Carguide Magazine, Metroland Newspapers - Available at Chevrolet dealers this summer, the new 2010 Equinox delivers the best highway fuel consumption of any vehicle in its segment, along with safety, comfort and quietness and offers an impressive range of features, all at a starting price of $25,995.

Combining the fuel economy of a sedan and the utility of a crossover, the 2010 next generation Equinox offers the choice of two fuel-efficient direct injection engines - a 2.4 litre I4 and a 3.0-litre V6, both paired with 6-speed automatic transmissions.

The 2.4-litre equipped Equinox delivers a segment-best 6.1L/100 km in highway driving, placing it well in front of the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV.  The Equinox also has a range of up to 1,164 kms on a single tank of gas, meaning fewer fill-ups for customers.

“With its contemporary styling, best-in-segment fuel economy, industry-leading coverage and aggressive price, the Equinox leaves the competition behind,” said Marc Comeau, Vice President of Sales, Service and Marketing for GM of Canada.

“Engineered in Oshawa and built at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, the Equinox is definitely a vehicle that customers can embrace as exceptional Canadian value.”

The 2010 Equinox is available in front-and all-wheel drive and comes with a host of standard features including:

• Advanced, low-risk deployment front air bags
• Front-seat-mounted pelvic/thorax side air bags
• Two-row head curtain air bags
• Four-wheel disc brakes
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control, traction control and rollover mitigation
• OnStar
• One-touch electronic child-safety door lockout switch
• Tilt and telescoping steering wheel
• Driver seat power height adjustment and power lumbar
• Sliding adjustable rear seat
• A wide range of storage options, including laptop-capable centre console, a laminated glass and extensive sound mitigation
• 17-inch aluminum wheels

The Equinox offers a surprising range of available features including touch-screen navigation system with a 40 GB hard drive which can be used for audio storage and playback; live audio pause and resume functionality.  Equinox also ups the ante with segment-first options, including a programmable power liftgate, rearview vision camera system, and dual rear seatback entertainment system.

Pricing for the well-equipped LS model starts at $25,995 (FWD) and $27,605 (AWD) and ranges up to the top of the line LTZ models which start at $33,460 (FWD) and $35,070 (AWD).