Very few electric vehicles (EVs) are priced under $35,000, but the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV (starting at $33,600) is one of them. This small SUV shares its nameplate with the gas-powered Equinox but runs on battery and has an EPA-estimated range of 319 miles. We like its gorgeous exterior design, elegant and comfortable interior, and oversized infotainment touch screen. Further, we appreciate that the base model is well-equipped and gives its limited field of rivals a run for the money. Even though it doesn’t include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, or a frunk, these are relatively minor quibbles that don’t prevent the Equinox EV from earning our Editors’ Choice for small electric SUVs.
Trims and Drives: A Multitude of Options
The 2025 Chevy Equinox EV comes in two trim levels—down significantly from five for the 2024 model. Both trims come standard with a 220-horsepower (hp) electric motor and front-wheel drive (FWD). Dual electric motors that produce all-wheel drive (AWD) are available as an option and bump the output up to 300hp. The Equinox’s 85-kWh battery provides a range of 319 miles with FWD and 285 miles with AWD.
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The EPA rates the Equinox EV at 117 city/99 highway/108 MPGe combined for the FWD model and 101 city/90 highway/96 MPGe combined for AWD. According to GM, using a Level 3 DC fast charger operating at up to 150kW adds up to 77 miles of range in 10 minutes, while a Level 2 charger operating at 11.5kW adds up to 34 miles of range per hour of charging. The Equinox comes with a Level 1 120/240-volt charging cable that adds up to 25 miles an hour. The 2024 vehicle I tested (identical to the 2025 RS model) came with an NACS adapter that allows the Equinox EV to charge at Tesla charging stations.
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Standout standard features on the $33,600 LT base trim include an 11-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch infotainment touch screen, 19-inch wheels, a front LED light bar, flush door handles, and LED headlights and taillights. It comes with an impressive array of standard driver assists, the highlights of which include forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, front-pedestrian and cyclist braking, intersection automatic braking, reverse automatic braking, and side cyclist alert.
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The LT trim can be bundled with three packages. The Comfort and Active Safety 2 Package (starting at $36,995) adds an eight-way power driver seat, heated front seats, a heated synthetic leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear-pedestrian alert, and a surround-view camera system. Bundling in the Convenience Package I (starting at $43,295) adds dual-zone automatic climate control, a hands-free liftgate, multi-color interior ambient lighting, synthetic leather upholstery, and a wireless charging pad. Last, the Convenience Package II (starting at $46,395) adds 21-inch black wheels, driver-seat memory, a head-up display, heated rear seats, a power front passenger seat, and ventilated front seats.
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The 2025 RS model (starting at $43,400) adds 21-inch aluminum wheels, black badging and exterior trim, black roof rails, heated outside mirrors, red interior accents, and the features of the LT’s Comfort and Active Safety Package 2. My test vehicle included a $2,700 Super Cruise package with GM’s hands-free highway driving system and automated parking and $3,300 for AWD. Finally, a $1,395 destination charge brought the final sticker price for my test car to $50,795.
Design: More Upmarket Than Competitors
Design-wise, Chevy hits it out of the park with the Equinox EV, and the exterior looks far more upmarket than many competitors. The vehicle’s eye-catching appearance begins with a prominent brow line where the hood meets the rest of the front end and is accentuated by a thin LED light bar. Small recessed LED headlights peer out from a mustache-shaped band below the light bar, and a textured panel below it adds to the unique character of the front. Elongated A-pillars give the side profile a sweptback look, while crisp body creases—one along the bottom and another higher up—and flush door handles add to the sleek appearance.
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With the red-accented upholstery included in my test car, the interior is equally striking, especially at this price. The adjustable multi-color ambient lighting that illuminates parts of the dashboard is a feature usually found only in luxury vehicles. Other interior highlights are the large, retro air vents that carry over the cabin’s red accents and generous storage cubbies both above and below the center console. The cabin feels comfortable and spacious and has a generous 57.2 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seat folded.
Performance: Plenty of Power for Quick Sprints
The dual-motor setup that delivers 288hp to the Equinox EV’s four wheels is plenty to get the small SUV moving quickly when in Sport mode, even if it doesn’t have the bracing acceleration of some EVs. Performance is impressive in Normal mode, and the AWD model’s 300hp gives the Equinox EV even more pep. There’s also a My Mode setting that allows dialing in acceleration, braking and steering feel, and the imitation engine sound. I didn’t get to try the Snow/Ice mode while testing the vehicle in sunny Southern California.
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The Equinox EV handles exceptionally well and is a smooth-riding vehicle. Brake regen is accurately called One-Pedal Driving. Once I got used to driving the vehicle, I used the brakes only for sudden stops, all in the Normal setting. Brake regen can be set to high or off and adjusted on the fly with a paddle on the left spoke of the steering wheel.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
The EPA rates the 2024 Equinox EV AWD at 285 miles of maximum range. After I depleted the fully charged battery to 16% and 48 miles, I charged it for 12 hours at a Level 2 public charger operating at 7.7kWh. Afterward, the instrument cluster showed a range of 301 miles, or about 21 miles of range added per hour. The Equinox is the first EV I’ve tested to come with a NACS adapter for use at Tesla Supercharger stations. The process is simple: I clicked the adapter onto the end of the Tesla NACS charge plug, initiated charging through the Tesla app, and topped the battery off from 86% in about 20 minutes.
Infotainment: Chevy Moves to Google
GM has fully adopted Google’s built-in platform that embeds Google apps such as Assistant, Maps, the Play Store, Waze, and YouTube Music, as well as third-party apps like Alexa and Spotify. Google Maps is quick and seamless, and when signed into your Google account, Maps destination searches and history from your phone show up on the display instantly.
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Thanks to the 17.7-inch infotainment screen, everything is easy to see and access. I like that you can easily rearrange the on-screen icons with the same tap-and-hold gesture we already use on our phones. The 11-inch digital instrument cluster is equally easy to use, but it isn’t as customizable as those of competitors. If you thought the Google platform meant seamless access to Android Auto, you’d be mistaken. Both that and Apple CarPlay are disappointingly absent.
(Credit: Doug Newcomb)
The Equinox EV comes with driver assists that are table stakes for most new vehicles, such as intersection automatic braking and side-cyclist alert. My test car also came with GM’s excellent Super Cruise. It’s part of a $2,700 add-on package and includes automated parking. The feature works impeccably on most highways—day or night—for hands-off, eyes-on-the-road driving. It even automatically changes lanes when it senses a slower car ahead and the adjacent lane is clear. But it comes at a steep price, and after the first three years of ownership, it requires a $25-per-month subscription.
Verdict: A Small SUV With Big Value
The 2025 Chevy Equinox EV offers more bang for the buck than nearly every other small electric SUV in the market. The $33,600 base model includes a wide range of features typically reserved for pricier models, such as front-collision warning and automatic cyclist braking. It offers more than 315 miles of range and is available with a good mix of trims, motors, and drivetrains that provide pleasing, if not pulse-quickening, performance. Add in the modern exterior styling, comfortable interior, and massive Google-powered infotainment system—while still qualifying for the $7,500 federal tax credit—and you have a bona fide hit. It may not be as fun to drive as the $41,450 Hyundai Ioniq 5, but it offers more for less and earns our Editors’ Choice award.
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV
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The Bottom Line
The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV is a compelling small electric SUV with more than 300 miles of range, a stylish exterior and interior, an effortless Google infotainment system, and good driving dynamics, all for a rock-bottom price.
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About Doug Newcomb
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