ATTENTION- My apologies for leaving the audio "Hey Google" in at 10:02. It's normally something I mute. Also, I state that Apple Maps, iMessage and Apple Music are not native to the Ultifi interface. Actually, Apple Music is available in the Google Play store so AM could be native to the interface at some point.
Thanks for the Equinox review, much appreciated. Didn’t realize this would be available quite as soon as it appears so it’s being added to my shopping list.
"It’s a compact SUV with loads of room and 319 miles of reach, practically eliminating range anxiety." Most EV makers say that letting a battery level go to less than 20% charge or above 80% charge is bad for the long term life of the battery. So, subtracting 40%, the actual manufacturer recommended range would be 191 miles, not 319, wouldn't it? Also, batteries lose about 3-5% of range /year if treated well. So, after just ten years, the highest range could be as low as 1/2 of 319 miles, or around 160 miles. In my state of Minnesota where it commonly gets to -25F in winter, that 160 mile range would be reduced to around 80 miles if the vehicle's left outside. In a common winter storm where you may be stuck in traffic for an hour or two at night, the lights, defrost, cabin heat, wipers, denser cold air and snow would further reduce charge. Arranging a tow in a snow storm traffic jam as you try to keep from losing your extremities would be quite the adventure!
@@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL Hold on Mr Duck. I grew up in Northern MN and -25F is a severe and uncommon occurrence, even in the Land of 10,000 Lake. Batteries do not lose 3-5% a year unless driving 70-80K miles annually. If normal driving caused that degradation it would trigger the packs warranty. And topping off to 100% isn't really all that bad for the pack, so setting it as such in the winter months would help range. Yes, cold temps reduces range but not even close to your speculation. And if kept in a heated garage, common in northern climates, the pack is kept warm. Also, all the Minnesotans I know are smart enough to understand how their EVs work and would never need a tow.
Tom, nice review. This is a very welcome addition to the GM line up. I have had the Lyriq for more than 4 months now and already have 9k miles. The built-in assistant keeps the charging worries on road trips at bay. I find the average 15 minute break at DC fact chargers match the mandatory bio breaks. Even though Lyriq has car play I have completely disconnected it and rely totally on the built in infotainment system as I found car play glitzy when I tried to use it exclusively. Not sure why anyone would choose the ICE Equinox version now the EV version is available. The EV ride quality alone answers that convincingly. For the cost saving I would stick with the single motor front wheel version for the Equinox EV, the extra $3k is not worth it as a daily driver. I will add never under estimate over night charging beats trips to the gas pump in every way.
@@DrivenCarReviews Jesus Christ, Tom. You're perfectly fine with spruiking GM's collection of your private data for eight years before you start paying them to resell it. What is wrong with you?
@@jimjones-pz1tt I'm not. But the modern world means 100s of companies already have all the data they could possible have on me. GM isn't going to learn anything from me that they couldn't buy from Google, MS or Apple. Except maybe that Barry Manilow is my guilty music pleasure. Oh wait, Spotify already knows that...
@@DrivenCarReviews bingo. The people complaining about the data all have smartphones that collect and sell FAR more data than the car will. Every android phone literally is google, same as the infotainment.
Walked around one at the local dealership today. Nah. Not exactly my dream car. I think I will stick to my beloved 2019 Bolt EV and wait for GM to roll out the promised updated version of the Bolt in 2026.
Thank you! Mainstream EV with real world use. Not target for RUclips tech bros. 8second is fine. Long range. Don’t need high tech that average mums don’t use.
While I appreciate CarPlay in my Bolt EUV, it has not been a dealbreaker in my Blazer EV at all. But I’m not you so I respect how you feel about it. The reason we also went for the Blazer EV is because we are well aware that Chevrolet makes great quality electric vehicles! That means way more to me than CarPlay!
My reason for wanting an EV is for the quietness, the smoothness the torque of the motor, the one pedal driving, as long as it has around 240 miles of charge I’m fine with that. To me EV’s are ideal for daily driving not long trips. They’re not for everybody and should not be forced on anyone.
Once everyone can use the Super Charger network, you'll be able to take an EV anywhere. The idea that EVs can't do road trips is an old opinion from the days of the terrible CCS networks.
Governments are inventing ways to force people into EVs though: 1) Discounts for purchasing an EV which means non-EV buyers are paying taxes to EV buyers as a punishment 2) Inflated gasoline pricing, always mysteriously way higher in places that promote EVs 3) completely unrealistic rapidly changing emissions laws designed to make ICE vehicles more expensive and reduced power.
This. This right here is why I would be worried if I was Tesla. The traditional auto makers have caught up if not surpassed them. Stock market sure seems to think so.
Promising product, but the boring contradictory facts: The stock market has a high degree of confidence in Tesla and no confidence in GM Tesla trades at 61x expected earnings, GM at under 5x and at only 74% of book value (Depression-era valuations) and still 5..5% of GM's shares are held by those betting against it (selling short).
@@davidmenasco5743agreed, GM is introducing far too many similar EV models rather than focusing on volume production of a few models like Tesla. This issue was a major factor contributing to GMs prior bankruptcy, and it appears they haven't learned from that.
Still loving my Bolt. It's too young for me to consider trading it in for one of these but if I was getting a new car, I'd certainly take one out for a test drive. Good review, car sounds great.
If one lives in an area with cheap electricity, a car like this makes a lot of sense. For example, we live in the Pacific Northwest. It cost us about five dollars to charge our Nissan leaf in our garage and go 200 miles. It cost us about $35 to go to the same distance in our Subaru outback on gasoline.
The PNW is one of the best places on earth to own an EV. Low electric rates, high gas prices. I have to balance for the rest of the country. Even where electricity is more expensive and gas prices are moderate, EVs still come out ahead in fuel costs. When battery prices drop even further, it will be great for consumers.
In NC, it's about $0.12 per kWh. In my Volvo (not a particularly efficient EV). That works out about $4.50 per 100 miles. I paid $39 to refill a rental Ford F150 in Chicago area. That would have cost $7.50 at home in my Volvo.
In Georgia, I called our utility Georgia Power and they told me that if you charge during off peak times, 11 PM to 7Am the rate is 1.8 cent per kWh. Also in Georgia we have to pay around $200 per year for road tax. We don’t pay near that much in road tax for our ice vehicles for gasoline because we don’t drive that much.
@@ronniemullis8717 Nice. We also have a tax penalty in NC. Similarly, it's more than a typical person would pay for an ICE car. I didn't mind paying a road tax, but it's mind bogglingly dumb for the politicians to set the level higher than polluting ICE cars. That's republicanism for you. Even at $0.12 per kWh, the extra road tax is offset pretty quickly, particularly since I can charge daily for free at work. The maintenance costs are a tiny fraction of an ICE car,. No oil, filters, belts, pumps, and with regenerative breaking, the pads will probably last 150,000 miles. As for fuel, assuming $3.50 per gallon, 35 mpg, and 15,000 miles a year, I would pay $1500 per year for fuel. Given the free fuel option at work, I don't think I'm going to pay out $150 this year for energy to power my EV. For your rate of $0.018 per kWh, that's roughly $1.40 every 200 miles, or $70 every 10,000 miles 😁😆😊 To get a car with the same performance as my EV in an ICE vehicle, I'd be lucky to see 20mpg, so the equivalent fuel bill would likely be >$2500 per year. More if I needed premium gas.
Great review! I hope it is a big hit for GM. BTW SoCal viewers, those nice homes are super cheap, and Michiganders will give you a warm welcome. Texans can stay in Texas.
@@SteveLomas-k6kYes, but burning fossil fuels has caused massive changes in the world. Things are not the same anymore, and there's no going back. On the other hand, solving problems is a species typical characteristic of the human species. It's what humans do. So we'll find a way to live without gasoline, and we'll find ways to keep making life better. Even without 2 minute fill ups.
@@davidmenasco5743 I think we all agree; burning fossil fuels certainly has caused massive changes, it brought freedom of mobility and cheap reliable energy to the masses. It lifted billions out of poverty worldwide and kept them fed. Not sure that's something we want to reverse. Gasoline was the solution to the inherent limitations of EVs over 100 years ago.
A very nice looking vehicle. Buttons and switches are a plus for me, as are the round air vents! I hope it sells well; the price could make it one of the best selling EVs pretty quickly, but, we'll see. Thanx Tom!
Hello there namesake. Very promising car this one. The quietness "speaks" to me as does the normal approach. The wheel tyre combo got my attention. Hefty tyres on this car make the driving smooth and forgiving in bad road conditions. Therefore I double checked the size at 12:23 and they are 19" which is a lot better than the 21" you mentioned. Love your work. Big production quality and unique style. Always watch till the end. That's all....... I'm Tom Crapper.
