and muscular stance, making the Equinox look the most menacing it has ever looked during its two-decade long run on the market. This is thanks to the vehicle being 2.5-inches wider than the outgoing model year while featuring squared wheel wells and a C-pillar shark fin design. The ACTIV represents a choice among the trim line-up for those looking for a rugged and feature-rich iteration of the popular Chevy Equinox.
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The 2025 Equinox ACTIV comes stock with a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine. It provides up to 175 hp at 203 lb-ft of torque with a dual overhead camshaft design and variable valve timing to help reduce fuel consumption. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and is configured in a 3.47 axle ratio in standard all-wheel drive to give you good traction control on the road. The automatic start/stop is also standard and helps with fuel economy, allowing the Equinox ACTIV to achieve up to 24 MPG in the city and up to 29 MPG on the highway.
The ACTIV comes with a drive mode selector, allowing you to choose how the vehicle handles. You have the Normal mode for standard driving on road, in the city, or on the highway; the Snow mode is designed to give you improved traction control and stability when driving through snow or dealing with icy road surfaces. Finally, there is the Off-Road mode, which is designed to enable the Equinox ACTIV to take advantage of its off-road capabilities and performance capabilities with its four-link rear suspension and MacPherson front suspension.
One neat feature for the ACTIV is the automatic vehicle hold, which enables the vehicle to stay stopped even after you remove your foot from the brake. So, instead of rolling forward (or backward), the vehicle can stay in place under specific conditions. When the Equinox ACTIV is properly equipped, you can tow up to 1,500 lbs or use the roof side rails to hold cargo carriers on the roof. The ACTIV comes standard with 17-inch Dark Android machined-face aluminum wheels tucked into all-terrain blackwall tires.
The convenience factors of the Equinox ACTIV are as prominent as its performance capabilities and rugged sensibility. You have lots of storage, plenty of comfort, and tons of seamless functionality that makes it easy to operate and utilize all of the great features that the ACTIV has to offer.
Let's first look at its standard features, such as the AutoSense power liftgate in the rear. This enables you to have easy access to the cargo area where you can store or retrieve items with up to 29.8 cu.ft. of cargo volume at your disposal. You can make use of even more cargo capacity if you fold down the second row, giving you access of up to 63.5 cu.ft. of cargo volume to work with, perfect for storing lots of groceries, work supplies, camping or hiking gear, as well as other personal belongings that may be too large to fit in the cargo area alone.
Deep-tinted glass for the liftgate and rear windows also provides privacy protection from outside onlookers. There are also solar-absorbing windows, so you have added protection from sun glares or blind spots. Heated power outside mirrors can also work to defog the surfaces to enhance or maintain the clarity of the mirrors during various kinds of weather conditions. And the rainsense automatic wipers and a heated wiper park are perfect for clearing snow or ice off of the windshield as well as keeping visibility clear during your travels.
Active noise cancellation is a nice convenience for keeping the outside sounds from disrupting your peace of mind while traveling, so you can take advantage of the six-speaker audio system. You have the benefit of relaxing during the ride thanks to the heated, sueded microfiber front bucket seats with multi-level temperature control that you can adjust as you see fit. This is complemented with the dual-zone automatic climate control to regulate temperatures within the cabin. An eight-way power driver seat with power driver seat lumbar control comes standard on the ACTIV, along with a four-way manual front passenger seat.
You have multiple cupholders including a center armrest with fold-down features with additional cupholders and small-item storage, or alternatively you can fold it up and make use of the added room for another passenger. Rear carpeted floor mats, and a heated wrapped steering wheel with tilt and telescoping functionality also adds to the convenience levels, making it easy to adjust the ACTIV to your driving style and comfort levels.
Safety and technology are big parts of the Equinox ecosystem, and this readily applies to the ACTIV trim, both inside and out. This includes full LED lights for the headlights and tail lamps, as well as IntelliBeam support for automatic high beams being turned on and off when traveling above 25 mph. You have an automatic on/off feature with walk-up and exit animations for the headlamps, along with uplevel walk-up and exit animations for the tail lamps. You even have access to the universal home remote, which is useful for opening and closing the garage door remotely from the seat of the Equinox ACTIV.
Rest assured that despite having a lot of ease of access into the vehicle, you still have security to protect it, including a remote panic alarm, as well as the occupant presence detection for the front and rear of the vehicle. This also ties into the robust standard safety systems on the ACTIV, from airbags to more active mitigation and prevention systems such as front and rear pedestrian and bicyclist detection and braking, as well as side bicyclist alert and enhanced automatic emergency braking with intersection support. Also available are blind zone steering assist, parking assist, rear cross traffic braking, traffic sign recognition, and a safety alert seat. These are also buffered by the OnStar services for emergency support and navigation, which fits nicely with the infotainment system that comes standard on the ACTIV.
There is the 11-inch digital driver information center featuring customizable profiles, which is coupled with the 11.3-inch advanced HD touchscreen within the center console. The infotainment suite is powered by Google Built-In technology, featuring apps, maps, games, and media access that you can make use of due to the Bluetooth wireless streaming and connectivity, so you have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at the ready. You can keep your devices charged without cords using the standard wireless charging pad, or if you do need cords, you can use the USB charging ports or the built-in power outlets. SiriusXM also comes standard as well as Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities with 5G connectivity. So everything you need to enjoy your media, get work done, or even make hands-free texts or voice calls is possible within the 2025 Chevy Equinox ACTIV as part of the standard packaging.