2021 Hyundai Tucson vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson had a more conventional design compared to its futuristic successor. It featured an upright layout that provided a commanding view of the road. Inside, the Tucson boasted a modern and attractive dashboard design, seamlessly integrating tech features into the overall aesthetic. Every button and dial was easy to find, making the interior user-friendly and visually appealing.

Trim levels for the 2021 Tucson included SE, Value, SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate. The base SE trim came with 17-inch alloy wheels, manually adjustable front seats, a digital driver information display, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added features like LED headlight accents, heated side mirrors, roof rails, and more luxurious interior options, culminating in the Ultimate trim with a panoramic sunroof and heated rear seats.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The grille appeared more upright, flanked by large fake air intakes, giving the Equinox a chunkier look. The dashboard was creatively designed with a touchscreen and two large air vents at the center, forming a coherent whole. Materials and fit and finish were decent for its price range, with most trims offering cloth seats and optional perforated leather upholstery.

The new RS model featured black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, a black interior with red stitching, and a model-specific shift knob. While the exterior trim added personality, the black interior felt too subdued. The Equinox's tall roofline and puffed-up front fascia made it look less car-like than some competitors, striking a balance between rugged and sleek.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson offered two engine options. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 161 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The SEL, Sport, Limited, and Ultimate trims came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 181 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. Both engines were paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD).

The base engine felt underwhelming, especially at highway speeds, making the 2.4-liter engine a better choice for livelier performance around town. The Tucson provided a comfortable and refined ride, striking a balance between softness and athleticism. With the base engine, it could tow up to 1,500 pounds, while the 2.4-liter engine increased towing capacity to 2,000 pounds.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured a single powertrain option: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, with standard FWD or optional AWD. The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower.

In city driving, the Equinox's torque made it responsive, but at higher speeds, the engine felt coarse and unresponsive. The automatic transmission's shifts were a bit rough. Despite its RS trim, the Equinox wasn't designed for sporty handling, lacking the solidity and refinement of some competitors. However, it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained roads.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided 31 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 61.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While this was on the lower side for the compact SUV segment, it offered adequate space for weekend bags or large boxes. Higher trims included a hands-free power liftgate. The Tucson's front seats provided solid headroom and legroom, with comfortable and supportive seats for long trips. The rear seats were accommodating enough for adults on road trips, and there were plenty of cubbies and compartments throughout the cabin.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom in both rows. Second-row legroom was good, but some competitors offered more front-seat legroom. The tall seating position provided an unobstructed forward view, though the rear pillars created a bit of a blind spot. The small rear window hampered rear visibility somewhat.

Chevy clustered buttons and knobs for climate control below the touchscreen, making them easy to access. The Equinox offered 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, near the bottom of the segment. A power liftgate was available, but it lacked features like a sliding second-row seat or cargo-area storage bins found in some competitors.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ultimate trim featured an upgraded 8-inch touchscreen, which was optional on other trims. The touchscreen was user-friendly with logical menu layouts and helpful hard buttons. Available features included navigation, satellite radio, and wireless device charging.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available.

The 8-inch touchscreen in the test car was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons and good screen graphics. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a significant advantage. The Equinox also offered multiple USB ports and power outlets, though the center-console slot for phones was too small.

The 2021 Hyundai Tucson provided a solid list of standard driver-assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver drowsiness monitoring. Upper-tier trims offered adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, automatic high-beams, a 360-degree parking monitor, and blind-spot monitoring. The Tucson earned five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The NHTSA gave the Equinox a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests.

Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy's Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.