Good entry that will sell to Chevy customers. Still, lack of CarPlay makes it a no go for me. Hopefully the lower trims can sell for closer to $30,000. No one will buy this close to $45,000 over a Tesla model Y.
2¢: Level 1 (standard outlet) chargers shouldn't be ignored; an overnight can easily net this vehicle 40-70 miles (12 hour charge). Secondly, low cost EV buyers get a $4000 credit in the used market.
@@DrivenCarReviewsI’ve had my Tesla five years now and this is how I’ve been dealing with charging. I have to charge at a station maybe once or twice per year and the rest of the time 120V charging does everything I need !
@@TinLeadHammer Yes but the issue is the Leaf does not like fast charging. The times you would need to visit a fast charger when needed, it would charge comparatively slowly and stress the battery health more as the Leaf doesn’t have active battery cooling. If fast charge time and long term battery health doesn’t worry you then 120V should serve you well if you have a commute less than 40 miles round trip daily. Leafs do best being charged overnight and not rapidly.
A lot of 'granny chargers' will operate up to 16A from a 240V outlet. It's not very expensive to change out an external 110V, 20A outlet to a 240V, 20A outlet. You don't even have to change the wiring in most cases, just the socket and the breaker. I can charge my 77kWh battery from dead empty to totally full in about 20 hours with that low cost solution. In practical terms, that means one overnight is enough to completely top it off 99.99% of the time.
I enjoy the tone of your review. Not an "everything is great" GM fanboy, but seemingly a fair appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses in a brief review. Well done!
I've had an EV for about a year, it has Carplay and Android Auto, but for the life of me, can't figure out why I would ever use them. Quiet power, interesting tech issues, what's not to like. Road trips can be interesting challenges in cold weather, but we always get there. and paying 35-40$ a month for electricity beats the 400$ per month gasoline. keep hating, I'm enjoying. Oh, and I don't mind holding on to the steering wheel.
While you mentioned that GM as well as others may have use of the Tesla Surpercharging network, a note of caution should be warranted. There is no time frame for GM to access it.. Tesla fired its entire crew that was to work with and coordinated with GMs people in order to integrate the two systems and provide proper protocols their cars to work seamlessly, thus causing delays in use for GM vehicles as well as others that talked about adopting NACS..
GM recently (after the supercharger team got pink slips) said they are still on schedule to access it "Spring 2024." That gives them only a few more weeks. We shall see!
@@shethjones4494 It is true here in the US we have magic dock adapters at many Tesla sites and companies like Rivan and Ford have been able to implement protocols in conjunction with Tesla to be able to use Tesla superchargers . I don't want to get into expansion of V4 or 800V nominal charging nor the fact Ford and Rivan must use the Tesla app in order to access discount charging. In short the experience of using Tesla sites for non Tesla owners is not quite as seamless as some make it out to be. But I concede it is working for Ford and Rivan users. But what is not true at this moment is companies like GM, Hyundai Group and others will not have full access at Tesla sites. Companies who were interfacing with Tesla not only adopt the NACS standard, but also be able to use the Tesla Superchargers sites. This required working groups to coordinate their different protocols, software and other source code work to make this happen. But, and here is the crux of the issue, when musk fired his supercharger team, there was no one left for OEMs to work with Tesla. Further, suppliers, designers and expansion of the Tesla network, has no one to approve expansion details, let alone pay suppliers and contractors. And in the weeks that have passed, from sources, there has been no improvement at Tesla. What this means, companies like GM who were hoping to have access Tesla sites other than using magic dock stations, are left floundering on what will happen next. And what Musk says and what reality is, are two very different beings at this moment. There is no clarity on this matter.
Actually, I saw a couple at the Chevy dealer getting a part and asked a salesperson about it. He said they're going to get so many in, they're selling them for MSRP (and Costco members get $1,000 off it and Blazer EV). Anecdotal but hey.
The thing that aggravates me the most about GM dumping Android Auto/Apple car play is that it has a role even if you do have a good on board system. Hyundai has a very good one in the Ioniq 5. It still doesn't necessarily find every address, and Android Auto has been a good back up for such instances. Not only that, but on long trips, if we decide we want to make a quick detour, having that as a secondary system allows us to quick route said detour without messing up the core trip plan programmed into the car. I get further annoyed by GM lying about the reason for removing the platforms. They've claimed safety, and then claimed licensing. Both are total B.S. This is about recouping lost money from the inevitable reduction of maintenance services and the parts that go with it. The reality is that when I cross shop the competition, the automakers that have android auto/apple car play will notch higher on the list, no matter how good the on board system is.
Whatever is claimed, the real reason for removing third party software is data rights. GM (and others) can't use or sell data that is collected by Google or Apple.
Right. But Ultifi uses native Google Maps and it should find 99.9% of what's needed. My wife the copilot loves having both Apple and Google up, watching Google on her phone while the car screen is on Apple Maps. Lately Apple has been wining TBH.
Route planning is another reason. AA/CarPlay can’t route plan with charging intervals because they are not integrated into the car’s systems. I know Apple demonstrated a system like this during WWDC or something like that, but hasn’t hit the road yet.
Normalcy. You mean compared to the Cadillac version with all the odd styling details and weirdness? That's what I was thinking. I think a lot of customers want something more normal looking. Some will also like the fact that the roof is not all glass with no cover like the Model Y. The top trim should offer real leather, that's something Tesla can't do.
Chinese automakers would probably charge 30k or maybe even close to 25k for this. I feel like that's one of the reasons the US isn't letting Chinese cars to be sold there.
@@kaijen2688 that's exactly what they're afraid of. These American automakers would be exposed for charging super high prices for low quality products.
@@thismanagain I believe Chinese automakers have full control of battery supply chain which is great for pricing. But just being a global market their labor costs are obviously much less. No member could compete with China. How long will the protectionist policies last we shall see
@@jboogs49 you've made a great point there. The problem is that countries don't have supply chains of their own and would have to rely on China for just about everything.
Very good review of, yes, a very important vehicle. There is market research showing the majority ev adoption point is when range exceeds 300 miles, charging is 30 min or less, at price under 36k .. this is the first to do that. We need to get the word out and GM needs to make enough of them. This vehicle could change everything.
Sorry, I still don't trust GM. The last new GM car I bought was a 1979 Skylark aka as the X car. I know it's been 45 years and I know it's irrational but it's MY money. I'll go with a new Camry instead.
They are LIGHTYEARS ahead of that because I always felt the same! Owned many Japanese cars including Toyota and my Chevy Bolt EV has been super comparable in the fit finish and quality! No issues besides the obvious!
I felt the same about GM my entire life… until I bought a Bolt EV 3.5 years ago. It’s been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, and the most reliable vehicle I’ve owned for the 90K miles I’ve put on it. Most importantly, I LOVE how it drives, and the cost savings between gas and virtually no maintenance is enormous.
If GM had reversed the power bias to 200 rear....100 front I would be interested...........Also, If They had stuck with 65 series rubber I would be even more interested..............No low pro race car tires for Me, Thank You.............Paul
As someone who drives a Gas Powered Equinox for work every single day, I can honestly say this is the first time when an Equinox has interested me! If it can haul lab samples and lab supplies around the backwoods of Louisiana, I'll be willing to give it a shot! Nice review!
@@DrivenCarReviews Baton Rouge, LA...you don't see too many charge points around here. There are a bunch of new Tesla chargers they built in front of an Albertsons, and there's a pair of chargers behind a Trader Joes and by a Whole Foods...aside from that, I haven't seen any others.
If it were an ICE vehicle, no one would complain much about the horsepower and 0-60 time. As Tom said. It's very "normal". With all the torque being available from 0 rpm it will feel stronger than the numbers suggest. Giving up a little zip in exchange for the added range is not such a bad trade-off.
Heard that evs based on the GM Ultium platform can't charge and have the ac running at the same time. Is that true and I assume the Equinox ev would also have this limitation?
Don't use Android Auto that is 👎💩, refuse to own Apple 💩.... Have no issues in my 2019 Equinox infotainment, Navigation is superior to any app. Can't wait to get bigger screen in Chevy EV. People have to adapt and get with the technology, learn new things.
suvs are dull and boring and this thing is just another ugly look alike box for hauling crap...i dont haul crap, and i wouldnt pay $35k for that plastic exterior, plastic inside, available in 2 colors...dull, dull, dull...ill keep my CTS coupe
No Carplay is pretty much a non-starter for me. Speech to text and text to speech for messages is *way* better with Carplay on my Polestar vs using Android Automotive, and for that reason alone I prefer to plug my phone in than use bluetooth.
Nice vehicle. We'll need a new (used) car next year. We'll see if the opinion of the vehicle stays the same next year and we'll maybe snag a 2024 EV then.
