QUICK SPECS 2008 Equinox Sport Price: $30,030 ($27,380 base) Type: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, 5-passenger Compact SUV Construction: Galvanized steel monocoque body Engine: 24V 3.6L V6 (RPO LY7), aluminum block, aluminum heads Displacement: 217ci (3.70 x 3.37) Compression ratio: 10.2:1 HP: 264 @ 6,500rpm Torque (lb-ft): 250 @ 2,300rpm Redline: 6,950rpm Transmission: 6T70 6-speed automatic (4.48, 2.87, 1.84, 1.41, 1.00, 0.74:1) Axle ratio: 2.77:1 Front suspension: McPherson struts, anti-sway bar Rear suspension: Independent 4-link, coil springs, trailing arms, anti-sway bar Steering: Rack-and-pinion, variable assist, 16.5:1 ratio Wheelbase: 112.5 inches Track, f/r: 61.7/61.8 inches Turning circle: 41.8 feet Brakes, f/r: 11.65 x 1.02 vented disc; 11.93 x 0.79-inch solid disc, ABS, Traction Control Wheels/Tires: Cast aluminum, 18x7.0-inch/Goodyear 235/50SR18 Weight distribution (percent), f/r: 59/41 Curb weight: 3,818 pounds Fuel capacity: 20.5 gallons EPA city/hwy: 16/24 mpg

The FWD is sprightly. Factory squawk claims zero-to-60 in less than seven seconds. With a 4.48:1 Low gear, there is great urgency to yank you forward, so we’d take that estimation as modest but for gospel. That’s one good reason why the Sport is fun to be in. The manual-mode 6-speed automatic is another, adding a warm dimension to an otherwise mundane chore. When you’re in the manual gate, you can hold that motor tight, make it squeeze out every last rpm and really get what you pay for. That deep Low gear pops the Sport off the line like drag racer. As expected, there’s a bundle of torque steer, but it’s easily manageable and makes the process a whole lot more entertaining. We’d like to try the same thing with all four wheels doing the pulling, but that mode is not indigenous to the Deep South climate.  

Ride quality is what you’d expect from a vehicle like this. It’s taut but compliant over small irregularities in the tarmac, supple and smooth on the highway, and it doesn’t make you want for any more. Note that the Sport’s ride height is lower than the regular Equinox by one inch.

Laying on the brakes is equally satisfying. Though a tad small, the 4-wheel discs work well, showing no sign of fade after two gnarly applications in a row. Pedal modulation is easy and fosters the notion that the brakes are matched to the rest of the drive train. Tight steering effort also befits the Sport’s mission, although the ratio could be a tad quicker.

Out of the gate, the Sport is so well-equipped that the options on ours were icing and not necessary to complete the otherwise cogent package. The Sport had about $2,000 worth that included a sunroof, perforated leather seating surfaces, head curtain airbags, and a Pioneer premium 7-speaker system. The XM Satellite system is standard equipment. Since we are not stereophiles and rarely listen to music on the road, we didn’t want for anything more. In that respect, we were very pleased with the base $27,000 unit.

 

 

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