2018 Chevrolet Equinox Diesel Priced From $31,435

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

A limited lineup for the diesel-powered 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has resulted in official pricing that ranges from a low of $31,435 (including delivery) for the Equinox LT to a high of $35,680 for an Equinox Premier AWD Diesel with no options.

Maxed out, according to CarsDirect, the Equinox Diesel becomes a $40,195 compact Chevrolet crossover once the Sun/Sound/Navigation and Confidence/Convenience packages are added to the Premier AWD.

But how much extra does the diesel-powered Equinox actually cost?

That’s more difficult to determine.

Because the diesel-powered Premier isn’t equipped like a Premier with the 2.0T, there’s not a perfectly direct comparison. The 2.0T Premier, for example, is more expensive than the 1.6-liter diesel because it includes dual exhaust, a higher tow rating of 3,500 pounds, and 19-inch wheels, a GM spokesperson told CarsDirect.

At the lower end of the spectrum, the Equinox LT Diesel requires a $1,345 premium over the 2.0T; which is already $2,395 more costly than the basic 1.5T.

Missing, of course, are diesel versions of the basic L and LS Chevrolet Equinox, prices of which begin at $24,525.

Although the EPA hasn’t yet posted fuel economy figures for the Equinox Diesel on its website, GM expects ratings of 32 miles per gallon city and 40 highway for front-wheel-drive versions; 31 mpg city and 37 mpg highway for the all-wheel drive Equinox Diesel.

Direct competitors will be limited to the marginally more costly GMC Terrain Diesel, an Equinox fraternal twin, and the yet-to-be priced Mazda CX-5. But it’s unlikely any of these vehicles will sell remotely as often as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which is priced from $29,990. The RAV4 Hybrid AWD is rated at 34 mpg city and 30 highway, enough to save roughly $300 per year compared with regular all-wheel-drive RAV4s.

Toyota sold 45,070 RAV4 Hybrids in the U.S. during calendar year 2016. With GM expecting only 5 percent of its customers to select the diesel and Mazda only 10 percent, this new trio of diesel-powered compact crossovers, combined, isn’t likely to attract as many U.S. buyers as the RAV4.

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Diesel produces a meagre 136 horsepower but a 240 lb-ft slug of torque at just 2,000 rpm.

[Image: General Motors]

Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.

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  • 28-Cars-Later 28-Cars-Later on Jul 18, 2017

    Despite half decent torque, 136hp is weak sauce. Why not a turbo on your diesel? They put turbos in everything else that shouldn't have one, but not on the one motor which basically requires one? Really?

    • See 1 previous
    • JimZ JimZ on Jul 18, 2017

      um, it is turbocharged. this is a shining example of how it's not that diesels are great at torque, they just suck at making horsepower.

  • Rcx141 Rcx141 on Jul 18, 2017

    Astonishing. Europe's moving away from these catastrophically unreliable money pits (Diesels)! What is GM thinking?

    • Turbosasquatch Turbosasquatch on Jul 19, 2017

      "Ms. Barra! We developed all these next generation diesel engines for Europe but they're moving away from diesel! What should we do?" "Put them in the American cars and crossovers! Make them the premium engine so we get as much money as possible!" Something like that probably.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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