I wonder how it compares to Buick Electra E4, is it really the same car. A friend of mine owns E4 and really likes it, she didn’t like any of the bigger SUVs being a petite Chinese. My insurance agent pointed out that if you live in the USA you should probably get a Tesla because the FSD is better for the average driver and if your car does not have the self driving hardware it will be somewhat useless in the future.
If Chevy / GM deciding that they wouldn't support Apple Carplay / Android Auto in EVs so they could 'monetize' me as an owner hadn't already mostly removed their entire portfolio from our 2025 purchasing plans, the fact they sold all the driving data of their cars to insurance companies was a step to far. They won't let me use my computing components, and I'm supposed to trust theirs? nope. We loved our Bolt, but the next gen is out.
Oh whatever. This fake outrage is hilarious. You’re worried about an auto manufacturer monetizing your money. Imagine that. What brand doesn’t do that? You pay for what you get and the usual complaint was that they were charging for a product that wasn’t worth it. Now you complain that they’re making money from the updated product that’s more useful. Lol 😂
Maybe, but it depends on so many factors. In the real world I seldom get the lofty numbers Kia and Hyundai state. Plus, most DC fast charge terminals I visit are 150kw, so there's that.
It does EVs very well but I know what you mean. It's guilty of "SQUIRREL!" behavior, bringing great things to market and then seemingly abandoning them to move on to the next shiny tech.
Great video as usual, but the EV situation is still uncertain and charger network and home charger dependent. We looked hard at an EV, but opted for the Honda CR-V hybrid due a lack of room on my home breaker panel and a real ugly quote to expand it for a home charger, and the lack of chargers when we travel outside of the Twin Cities. For essentially less money, I got a super dependable compact SUV that gets 40ish in the city and mid 30ish on the highway, and I don’t have to worry about where the one charger is when I travel to northern Wisconsin. GM/Ford/VW/whoever can make great EV’s, but until the charger networks are widespread and reliable, an EV to a lot of people is a tough sell where a hybrid or a PHEV is less painful and probably less money.
I swapped out one of the external 110V outlets (on a separate circuit) for a 240V outlet, still just 20A. It adds about 10 miles of range an hour on a 'granny charger'. The outlet was changed, and the breaker, but not the 20A wiring from the original 110V circuit. If I arrive home at about 6pm, I can add about 120 miles by 6am the next morning. That's almost always enough for my typical 40-60 miles per day. Yeah, I could get a 48A home charger installed and get about 30 miles of range per hour, but there's no added value to me, and a lot more cost. The Granny charger was supplied with the car when I bought it (used). Chargers are available near me in central NC, and once my car gets opened to the TESLA network later this year, there will be chargers easily available in any direction I want to head. It's sad that I may have to rely on Musk occasionally on a trip (I'd rather not since he's a hateful POS), but in the 6 months I've had this car, I've used a fast charger by necessity once. The other time was just to get the car registered on a particular network for plug and go, and wasn't a necessary charge to get home. Charging works out about $4.50 per hundred miles at home, for a powerful vehicle that would probably require premium gas and get about 20 mpg if it was an ICE car with the same performance.
I am a model 3 Tesla owner who also owns a Chevy bolt EV 2 LT. I actually enjoy my Bolt, though it certainly does not replace a Tesla. My Tesla lease is coming to an end, and though I would love to continue with Tesla, I am no longer interested in supporting Elon Musk. The Chevy Equinox EV is something I am definitely interested in test driving. Though this is also far from being a decent replacement to a Tesla, especially given the Chevy/GMC app, which is rather disappointing, it’s an interesting option. I’m glad to see the Equinox has no start/stop button; I really don’t understand why so many EV’s still have that feature, and yet skip having a frunk. Still drives me crazy sometimes that my Bolt does not have one. As a Tesla owner, I am not a fan of all the buttons everywhere, but it certainly doesn’t bother me that much. It would actually be smarter for EV‘s to integrate everything into one screen like the Tesla to keep pricing lower, and to be able to add other features, but I do understand that is too much of a change for many drivers. It’s a bit disappointing Car Play isn’t available. That’s actually something that I don’t enjoy in the Tesla. However, I suppose I could live without it. I think I’d sooner deal with that than WIRED Car Play in the Ioniq 5 & 6. All in all, I look forward to testing out the Equinox. Maybe it’ll actually be the replacement I need.
Good styling, good tech, nice interior, good range, but the thing I love about my Bolt is that it's somewhere 6-6.5 in the dash to 60. So it's not an amazing sports car but it's zippy. 8 seconds is a little meh, and I'd rather deal with a little torque steer and save some money. But the loss of performance is a little bit yikes.
John and I discussed that. The punch from 0-35 MPH is strong enough to chirp the tires and merge quickly. It's usable speed where most need it. Not enough gets talked about that dynamic. But yeah, Bolt is fun, wish it would have gotten a "GTI" suspension package.
We sure have become spoiled. I remember the day when a 6 second 0-60 run was the realm of supercars. Now anything less is slow? I only care that I'm at a safe merging speed on the interstate on ramp. I can't think of a single car at any price point today that won't meet that requirement. I remember my college days when I would cycle the A/C off on my little Huyndai Excel to get more power to get on the interstates. No joke, pushing that button would have a noticeable increase in acceleration - not that the car was ever considered anything remotely comparable to fast.
What I want is CATL's Hensheing battery. 600 miles plus. The vehicle is 45k it needs better ambient lighting, and a nicer interior. And more sound deading.
Why does the tech and interior still looks like 2010? Why Chevrolet is so conservative? EV market is harsh and model Y is way beyond that equinox and blazer
About $5,000 in fuel savings compared to Equinox EV AWD. No oil changes for the Chevy. Around $1,500 in data plan savings assuming Toyota charges $25mo after 3 years.
They’re going to offer a next-gen Bolt in 2025 as a 2026 model. To your point, it’ll absolutely be at a lower price point than the Equinox EV. GM’s covering all the bases!
@@DrivenCarReviews How long is the average taxpayer going to go along paying for the virtue signalling purchases of wealthier tax payers? You refuse to be objective when it comes to EVs. Thanks for sucking up to your overlords. Go negative on EVs and say bye-bye to your manufacturer provided test fleet.
@@jimjones-pz1tt The amount of incentives for EVs is the tiniest drop in the bucket when compared to all the tax breaks the petroleum industry has received. And in this case, average taxpayers like you and me are reaping the benefits, not giant wealthy corporations. Also, the wealthier folks you speak of don't get the federal incentive, there's an income threshold. Which is fair.
I just rented a Polestar to test driving an EV in Seattle. Had no problems finding/using fast DC chargers to fill at a price probably half of gas and not much slower. First time trying this and my only issue is that there are multiple companies who all want you to use their app and pay methods which gets tiresome. As for Apple CarPlay, hey if it doesn’t have it HARD PASS. Haha just kidding. I have CarPlay on my Mercedes EV and find myself usually staying within the Mercedes app as it integrates better with car control functions. CarPlay is fine but not exceptional just standard.
I just had my car serviced and there were 4 Equinox on the lot and 10 Blazer EVs. Two Es were sold, 4 Bs were spoken for. The salesperson said they were going out the door at MSRP minus any incentives (Costco has a $1,000 discount if you're a member).
Nice review. My last GM car was a 1985 Buick Park Avenue. It was always in the shop. I like the Equinox EV car but worry about its reliability. FYI all my cars following the 1985 Buick were either Hondas or Toyotas.
My GMC Sierra is the best vehicle we have ever owned. But it's a 2011, not a 1980s Chevy. We have owned every brand, just about. Personally, I think quality is model to model more than brand to brand. Though, we have struck out with two different Fords, so ... there's that.
It's too bad that the range has to drop so much in the all wheel drive version. Getting maybe 240 to 250 miles of real world range just won't cut it with the current poor state of our charging infrastructure.
@@TwoHawksHunting As far as I've heard, GM has not yet been announced as on the Tesla network. Muskrat's little temper tantrum happened right when GM was to have been announced as ready. As far as I know, the consequences of it haven't settled out yet.
@@SteveLomas-k6k I know plenty of EV drivers who have traveled distances like Chicago to Miami. It's not a problem. I've personally driven from Raleigh, NC to Andrews Air Force Base, MD and back in an EV for an overnight visit with early return the next day. Charging was easy. We combined charging stops with necessary food stops, so the actual time required from me for charging was less than a minute each time. I plugged in, then went for food. The car was recharged before I was. The car was a Tesla rental, not a great EV. Build quality of Tesla products is rather crap. I decided on the basis of that trip to get an EV, but avoid Teslas.
Buy this, change badges with the cadillac Optiq and walla-you save 20 k! With EV'S the motors and batteries are the same so if you use your cellphone for google maps I dont have a lot of other items I need any more!
