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An exterior view of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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An exterior view of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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An exterior view of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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An interior view of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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An up-close look at the touch display inside the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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A peek in the back of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox RS.

Courtesy photo

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The Chevrolet Equinox has had a very unique and interesting 17-year history as it has grown and shrunk within the SUV domain. Back with its introduction, the Equinox sported a 3.4-liter V-6 engine and was 189 inches long, slotting it very nicely into the mid-sized SUV category, although it came with only 185 horsepower.

This engine was changed in the 2008 model year to a 3.6-liter size that increased power to 264 ponies, making the Equinox a much more engaging drive (if not a better choice for gas mileage).

The second generation of the Chevy model was introduced in 2010 with a number of different engine choices, and the 3.6-liter V-6 got a boost to 301 horsepower in 2013, making it the most powerful version of the Equinox to that point.

In 2018, Chevrolet took a turn with the size of the Equinox and, in our opinion, their target market. At that time, the car maker seemed to be designing the Equinox as more of an entry-level SUV that would appeal to smaller families and even the older generation like ourselves who were looking for more room and a comfortable way to get around every day while still having the AWD feature that would manage bad weather.

It was at this point the Equinox lost 6 inches in length and was classified as a compact SUV. The new Chevrolet Blazer was introduced, taking the place of the Equinox in the Chevy lineup. It was about that same time that the auto manufacturer indicated it would move to making more SUVs and phasing out some of its line of cars.

The 2022 Equinox got a facelift that was due last year but, because of the pandemic, it was put off until now. New also was the RS version of the Equinox that got larger tires — 19 inches — with black-clad wheels along with a completely black interior and red accent stitching. This was the model sent for our week with the compact Chevy SUV.

Gone also with the third generation of the Equinox was the V-6 engine. It was replaced with a couple of different versions of a turbocharged power plant: a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that made 170 horsepower and a 2.0-liter engine that made 252 horsepower.

Interestingly enough, we thought most buyers would have opted for the larger and more powerful engine, but that was not the case as only 7% of buyers went with that option. So, in 2022, Chevy chose to follow the market and now only offers a 1.5-liter choice in the Equinox. However, it does produce a very nice amount of torque at 203 foot-pounds.

Main competitors in this market are the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, with some of them offering more power and different creature comforts.

We had the chance on a Saturday to take a long drive in the new Equinox that took us from our home in Springville up through Provo Canyon and east into Kamas. There, we took a turn northward and headed toward the Interstate 80 junction in Wanship.

The day’s perfectly crystal-clear blue skies provided the perfect backdrop for our ride. There was still plenty of snow on the ground in Kamas, making the scene like a picturesque painting.

At Wanship, we had to make a choice and decided to continue north on I-80 to the junction with I-84, at which point it was getting to be around 3 in the afternoon. We thought it wise to head onward on I-84 into Weber County knowing that when we reached the Ogden area, we would still be about an hour and a half from home.

The compact SUV handled it all very well. Even with the smaller engine, it held its ground on the heavy mountain grades we encountered along our way. This was a pleasant surprise as we anticipated these roads might slow the Equinox down.

At the I-84 junction, we thought, hey, why not get on the old route and take it as far as we could as we headed back to Springville? So, after a quick stop for dinner in Bountiful, we continued through Salt Lake City on the “old road” of 89 until getting back on I-15 in Draper.

After all of this, we were very impressed with our gas mileage numbers. We got over 31 mpg on the freeway and even kept it over 28 on the I-89 drive, which included numerous stop lights along the way. With over 450 miles of driving during the entire week, we averaged a very nice 27.5 mpg.

To us, this was a great number as we were the first in our region to get time in the Equinox (which is not usually the case). It arrived at our home with only 545 miles on the odometer, and it is 505 miles from Denver to our home.

Inside, the creature comforts in the RS model were fantastic. We especially enjoyed the heated seats on that February Saturday as the mercury dipped into the high 30s for a large part of the ride through the mountains. There was also the advantage of a heated steering wheel.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also wireless no matter what trim level a buyer chooses. This is a great addition if there is no navigation, along with the added value of being able to text and communicate other options to Siri without looking at one’s phone.

With safety in mind, also included in the vehicle were blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, pedestrian detection, forward collision warning and mitigation control.

The Equinox turned out to be a joy to drive for the week, and it would make for a genuinely good everyday driver with lots of space in the rear compartment for the stuff that comes with life.

Base price: $31,700

Destination charge: $1,195

Price as driven: $36,620