"With the recent rebirth at Chevrolet, and its first crossover SUV, the Equinox is symbolic of good things that are

GM's new compact SUV will face strong competition right out of the starting block, with nearly every major automaker competing for the same customers. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

happening at Chevrolet," stated Michael Grimaldi, President, General Motors of Canada at a press conference at the Ingersoll facility. "This new Equinox is going to hit a real sweet spot in the Canadian market with the right fit, the right form, the right functions, and the right price." With the first examples having recently rolled off the line, its arrival at dealerships across the country was welcome. After all, the Tracker has long been needing a replacement, with competitors from Ford, Honda, Jeep, Mazda, Suzuki, Toyota, and recently Mitsubishi, all competing for the same customer. The compact SUV market is heating up even

Chevy has hit the market with a serious contender, offering more interior space and increased flexibility over its compact SUV rivals. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press)

further with the new Hyundai Tucson expected in the fall, and in Canada Nissan's X-trail has just hit the market. Does the Equinox have what it takes to go head to head in this market? From all accounts Chevy has hit the market with a serious contender, offering more interior size and increased flexibility over its compact SUV rivals. What's more, it's better looking than just about anything else in its segment.

What's wrong with it? Ironically the compact SUV's standard V6, that would have previously been seen a bonus, might cause it to lose sales to 4-cylinder models such as the Honda CR-V, due to skyrocketing gas prices. Its lack of a manual shifter may also be a negative to some.