Thanks for the review. It's doesn't look like a bad compact EV SUV, but how are traditional/normal features selling points? What is beneficial about going to a traditional dealership? Who wants to spend this kind of money on a first gen EV when there are proven reliable ones out there with more features for the same price? I'm curious to see what the actual sales prices are and the performance of these over the first couple years.
These bodies are effectively permanent. The only thing that really has to change from year to year is that batteries will continue to improve. I do see a point where we will have a thousand miles on a single 15-minute charge it is only a matter of time and technology.
Thanks for the review. Nice to see these out on the road, finally, but they came out too late for us, and we bought a plain RAV-4 hybrid. It's fine. Maybe in 5 years BEVs like this will be mainstream enough for us to consider.
so in order to use the apps since you can't mirror your phone, you'll have to enter your logins and pw into your car. something about that doesn't sound safe. and how many 'accept TOS' does it come with where you're auto opted into a bunch of mailing systems, texts, and email. and i'm curious about music... i carry it on my phone because i can bluetooth it to most things... so does chevy still connect phone and music?
Don’t worry, they’ll only sell all of your listening habits, app usage, driving habits and location to data brokers, after your dealer signs you up for selling your data. It’s not like they have a history of doing this…
Correct, no phone mirroring, Apple or Android. If I understand it correctly there's one login in for TOS for most apps downloaded from the Play Store and it can be done with your existing Google account if you have one. Trying to get a unit for a deep dive to check it all out. Ultifi handles Bluetooth so phone calls and texts are through the system even though iMessage is not native (I didn't test the text feature thoroughly). Apple Maps does not live in the system, I think you'd need to use the phone screen for that. Google Maps is built in native. Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Alexa are apps available from the Google Play store and can be native to the screen.
@@DrivenCarReviews thank you for the engagement, i'll be looking to see if so yes, those additional apps will require login info. i.e. apple music doesn't use a google account necessarily, especially for those iphone native users. Its strange, its going backwards I feel; when first these digital screens came out, there was no mirroring as it was their native apps. then aftermarket mirror showed up, then brands adopted, but GM seems to be moving away. Wonder what it'll be like in 8 years if they hold true to then it being a cost.
Hi Tom, weird question, but what EV or hybrid, even used up to 10yo has the lowest standard cruise control speed? Just started a new job and cruise set to 10-15mph would be perfect. I know Hondas do down to 25mph, a K5 I'm renting will do 20. is this the best place to ask, or would an email be better?
@DrivenCarReviews I'm scanning license plates and if a car has a recall, I print and place a notification on the windshield. Daylight untill 1hr before sunset, I can cruise at 20mph and scan pareralel or perpendicular parked, although 10-15mph would better
So what I'm hearing is Bolt EUV can cruise at 15MPH, no lower. Ryan Douthit believes that any Toyota with TSS 3.0 can crawl along at 10 MPH. Obviously, check. Best of luck.
GM chooses to add that space in the cabin where research shows people use it more. Same with Kia/Hyundai. Also it announced it's no longer selling data to insurance companies. Not all other automakers have made that claim.
It's simply that the hardware and software development in the auto industry has caught up to modern times - software defined vehicles. This is what will make EVs become more affordable.
In all of my reviews I put up a graphic that shows what the EPA efficiency rating is per 100 miles. You'll find it at 4:15 in this case. There's no way to make an accurate real world assessment in 3 hours of driving, hope to get one to do that. FWIW, I live on the west coast and pay 13 cents kWh.
@@DrivenCarReviews BMW I think was the first to start trying microtransactions on its customers, trying to force people to pay monthly fees to use the features they bought with their car, but luckily there was a huge backlash and I heard BMW walked back on that.
@@BoopSnoot Yes, it was originally going to charge for CarPlay but wised up fast. But here's the thing, other than data subscription fees (which are normal throughout the industry) I'm not sure it or any other automaker has really done anything egregious. No charging for anything like heated seats as far as I can tell. Chevy giving at least 8 years of free data is only bettered by Hyundai which is lifetime.
@@DrivenCarReviews BMW charged for heated seats, eighteen a month back in 2020, but dropped it when people like me went ballistic! Nissan tried to do that to me, said they had all these features on my car and I luckily asked if you ever have to pay for them, salesman said he was not sure and would check and never confirmed so I asked again, and then he said yes after 3 years. NOPE! Walked right out. I pay cash for my vehicle, I want everything inside it to work until the wheels fall off, lol!
ATTENTION- My apologies for leaving the audio "Hey Google" in at 10:02. It's normally something I mute. Also, I state that Apple Maps, iMessage and Apple Music are not native to the Ultifi interface. Actually, Apple Music is available in the Google Play store so AM could be native to the interface at some point.
Thanks for the Equinox review, much appreciated. Didn’t realize this would be available quite as soon as it appears so it’s being added to my shopping list.
Yes it triggered our home hub. You could edit... just saying
@@cyberoptic5757 Unfortunately YT doesn't allow me to upload an edited version.
"It’s a compact SUV with loads of room and 319 miles of reach, practically eliminating range anxiety."
Most EV makers say that letting a battery level go to less than 20% charge or above 80% charge is bad for the long term life of the battery. So, subtracting 40%, the actual manufacturer recommended range would be 191 miles, not 319, wouldn't it? Also, batteries lose about 3-5% of range /year if treated well. So, after just ten years, the highest range could be as low as 1/2 of 319 miles, or around 160 miles. In my state of Minnesota where it commonly gets to -25F in winter, that 160 mile range would be reduced to around 80 miles if the vehicle's left outside. In a common winter storm where you may be stuck in traffic for an hour or two at night, the lights, defrost, cabin heat, wipers, denser cold air and snow would further reduce charge.
Arranging a tow in a snow storm traffic jam as you try to keep from losing your extremities would be quite the adventure!
@@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL Hold on Mr Duck. I grew up in Northern MN and -25F is a severe and uncommon occurrence, even in the Land of 10,000 Lake. Batteries do not lose 3-5% a year unless driving 70-80K miles annually. If normal driving caused that degradation it would trigger the packs warranty. And topping off to 100% isn't really all that bad for the pack, so setting it as such in the winter months would help range. Yes, cold temps reduces range but not even close to your speculation. And if kept in a heated garage, common in northern climates, the pack is kept warm.
Also, all the Minnesotans I know are smart enough to understand how their EVs work and would never need a tow.
Tom, nice review. This is a very welcome addition to the GM line up. I have had the Lyriq for more than 4 months now and already have 9k miles. The built-in assistant keeps the charging worries on road trips at bay. I find the average 15 minute break at DC fact chargers match the mandatory bio breaks. Even though Lyriq has car play I have completely disconnected it and rely totally on the built in infotainment system as I found car play glitzy when I tried to use it exclusively. Not sure why anyone would choose the ICE Equinox version now the EV version is available. The EV ride quality alone answers that convincingly. For the cost saving I would stick with the single motor front wheel version for the Equinox EV, the extra $3k is not worth it as a daily driver. I will add never under estimate over night charging beats trips to the gas pump in every way.
I'm thinking about the LYRIQ myself, or waiting for the ZDX. How has your LYRIQ experience been?
@@The_Notorious_CRG It has checked all my boxes. Transition from ICE was easy.
8 years of free/included connectivity is a lot of time in today's market!
Might be conservative. GM said at least 8 years.
@@DrivenCarReviews Jesus Christ, Tom. You're perfectly fine with spruiking GM's collection of your private data for eight years before you start paying them to resell it. What is wrong with you?
@@jimjones-pz1tt I'm not. But the modern world means 100s of companies already have all the data they could possible have on me. GM isn't going to learn anything from me that they couldn't buy from Google, MS or Apple. Except maybe that Barry Manilow is my guilty music pleasure. Oh wait, Spotify already knows that...
@@DrivenCarReviews bingo. The people complaining about the data all have smartphones that collect and sell FAR more data than the car will. Every android phone literally is google, same as the infotainment.
So Apple or Google collecting the data is better? @@jimjones-pz1tt
Walked around one at the local dealership today. Nah. Not exactly my dream car.
I think I will stick to my beloved 2019 Bolt EV and wait for GM to roll out the promised updated version of the Bolt in 2026.
Thank you! Mainstream EV with real world use. Not target for RUclips tech bros. 8second is fine. Long range. Don’t need high tech that average mums don’t use.
I thought about using the "mom mode" phrase. But every time I do I think of how aggressive my mom drives...
You can’t make a “mainstream EV” and exclude CarPlay/Android Auto. That’s what normies want. Huge dealbreaker.
While I appreciate CarPlay in my Bolt EUV, it has not been a dealbreaker in my Blazer EV at all. But I’m not you so I respect how you feel about it. The reason we also went for the Blazer EV is because we are well aware that Chevrolet makes great quality electric vehicles! That means way more to me than CarPlay!
