Last updated: 2026-10-10
Chevrolet Equinox Reliability by Year
Chevrolet Equinox reliability is good and above average for SUVs. Watch the brakes on early years, and look to 2024 as the year to buy.
Chevrolet Equinox Reliability Overview
Reliability is good, with repair costs close to the compact SUV norm. The most serious pattern is a brake pedal that goes hard or sinks to the floor, often blamed on the vacuum pump. The 2018 and 2020 model years rate lowest, 2024 is the pick, and 2026 is too new to judge.
Current generation: 4th gen (2025–present).
Best & Worst Chevrolet Equinox Years
Best Chevrolet Equinox Years to Buy
Based on reliability index scoreOnly 2 recalls sit on the 2024 record, against 5 for 2018 and 2022. Its top complaint is dashboard glare on the windshield, not the brake and power train faults that mark the weakest years. Some owners do report freezing screens and brakes that stop responding, so test both.
Chevrolet Equinox Years to Avoid
No Chevrolet Equinox years are statistical outliers in our data.
Scores stay between 69 and 82 across 9 scored model years.
Chevrolet Equinox Reliability Score Trend
Chevrolet Equinox reliability has remained consistent across model years, averaging 73/100.
Scores 0–100. Higher is better.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 69/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 71/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 70/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 71/100 | Good |
| 2023 | 76/100 | Good |
| 2024 | 76/100 | Good |
| 2025 | 72/100 | Good |
| 2026 | 82/100 | Excellent |
Year-by-Year Reliability
2026 Chevrolet Equinox
0 recalls · 0 complaints
Newest year, with no complaints or recalls on file yet, so its top ranking among nine years rests on a very short record.
2025 Chevrolet Equinox
5 recalls · 288 complaints
The first year of the fourth generation, with good reliability but more complaints and recalls than 2024, led by windshield glare and OnStar battery drain.
2024 Chevrolet Equinox
2 recalls · 143 complaints
Rated good and among the stronger Equinox years, with a 5-star crash rating, though braking and screen complaints run well above 2023's count.
2023 Chevrolet Equinox
3 recalls · 70 complaints
Draws fewer complaints than the 2022 and 2024 models and rates good, though fuel pump power loss is still the main owner complaint.
2022 Chevrolet Equinox
5 recalls · 137 complaints
Rates good but sits among the weaker Equinox years, with sudden engine shutoffs and more complaints and recalls than the 2021 or 2023 models.
2021 Chevrolet Equinox
4 recalls · 75 complaints
Rates better than both neighbors, 2020 and 2022, with far fewer complaints, though owners still report stalling and a front-end shudder.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox
4 recalls · 255 complaints
Good standing, but among the weaker of nine Equinox years, with brake booster vacuum pump failures leading the owner complaints.
2019 Chevrolet Equinox
4 recalls · 273 complaints
Good overall standing and a mid-pack year for the model, but brake pedals going rock hard are the most serious owner complaint.
2018 Chevrolet Equinox
5 recalls · 382 complaints
First year of the third generation and the weakest of the scored Equinox years, with brake vacuum pump failures leading a heavy complaint count.
Found Your Chevrolet Equinox? Check Its History
Visibility wiper (88) problems come up most in Chevrolet Equinox owner complaints, and 32 recalls cover the years we track. A VIN check shows whether the car you found had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
Chevrolet Equinox Repair Costs
Reliability Rating
3.5/5
Annual Repair Cost
$537
Repair Frequency
0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk
18%
$16 above the compact SUVs average of $521/yr.
Ranked #23 of 26 among compact SUVs.
Chevrolet Equinox Resale Value
The Chevrolet Equinox is estimated to retain about 59.1% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.
- Value Retained
- 59.1%
- Depreciation
- 40.9%
- Listings Analyzed
- 709
after 5 years
over the same period
U.S. used-car listings
Listings observed in . Actual resale value varies by trim, mileage, condition, and location.
Explore Chevrolet Equinox depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.comChevrolet Equinox Years to Avoid
See which model years have the most problems
Most Reliable Chevrolet Models
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Compare Chevrolet Equinox With Similar SUVs
The Chevrolet Equinox competes with other compact suvs such as GMC Terrain, Mazda CX-50, and Kia Sportage.
Equinox vs GMC Terrain
9 years tracked · 675 complaints
Equinox vs Mazda CX-50
4 years tracked · 96 complaints
Equinox vs Kia Sportage
9 years tracked · 810 complaints
Equinox vs Hyundai Tucson
9 years tracked · 1838 complaints
Equinox vs Volkswagen Tiguan
9 years tracked · 968 complaints
More Chevrolet Equinox comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best year for the Chevrolet Equinox?
- The 2024 model year is our pick among years that have been on the road at least two years. It has few recalls and its complaints are mostly about windshield glare. The 2026 rates well, but it is too new to have collected complaints, so we do not favor it.
- Is the Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
- Yes, its standing is good and above average among SUVs. No model year falls well below the model's own average. The risks that matter are brake pedals that stop working and transmission faults that dealers often cannot reproduce.
- What are the most common problems with the Chevrolet Equinox?
- Service brakes lead the complaints, followed by electrical faults, power train problems, and windshield glare from the dashboard. Brake reports describe a pedal that goes rock hard or sinks to the floor. Dealers most often blame the brake vacuum pump.
- How much does it cost to maintain a Chevrolet Equinox?
- Independent repair-cost data puts the estimated annual repair cost at $537. That is slightly above the $521 average for compact SUVs. The gap is small, so the Equinox is not unusually expensive to keep running.
- Does the Chevrolet Equinox have transmission problems?
- Some owners report them. Filings describe sudden downshifts to first while merging, a shifter jammed in reverse, and hard shifts with loss of power. Others say the car rolled away after being shifted into park. Dealers often cannot reproduce these faults.
How we score the Chevrolet Equinox
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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