Putting a little pepper on your hum drum SUV  by Brian Chee

New Cars: Chevrolet Equinox Sport Preview – With apologies to GM, when it comes to boring cars the Equinox is, well, right up there on the snooze parade. It is what it is, after all – a commuter’s SUV, a utility with a little style, a little zip – but, mostly, a lot of utility, wide gaps and bad plastics. All of that makes the new Equinox Sport – debuted at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show with a plan to reach dealerships later in 2007 as a 2008 model – vitally important to the self-esteem of Equinox owners across America: Here is the pepper, the spice, the reason to feel glad and happy when you’re behind the wheel of an Equinox. Just add Sport and you’ve got yourself some action.

Depending on the price tag – which hasn’t been released – the Equinox Sport could be a great deal for people who want performance and like the overall Equinox package. With exterior modifications and what we hope is a vastly improved interior trim, the Equinox may very well be a five-passenger performance-oriented SUV that everyman can afford.

GM’s 3.6-liter V6 engine powers the Equinox Sport, delivering 263 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft of torque – a 42 percent power increase over the Equinox LT. That engine is mated to GM’s six-speed automatic transmission; together, GM estimates that the Equinox Sport will go from 0-60 in less than seven seconds. That added power is handled by a performance-tuned suspension, lowered ride height, specific shock tuning, control arms and larger, solid stabilizer bars create a more spry handling experience. The Equinox Sport comes in front-drive or all-wheel-drive configurations.

Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon Photo Gallery  

2007 ushers in a needed power boost by Thom Blackett Chevrolet Colorado -- Photo Gallery: Small isnt what it used to be. Todays small soft drink from the fast-f...

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Preview  

Chevrolet Malibu Preview 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Blurring the lines between midsize and full-size, the redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu gets a longer wheelbase ...

2007 Chevrolet HHR Premiere Edition Brief  

Get 'em while they're not so hot! by Christian Wardlaw Chevrolet HHR Premiere Edition Brief 2007 Detroit Auto Show: Special editions of popular vehicles usually...

2007 Chevrolet Aveo Review  

Better than its previous self, still not as good as the competition by Thom Blackett Chevrolet Aveo Review: Ponder the past 30-plus years of automobiles, and it...

Oh, cmon. You dont expect a 5,537-lb. body-on-frame sport utility to actually  

Chevrolet Silverado Review: Chevy truck fans, take a minute to thank Ford, Dodge, Nissan, and yes, even Toyota. Seriously. If not for those brands, and more spe...

2007 Chevrolet Tahoe Review  

The best Tahoe ever arrives just when people are losing interest by Keith Buglewicz' Chevrolet Tahoe Review: The current generation Chevy Tahoe is so much bette...