My reason for wanting an EV is for the quietness, the smoothness the torque of the motor, the one pedal driving, as long as it has around 240 miles of charge I’m fine with that. To me EV’s are ideal for daily driving not long trips. They’re not for everybody and should not be forced on anyone.
Once everyone can use the Super Charger network, you'll be able to take an EV anywhere. The idea that EVs can't do road trips is an old opinion from the days of the terrible CCS networks.
Governments are inventing ways to force people into EVs though: 1) Discounts for purchasing an EV which means non-EV buyers are paying taxes to EV buyers as a punishment 2) Inflated gasoline pricing, always mysteriously way higher in places that promote EVs 3) completely unrealistic rapidly changing emissions laws designed to make ICE vehicles more expensive and reduced power.
This. This right here is why I would be worried if I was Tesla. The traditional auto makers have caught up if not surpassed them. Stock market sure seems to think so.
Promising product, but the boring contradictory facts:
The stock market has a high degree of confidence in Tesla and no confidence in GM
Tesla trades at 61x expected earnings, GM at under 5x and at only 74% of book value (Depression-era valuations) and still 5..5% of GM's shares are held by those betting against it (selling short).
The question is, can GM make more than 200,000 of these over the next two years? Can they even make 2,000?
Elon Musk's Ponzi scheme is coming to an end.
@@davidmenasco5743agreed, GM is introducing far too many similar EV models rather than focusing on volume production of a few models like Tesla. This issue was a major factor contributing to GMs prior bankruptcy, and it appears they haven't learned from that.
@@Thunderbolt-ws7qmthat doesn't mean any of it makes sense. In terms of actual vehicle based profit, GM is far ahead of tesla
Still loving my Bolt. It's too young for me to consider trading it in for one of these but if I was getting a new car, I'd certainly take one out for a test drive. Good review, car sounds great.
Voelker's growl is always welcome.
If one lives in an area with cheap electricity, a car like this makes a lot of sense. For example, we live in the Pacific Northwest. It cost us about five dollars to charge our Nissan leaf in our garage and go 200 miles. It cost us about $35 to go to the same distance in our Subaru outback on gasoline.
The PNW is one of the best places on earth to own an EV. Low electric rates, high gas prices. I have to balance for the rest of the country. Even where electricity is more expensive and gas prices are moderate, EVs still come out ahead in fuel costs. When battery prices drop even further, it will be great for consumers.
In NC, it's about $0.12 per kWh. In my Volvo (not a particularly efficient EV). That works out about $4.50 per 100 miles. I paid $39 to refill a rental Ford F150 in Chicago area. That would have cost $7.50 at home in my Volvo.
In Georgia, I called our utility Georgia Power and they told me that if you charge during off peak times, 11 PM to 7Am the rate is 1.8 cent per kWh. Also in Georgia we have to pay around $200 per year for road tax. We don’t pay near that much in road tax for our ice vehicles for gasoline because we don’t drive that much.
@@ronniemullis8717 Nice. We also have a tax penalty in NC. Similarly, it's more than a typical person would pay for an ICE car. I didn't mind paying a road tax, but it's mind bogglingly dumb for the politicians to set the level higher than polluting ICE cars. That's republicanism for you.
Even at $0.12 per kWh, the extra road tax is offset pretty quickly, particularly since I can charge daily for free at work. The maintenance costs are a tiny fraction of an ICE car,. No oil, filters, belts, pumps, and with regenerative breaking, the pads will probably last 150,000 miles.
As for fuel, assuming $3.50 per gallon, 35 mpg, and 15,000 miles a year, I would pay $1500 per year for fuel. Given the free fuel option at work, I don't think I'm going to pay out $150 this year for energy to power my EV. For your rate of $0.018 per kWh, that's roughly $1.40 every 200 miles, or $70 every 10,000 miles 😁😆😊
To get a car with the same performance as my EV in an ICE vehicle, I'd be lucky to see 20mpg, so the equivalent fuel bill would likely be >$2500 per year. More if I needed premium gas.
@@jeffcranmer5374 Republicanism..???..............Trumpism will be far worse...............Paul
Great review! I hope it is a big hit for GM. BTW SoCal viewers, those nice homes are super cheap, and Michiganders will give you a warm welcome. Texans can stay in Texas.
Never say HEY GOOGLE, jeez, everything is going mad around me, LOL...
Yup, sorry. I normally mute that.
This certainly looks promising for mainstream drivers and getting some to transition. Point about charge anxiety is spot on.
Yup, great comment by John.
I'm not convinced that charger anxiety is truly different from range anxiety.
'the pack will take on 34 miles every hour' ! 'Mainstream' drivers are used to 400 miles in 2 minutes, any weather, anywhere, anytime, no degradation.
@@SteveLomas-k6kYes, but burning fossil fuels has caused massive changes in the world. Things are not the same anymore, and there's no going back.
On the other hand, solving problems is a species typical characteristic of the human species. It's what humans do. So we'll find a way to live without gasoline, and we'll find ways to keep making life better. Even without 2 minute fill ups.
@@davidmenasco5743 I think we all agree; burning fossil fuels certainly has caused massive changes, it brought freedom of mobility and cheap reliable energy to the masses. It lifted billions out of poverty worldwide and kept them fed. Not sure that's something we want to reverse. Gasoline was the solution to the inherent limitations of EVs over 100 years ago.
A very nice looking vehicle. Buttons and switches are a plus for me, as are the round air vents!
I hope it sells well; the price could make it one of the best selling EVs pretty quickly, but, we'll see.
Thanx Tom!
Hello there namesake. Very promising car this one. The quietness "speaks" to me as does the normal approach. The wheel tyre combo got my attention. Hefty tyres on this car make the driving smooth and forgiving in bad road conditions. Therefore I double checked the size at 12:23 and they are 19" which is a lot better than the 21" you mentioned. Love your work. Big production quality and unique style. Always watch till the end. That's all....... I'm Tom Crapper.
Good entry that will sell to Chevy customers. Still, lack of CarPlay makes it a no go for me. Hopefully the lower trims can sell for closer to $30,000. No one will buy this close to $45,000 over a Tesla model Y.
2¢: Level 1 (standard outlet) chargers shouldn't be ignored; an overnight can easily net this vehicle 40-70 miles (12 hour charge). Secondly, low cost EV buyers get a $4000 credit in the used market.
Agreed on the L1 comment for those who have short commutes. Just top off at a commercial station for heavy use days.
@@DrivenCarReviewsI’ve had my Tesla five years now and this is how I’ve been dealing with charging. I have to charge at a station maybe once or twice per year and the rest of the time 120V charging does everything I need !
@@ilovecats748So, a Leaf would work just as well?
@@TinLeadHammer Yes but the issue is the Leaf does not like fast charging. The times you would need to visit a fast charger when needed, it would charge comparatively slowly and stress the battery health more as the Leaf doesn’t have active battery cooling. If fast charge time and long term battery health doesn’t worry you then 120V should serve you well if you have a commute less than 40 miles round trip daily. Leafs do best being charged overnight and not rapidly.
A lot of 'granny chargers' will operate up to 16A from a 240V outlet. It's not very expensive to change out an external 110V, 20A outlet to a 240V, 20A outlet. You don't even have to change the wiring in most cases, just the socket and the breaker. I can charge my 77kWh battery from dead empty to totally full in about 20 hours with that low cost solution. In practical terms, that means one overnight is enough to completely top it off 99.99% of the time.
I wouldn't call that a "compact" SUV. More of a midsized. Huge range penalty for going AWD compared to a Model Y
I agree. But it's classified as a compact.
I enjoy the tone of your review. Not an "everything is great" GM fanboy, but seemingly a fair appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses in a brief review. Well done!
I've had an EV for about a year, it has Carplay and Android Auto, but for the life of me, can't figure out why I would ever use them. Quiet power, interesting tech issues, what's not to like. Road trips can be interesting challenges in cold weather, but we always get there. and paying 35-40$ a month for electricity beats the 400$ per month gasoline. keep hating, I'm enjoying. Oh, and I don't mind holding on to the steering wheel.
While you mentioned that GM as well as others may have use of the Tesla Surpercharging network, a note of caution should be warranted. There is no time frame for GM to access it..
Tesla fired its entire crew that was to work with and coordinated with GMs people in order to integrate the two systems and provide proper protocols their cars to work seamlessly, thus causing delays in use for GM vehicles as well as others that talked about adopting NACS..
"World's Most Competent Fast Charging Team... YOU'RE FIRED...!!!" (best Elon/deranged Trump/The Apprentice voice)
GM recently (after the supercharger team got pink slips) said they are still on schedule to access it "Spring 2024." That gives them only a few more weeks. We shall see!
Use of network is not dependent on nacs
@@shethjones4494 It is true here in the US we have magic dock adapters at many Tesla sites and companies like Rivan and Ford have been able to implement protocols in conjunction with Tesla to be able to use Tesla superchargers . I don't want to get into expansion of V4 or 800V nominal charging nor the fact Ford and Rivan must use the Tesla app in order to access discount charging. In short the experience of using Tesla sites for non Tesla owners is not quite as seamless as some make it out to be. But I concede it is working for Ford and Rivan users.
But what is not true at this moment is companies like GM, Hyundai Group and others will not have full access at Tesla sites. Companies who were interfacing with Tesla not only adopt the NACS standard, but also be able to use the Tesla Superchargers sites. This required working groups to coordinate their different protocols, software and other source code work to make this happen. But, and here is the crux of the issue, when musk fired his supercharger team, there was no one left for OEMs to work with Tesla. Further, suppliers, designers and expansion of the Tesla network, has no one to approve expansion details, let alone pay suppliers and contractors. And in the weeks that have passed, from sources, there has been no improvement at Tesla.
What this means, companies like GM who were hoping to have access Tesla sites other than using magic dock stations, are left floundering on what will happen next. And what Musk says and what reality is, are two very different beings at this moment. There is no clarity on this matter.
Good luck finding one and when you do expect a $20k dealer “market adjustment” fee.
Aka, extortion.
Actually, I saw a couple at the Chevy dealer getting a part and asked a salesperson about it. He said they're going to get so many in, they're selling them for MSRP (and Costco members get $1,000 off it and Blazer EV). Anecdotal but hey.
@@DrivenCarReviews 🤣🤣🤣and why would he lie. Order one and see what happens on day of delivery.
My Clermont FL Chevy dealer has them for $3K off MSRP already.
@@bfrides7800 sure they do. Talk to me at closing 🤣🤣🤣
GM has On Star, tracks you and the vehicle, and has been known to forward Information to the Insurance Co.
FWIW, GM announced it no longer does that. And if you think other automakers haven't/aren't doing the same, think again.
The thing that aggravates me the most about GM dumping Android Auto/Apple car play is that it has a role even if you do have a good on board system. Hyundai has a very good one in the Ioniq 5. It still doesn't necessarily find every address, and Android Auto has been a good back up for such instances. Not only that, but on long trips, if we decide we want to make a quick detour, having that as a secondary system allows us to quick route said detour without messing up the core trip plan programmed into the car. I get further annoyed by GM lying about the reason for removing the platforms. They've claimed safety, and then claimed licensing. Both are total B.S. This is about recouping lost money from the inevitable reduction of maintenance services and the parts that go with it. The reality is that when I cross shop the competition, the automakers that have android auto/apple car play will notch higher on the list, no matter how good the on board system is.
Whatever is claimed, the real reason for removing third party software is data rights. GM (and others) can't use or sell data that is collected by Google or Apple.
Right. But Ultifi uses native Google Maps and it should find 99.9% of what's needed. My wife the copilot loves having both Apple and Google up, watching Google on her phone while the car screen is on Apple Maps. Lately Apple has been wining TBH.
@@1guyin10 I think GM has been above board on that. Other automakers are frustrated as well. At least that's what I hear at events with engineers.
Yep. They want to make money from subscription services. That's a brand killer for me.
Route planning is another reason. AA/CarPlay can’t route plan with charging intervals because they are not integrated into the car’s systems. I know Apple demonstrated a system like this during WWDC or something like that, but hasn’t hit the road yet.
Normalcy. You mean compared to the Cadillac version with all the odd styling details and weirdness? That's what I was thinking. I think a lot of customers want something more normal looking. Some will also like the fact that the roof is not all glass with no cover like the Model Y. The top trim should offer real leather, that's something Tesla can't do.
Chinese automakers would probably charge 30k or maybe even close to 25k for this. I feel like that's one of the reasons the US isn't letting Chinese cars to be sold there.
China is 12-50 and India tops out at 15k.
@@kaijen2688 that's exactly what they're afraid of. These American automakers would be exposed for charging super high prices for low quality products.
@@thismanagain I believe Chinese automakers have full control of battery supply chain which is great for pricing. But just being a global market their labor costs are obviously much less. No member could compete with China. How long will the protectionist policies last we shall see
@@jboogs49 you've made a great point there. The problem is that countries don't have supply chains of their own and would have to rely on China for just about everything.
Can you please edit/bleep the smart home activation words. This video kept triggering my google home. Enjoyed the vid, thank you!
Usually do.
What happens if you listen with EarPods/airpods does it still trigger?? Just curious I don’t have the google setup
Very good review of, yes, a very important vehicle. There is market research showing the majority ev adoption point is when range exceeds 300 miles, charging is 30 min or less, at price under 36k .. this is the first to do that. We need to get the word out and GM needs to make enough of them.
This vehicle could change everything.
Sorry, I still don't trust GM. The last new GM car I bought was a 1979 Skylark aka as the X car. I know it's been 45 years and I know it's irrational but it's MY money. I'll go with a new Camry instead.
They are LIGHTYEARS ahead of that because I always felt the same! Owned many Japanese cars including Toyota and my Chevy Bolt EV has been super comparable in the fit finish and quality! No issues besides the obvious!
I felt the same about GM my entire life… until I bought a Bolt EV 3.5 years ago. It’s been one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, and the most reliable vehicle I’ve owned for the 90K miles I’ve put on it. Most importantly, I LOVE how it drives, and the cost savings between gas and virtually no maintenance is enormous.
If GM had reversed the power bias to 200 rear....100 front I would be interested...........Also, If They had stuck with 65 series rubber I would be even more interested..............No low pro race car tires for Me, Thank You.............Paul
As someone who drives a Gas Powered Equinox for work every single day, I can honestly say this is the first time when an Equinox has interested me! If it can haul lab samples and lab supplies around the backwoods of Louisiana, I'll be willing to give it a shot! Nice review!
I'm curious what the charging infrastructure is in your neck of the woods. If you even need it.
@@DrivenCarReviews Baton Rouge, LA...you don't see too many charge points around here. There are a bunch of new Tesla chargers they built in front of an Albertsons, and there's a pair of chargers behind a Trader Joes and by a Whole Foods...aside from that, I haven't seen any others.
Finally the win, and add to this the new Bolt...My times have changed at Mary's company, and for the better!
If it were an ICE vehicle, no one would complain much about the horsepower and 0-60 time. As Tom said. It's very "normal". With all the torque being available from 0 rpm it will feel stronger than the numbers suggest. Giving up a little zip in exchange for the added range is not such a bad trade-off.
Exactly
Heard that evs based on the GM Ultium platform can't charge and have the ac running at the same time. Is that true and I assume the Equinox ev would also have this limitation?
Don't use Android Auto that is 👎💩, refuse to own Apple 💩....
Have no issues in my 2019 Equinox infotainment, Navigation is superior to any app. Can't wait to get bigger screen in Chevy EV.
People have to adapt and get with the technology, learn new things.
GM is making some great cars. I wish their reliability was better.
JD Power rates #4 Buick and #5 Chevrolet ahead of #7 Toyota, #19 Honda and #23 Subaru for 2023. It's been this way for years, more of a perception.
@@DrivenCarReviews that’s great, but I trust consumer reports and my own experiences more. Thanks for always doing a great job.
suvs are dull and boring and this thing is just another ugly look alike box for hauling crap...i dont haul crap, and i wouldnt pay $35k for that plastic exterior, plastic inside, available in 2 colors...dull, dull, dull...ill keep my CTS coupe
Thanks for triggering my Googles! 😕
No Carplay is pretty much a non-starter for me. Speech to text and text to speech for messages is *way* better with Carplay on my Polestar vs using Android Automotive, and for that reason alone I prefer to plug my phone in than use bluetooth.
Nice vehicle. We'll need a new (used) car next year. We'll see if the opinion of the vehicle stays the same next year and we'll maybe snag a 2024 EV then.
Subscription services for features installed in the car I purchased are enough to put me off. Sorry, I'm not going to subscribe to my car. Period.
I wonder how it compares to Buick Electra E4, is it really the same car. A friend of mine owns E4 and really likes it, she didn’t like any of the bigger SUVs being a petite Chinese.
My insurance agent pointed out that if you live in the USA you should probably get a Tesla because the FSD is better for the average driver and if your car does not have the self driving hardware it will be somewhat useless in the future.
Great review. Very informative. Nice mix of the quantitative and qualitative information.
If Chevy / GM deciding that they wouldn't support Apple Carplay / Android Auto in EVs so they could 'monetize' me as an owner hadn't already mostly removed their entire portfolio from our 2025 purchasing plans, the fact they sold all the driving data of their cars to insurance companies was a step to far. They won't let me use my computing components, and I'm supposed to trust theirs? nope. We loved our Bolt, but the next gen is out.
FYI, GM stopped that practice. Selling data is not uncommon unfortunately.
Thanks for that. Very helpful. The OnStar program you speak of was voluntary. You left that out
Oh whatever. This fake outrage is hilarious. You’re worried about an auto manufacturer monetizing your money. Imagine that. What brand doesn’t do that? You pay for what you get and the usual complaint was that they were charging for a product that wasn’t worth it. Now you complain that they’re making money from the updated product that’s more useful. Lol 😂
You know Kia Hyundai and Toyota will be copy katting Chevy😂😂😂😂
150kw charging is actually pretty pathetic
Maybe, but it depends on so many factors. In the real world I seldom get the lofty numbers Kia and Hyundai state. Plus, most DC fast charge terminals I visit are 150kw, so there's that.
Outstanding review, Thank you. I'm looking forward to driving. I do worry because GM's EV history is borderline schizophrenic.
It does EVs very well but I know what you mean. It's guilty of "SQUIRREL!" behavior, bringing great things to market and then seemingly abandoning them to move on to the next shiny tech.
Great video as usual, but the EV situation is still uncertain and charger network and home charger dependent. We looked hard at an EV, but opted for the Honda CR-V hybrid due a lack of room on my home breaker panel and a real ugly quote to expand it for a home charger, and the lack of chargers when we travel outside of the Twin Cities. For essentially less money, I got a super dependable compact SUV that gets 40ish in the city and mid 30ish on the highway, and I don’t have to worry about where the one charger is when I travel to northern Wisconsin. GM/Ford/VW/whoever can make great EV’s, but until the charger networks are widespread and reliable, an EV to a lot of people is a tough sell where a hybrid or a PHEV is less painful and probably less money.
I swapped out one of the external 110V outlets (on a separate circuit) for a 240V outlet, still just 20A. It adds about 10 miles of range an hour on a 'granny charger'. The outlet was changed, and the breaker, but not the 20A wiring from the original 110V circuit. If I arrive home at about 6pm, I can add about 120 miles by 6am the next morning. That's almost always enough for my typical 40-60 miles per day. Yeah, I could get a 48A home charger installed and get about 30 miles of range per hour, but there's no added value to me, and a lot more cost. The Granny charger was supplied with the car when I bought it (used).
Chargers are available near me in central NC, and once my car gets opened to the TESLA network later this year, there will be chargers easily available in any direction I want to head. It's sad that I may have to rely on Musk occasionally on a trip (I'd rather not since he's a hateful POS), but in the 6 months I've had this car, I've used a fast charger by necessity once. The other time was just to get the car registered on a particular network for plug and go, and wasn't a necessary charge to get home. Charging works out about $4.50 per hundred miles at home, for a powerful vehicle that would probably require premium gas and get about 20 mpg if it was an ICE car with the same performance.
In the words of The Critical Drinker: It'll be fine.
I am a model 3 Tesla owner who also owns a Chevy bolt EV 2 LT. I actually enjoy my Bolt, though it certainly does not replace a Tesla. My Tesla lease is coming to an end, and though I would love to continue with Tesla, I am no longer interested in supporting Elon Musk. The Chevy Equinox EV is something I am definitely interested in test driving. Though this is also far from being a decent replacement to a Tesla, especially given the Chevy/GMC app, which is rather disappointing, it’s an interesting option. I’m glad to see the Equinox has no start/stop button; I really don’t understand why so many EV’s still have that feature, and yet skip having a frunk. Still drives me crazy sometimes that my Bolt does not have one. As a Tesla owner, I am not a fan of all the buttons everywhere, but it certainly doesn’t bother me that much. It would actually be smarter for EV‘s to integrate everything into one screen like the Tesla to keep pricing lower, and to be able to add other features, but I do understand that is too much of a change for many drivers. It’s a bit disappointing Car Play isn’t available. That’s actually something that I don’t enjoy in the Tesla. However, I suppose I could live without it. I think I’d sooner deal with that than WIRED Car Play in the Ioniq 5 & 6. All in all, I look forward to testing out the Equinox. Maybe it’ll actually be the replacement I need.
Well, there is no perfect car. Best of luck in your search. FYI, Hyundai/Kia EVs now have wireless AA/CP.
Good styling, good tech, nice interior, good range, but the thing I love about my Bolt is that it's somewhere 6-6.5 in the dash to 60. So it's not an amazing sports car but it's zippy. 8 seconds is a little meh, and I'd rather deal with a little torque steer and save some money. But the loss of performance is a little bit yikes.
John and I discussed that. The punch from 0-35 MPH is strong enough to chirp the tires and merge quickly. It's usable speed where most need it. Not enough gets talked about that dynamic. But yeah, Bolt is fun, wish it would have gotten a "GTI" suspension package.
you get 6 second 0-60 with the AWD Equinox.
We sure have become spoiled. I remember the day when a 6 second 0-60 run was the realm of supercars. Now anything less is slow? I only care that I'm at a safe merging speed on the interstate on ramp. I can't think of a single car at any price point today that won't meet that requirement. I remember my college days when I would cycle the A/C off on my little Huyndai Excel to get more power to get on the interstates. No joke, pushing that button would have a noticeable increase in acceleration - not that the car was ever considered anything remotely comparable to fast.
@@Nebula1701 But that is going to cost a bit more than the Bolt did
@@joeb4294 and that's fine? This vehicle is much larger than the Bolt to begin with.
Is it efficient on the highway, or does it get really hungry.
What I want is CATL's Hensheing battery. 600 miles plus. The vehicle is 45k it needs better ambient lighting, and a nicer interior. And more sound deading.
I believe these things when I see them (Toyota SS packs cough cough)
Why does the tech and interior still looks like 2010? Why Chevrolet is so conservative? EV market is harsh and model Y is way beyond that equinox and blazer
Arguably, Tesla with one screen to the side is behind. It smacks of cost cutting, especially losing physical controls.
Nice but seeing a whole bunch of nissan ariya. It's like the #1 selling nissan! They're all over! Had a guy charged his kia using a 120V 20A outlet.🤭
I see VERY few of those Nissan's in Seattle.
So at the 8 year point, compare true cost to own vs a hybrid RAV4 and CRV
If you charge 90% at home you’ll probably save about 10k in gas savings
About $5,000 in fuel savings compared to Equinox EV AWD. No oil changes for the Chevy. Around $1,500 in data plan savings assuming Toyota charges $25mo after 3 years.
They have lost me. The whole reason to drive one is to save money. If it costs 25% more than the Bolt, how am I saving money?
They’re going to offer a next-gen Bolt in 2025 as a 2026 model. To your point, it’ll absolutely be at a lower price point than the Equinox EV. GM’s covering all the bases!
It is a much larger vehicle and saving money isn’t the only reason to own an EV.
Honestly, $27K (assuming you get the tax credit) is pretty inexpensive. Also consider it goes farther than Bolt and charges faster.
@@DrivenCarReviews How long is the average taxpayer going to go along paying for the virtue signalling purchases of wealthier tax payers? You refuse to be objective when it comes to EVs. Thanks for sucking up to your overlords. Go negative on EVs and say bye-bye to your manufacturer provided test fleet.
@@jimjones-pz1tt The amount of incentives for EVs is the tiniest drop in the bucket when compared to all the tax breaks the petroleum industry has received. And in this case, average taxpayers like you and me are reaping the benefits, not giant wealthy corporations. Also, the wealthier folks you speak of don't get the federal incentive, there's an income threshold. Which is fair.
What kind of data plan comes with the car...it could be my In-home internet when parked in the garage !
Nope. It can't be tethered. But nice try! It's different from the wi-fi plan that's also available.
Why so many "hey Google"s in this video?
No Apple CarPlay is a deal breaker for me.
A length of 190 inches is too long for a compact in my book.
I just rented a Polestar to test driving an EV in Seattle. Had no problems finding/using fast DC chargers to fill at a price probably half of gas and not much slower. First time trying this and my only issue is that there are multiple companies who all want you to use their app and pay methods which gets tiresome.
As for Apple CarPlay, hey if it doesn’t have it HARD PASS. Haha just kidding. I have CarPlay on my Mercedes EV and find myself usually staying within the Mercedes app as it integrates better with car control functions. CarPlay is fine but not exceptional just standard.
No Apple CarPlay, no buy. So long, GM.
I had just left the car dealership when he informed me that I would need to pay a subscription fee to use the infotainment system.
Nope. 8 years is on Chevy.
I wish the ioniq 5 was more normal. I hate the side panels that are different colour to everything else, it looks to cringe
Wait until fall...
Great video Tom.
Tom good review! My Chevy dealership looks like they had these and would love to buy as my next EV!
I just had my car serviced and there were 4 Equinox on the lot and 10 Blazer EVs. Two Es were sold, 4 Bs were spoken for. The salesperson said they were going out the door at MSRP minus any incentives (Costco has a $1,000 discount if you're a member).
Stop it with the 35,000$. That's only at the end of the year, or in 2025.
As I said.
Nice review. My last GM car was a 1985 Buick Park Avenue. It was always in the shop. I like the Equinox EV car but worry about its reliability. FYI all my cars following the 1985 Buick were either Hondas or Toyotas.
1985. Just saying...
@@DrivenCarReviews So you think GM has improved their reliability. They had issue with the Bolt.
My GMC Sierra is the best vehicle we have ever owned. But it's a 2011, not a 1980s Chevy. We have owned every brand, just about. Personally, I think quality is model to model more than brand to brand. Though, we have struck out with two different Fords, so ... there's that.
Thank you
Made in Mexico. I'm so proud?
It's too bad that the range has to drop so much in the all wheel drive version. Getting maybe 240 to 250 miles of real world range just won't cut it with the current poor state of our charging infrastructure.
That is why you charge at home. Don't forget Tesla has opened up a vast majority of their Superchargering Stations to GM, Rivian, and Ford. 2:39
@@TwoHawksHunting As far as I've heard, GM has not yet been announced as on the Tesla network. Muskrat's little temper tantrum happened right when GM was to have been announced as ready. As far as I know, the consequences of it haven't settled out yet.
@@TwoHawksHunting Sure, just make sure you never want to drive more than 100 miles or so from your house.
@@SteveLomas-k6k I know plenty of EV drivers who have traveled distances like Chicago to Miami. It's not a problem.
I've personally driven from Raleigh, NC to Andrews Air Force Base, MD and back in an EV for an overnight visit with early return the next day. Charging was easy. We combined charging stops with necessary food stops, so the actual time required from me for charging was less than a minute each time. I plugged in, then went for food. The car was recharged before I was.
The car was a Tesla rental, not a great EV. Build quality of Tesla products is rather crap. I decided on the basis of that trip to get an EV, but avoid Teslas.
Buy this, change badges with the cadillac Optiq and walla-you save 20 k! With EV'S the motors and batteries are the same so if you use your cellphone for google maps I dont have a lot of other items I need any more!
Thanks for the review. It's doesn't look like a bad compact EV SUV, but how are traditional/normal features selling points? What is beneficial about going to a traditional dealership? Who wants to spend this kind of money on a first gen EV when there are proven reliable ones out there with more features for the same price?
I'm curious to see what the actual sales prices are and the performance of these over the first couple years.
These bodies are effectively permanent. The only thing that really has to change from year to year is that batteries will continue to improve. I do see a point where we will have a thousand miles on a single 15-minute charge it is only a matter of time and technology.
Thanks for the review. Nice to see these out on the road, finally, but they came out too late for us, and we bought a plain RAV-4 hybrid. It's fine. Maybe in 5 years BEVs like this will be mainstream enough for us to consider.
No Apple CarPlay?? No Sale!
If this is GM's idea of a 'compact' EV I hate to think how their 'full sized' behemoth is going to sie up.
Three clicks! oh no, how will we ever manage that? /s
Anything that takes eyes off the road is bad. Three clicks could do it.
Will a gas powered Silverado be on sale in two years I’d say yes,will this Equinox EV well that’s a good question
45k is not reasonable
"I'll miss Apple Maps ..."
Said nobody, ever.
Some people refuse to forget the past.
TBH, I find AM to be consistently better these days. I often times run them together to check their performance.
I wonder what information is available on what their policy is concerning usage of your private/personal data/information?
It’s not about interface abeing easy, it’s about the fact I a, not going to learn a new interface. No chance I am buying a GM electric.
so in order to use the apps since you can't mirror your phone, you'll have to enter your logins and pw into your car. something about that doesn't sound safe. and how many 'accept TOS' does it come with where you're auto opted into a bunch of mailing systems, texts, and email.
and i'm curious about music... i carry it on my phone because i can bluetooth it to most things... so does chevy still connect phone and music?
Don’t worry, they’ll only sell all of your listening habits, app usage, driving habits and location to data brokers, after your dealer signs you up for selling your data.
It’s not like they have a history of doing this…
Correct, no phone mirroring, Apple or Android. If I understand it correctly there's one login in for TOS for most apps downloaded from the Play Store and it can be done with your existing Google account if you have one. Trying to get a unit for a deep dive to check it all out.
Ultifi handles Bluetooth so phone calls and texts are through the system even though iMessage is not native (I didn't test the text feature thoroughly). Apple Maps does not live in the system, I think you'd need to use the phone screen for that. Google Maps is built in native. Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Alexa are apps available from the Google Play store and can be native to the screen.
Google already has this from your phone so there's that.
@@DrivenCarReviews thank you for the engagement, i'll be looking to see if so yes, those additional apps will require login info. i.e. apple music doesn't use a google account necessarily, especially for those iphone native users. Its strange, its going backwards I feel; when first these digital screens came out, there was no mirroring as it was their native apps. then aftermarket mirror showed up, then brands adopted, but GM seems to be moving away. Wonder what it'll be like in 8 years if they hold true to then it being a cost.
You can create a login just for the car if you want.
Hi Tom, weird question, but what EV or hybrid, even used up to 10yo has the lowest standard cruise control speed? Just started a new job and cruise set to 10-15mph would be perfect. I know Hondas do down to 25mph, a K5 I'm renting will do 20. is this the best place to ask, or would an email be better?
Oof, you got me there. The Traffic Jam Assist feature in many vehicles would probably work but I'm not sure what situation you're using it in.
@DrivenCarReviews I'm scanning license plates and if a car has a recall, I print and place a notification on the windshield. Daylight untill 1hr before sunset, I can cruise at 20mph and scan pareralel or perpendicular parked, although 10-15mph would better
@@fantomtuba Hmmm, let me send this out to the hive mind and see what they say.
So what I'm hearing is Bolt EUV can cruise at 15MPH, no lower. Ryan Douthit believes that any Toyota with TSS 3.0 can crawl along at 10 MPH. Obviously, check. Best of luck.
@DrivenCarReviews Thanks so much. I'd love to rent one of these and test it out. Any progress make, I will certainly update you.
Great ad for a Tesla Y.
I think it'll take a year or two for people to feel out the quality. But, if it's good, i think they will sell a lot of these.
Adopters?
I guess " normal" means no Frunk?🤔
GM chooses to add that space in the cabin where research shows people use it more. Same with Kia/Hyundai. Also it announced it's no longer selling data to insurance companies. Not all other automakers have made that claim.
Great use a young girl to show how to use the interface 🤷♂️
Nice looking car but no CarPlay? Designed specifically to annoy coastal elites 🤣 I wonder what Apple is charging for it - must be a lot.
It's simply that the hardware and software development in the auto industry has caught up to modern times - software defined vehicles. This is what will make EVs become more affordable.
If I understand correctly, no matter if you choose Super Cruise or not, the steering wheel will always have that plastic illuminated upper part?
I don't believe so.
Agree SuperCruise is really good. This car seems like a winner overall
You haven’t discussed the efficiency, which is a massive deal with those on the west coast. Over 60 cents a kilowatt hour…
In all of my reviews I put up a graphic that shows what the EPA efficiency rating is per 100 miles. You'll find it at 4:15 in this case. There's no way to make an accurate real world assessment in 3 hours of driving, hope to get one to do that. FWIW, I live on the west coast and pay 13 cents kWh.
Are there variants of Super Cruise, e.g. with and without auto lane change? If so, which variant does the Equinox have?
Nearly 100% certain Equinox EV has auto lane change. Bolt EUV had a more stripped down version.
It looks so bland.....
I think that is the point
I will never pay a subscription fee to drive my car. Supernope!
Well then I guess this might be for you then.
@@DrivenCarReviews BMW I think was the first to start trying microtransactions on its customers, trying to force people to pay monthly fees to use the features they bought with their car, but luckily there was a huge backlash and I heard BMW walked back on that.
@@BoopSnoot Yes, it was originally going to charge for CarPlay but wised up fast. But here's the thing, other than data subscription fees (which are normal throughout the industry) I'm not sure it or any other automaker has really done anything egregious. No charging for anything like heated seats as far as I can tell. Chevy giving at least 8 years of free data is only bettered by Hyundai which is lifetime.
@@DrivenCarReviews BMW charged for heated seats, eighteen a month back in 2020, but dropped it when people like me went ballistic! Nissan tried to do that to me, said they had all these features on my car and I luckily asked if you ever have to pay for them, salesman said he was not sure and would check and never confirmed so I asked again, and then he said yes after 3 years. NOPE! Walked right out. I pay cash for my vehicle, I want everything inside it to work until the wheels fall off, lol!
Current GM owner. No wireless CarPlay is a deal-breaker. As of now, I won’t be a repeat customer.