We’ve seen a ton of new 2023 releases finally making their way onto dealership lots and into the hands of the public recently, but we’re still missing out on quite a few of our favorite models. There’s not a lot of information about what these absent vehicles will look like, feel like, or include, so that leaves us to stretch our imaginations and make our own wishlists of what we hope to see included in these vehicles. One of the many models that haven’t made its 2023 debut yet is the ever-popular Chevy Equinox.
Last year’s LT trim was a crowd favorite, so we’re curious to see what will be included in the 2023 Chevy Equinox LT and how it may differ from the previous year. While the recently-announced all-electric 2024 Equinox EV looms in the background, there is still a ton of interest in the more affordable gasoline-powered model. Chevy has a penchant for making big, unexpected changes, so let’s go over what we know about the impending 2023 Chevy Equinox and speculate what may be in store for the new model.
A Look Back at the 2022 Chevy Equinox LT
Last year Chevy put a lot of great features into the 2022 Equinox LT trim. As the second trim in the lineup, it gives drivers a lot of standard equipment and available options without demanding a high price tag. In fact, the LT was a real crowd pleaser for 2022 because it only cost $1,100 more than the base LS trim and came with quite a few additional features. So if you weren’t interested in paying over $30,000 for an Equinox RS or Premier but didn’t want to settle for a bare-bones model, the LT was the trim for you.
The standard features of the 2022 Equinox LT included all the basics, such as a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen equipped with the Chevy Infotainment 3 system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a six-speaker audio system. Other welcome conveniences included power driver seat lumbar control, conveniently-placed power outlets, and even active noise canceling technology for a more relaxing drive.
Chevy always includes its standard driver-assist system with features such as Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Front Pedestrian Braking. On top of these basic features, Chevy also offered a few additional driver-assist technologies in the Equinox LT to create a more refined driving experience. These ranged from Front and Rear Park Assist for preventing embarrassing parking lot incidents to Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert for greater peace of mind on the highway.
What We Expect to See in the Equinox LT for 2023
For the most part, we can expect that Chevy isn’t going to shuffle the deck too much with the 2023 Equinox LT. The formula worked great last year, so Chevy doesn’t need to add too much to make the LT trim worth buying for the 2023 release. However, Chevy doesn’t typically leave things as they are. We expect the 2023 Equinox LT to come with everything it has for 2022 and more.
We already know that Chevy will include the standard infotainment and hands-free connectivity features it offered last year, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It has also been confirmed that the Chevy Safety Assist features will remain, and the brand will likely leave the color display, power adjustable driver seat, and IntelliBeam headlights as part of the LT trim.
Aside from keeping all the previous years’ features, Chevy will likely have some other additions available. We expect that Chevy will have remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, and Rear Park Assist as part of its Confidence & Convenience package. This available set of safety feature upgrades will carry over from the previous year, offering an array of customization.
Notably, it was announced that the Equinox’s standard 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine has gotten a slight boost for 2023, going from 170 hp to 175 hp. Despite the power increase, the vehicle will likely maintain its impressive 2022 fuel economy of 26 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.
What We Hope to See in the 2023 Chevy Equinox LT
We know what the 2022 Equinox LT looks like, and we have a general idea of what major upgrades Chevy has made for 2023; however, not all features have been confirmed. One of our biggest hopes for the LT trim is that Chevy makes more of the advanced driver-assist systems standard. These higher-trim features include Adaptive Cruise Control, HD Surround Vision, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. While it’s wishful thinking to hope these all become standard, they will more than likely be part of the aforementioned Confidence & Convenience package.
We also hoped that Chevy would opt to make the larger infotainment screen standard for the LT trim. While the difference between last year’s standard screen and the upgraded screen was only one inch, that slight increase can let drivers have larger icons and increased visibility. When it comes to center console touchscreens, one inch can make a world of difference. Unfortunately, it was recently confirmed that the seven-inch screen would remain standard on all but the Premier trim.
We’re still crossing our fingers that Chevy decides to include a dual-zone climate control system standard, but this will probably also remain part of a package feature. Automatic climate control has been becoming a standard feature from other brands, so hopefully, this will eventually become a regular feature on all Equinox trims, including the LT.
The last item on our wish list of standard features for the LT trim is power seats for both the passenger and driver. This one may seem weird as a request, but there have been so many times where we’ve dropped something behind our passenger seat and had to awkwardly move the passenger seat up manually to find it. Trying to do the body contortions to get the passenger seat moved while raising the lever without getting out of your seat is a surefire way to see a chiropractor. It would be a nice convenience to make standard, although for 2022, it is only available on the high-end Premier trim. Maybe one day…
Sure, adding everything from our wish list would come with an increased price, but last year an additional thousand dollars got us some great features. If Chevy continues this trend, then an LT trim with these features may only cost buyers a little bit more than the LS trim. We aren’t expecting the price tag of the 2023 Chevy Equinox to go up too high, so hopefully, the Equinox LT will have a price tag that will stay under that $30,000 mark.
We’re Waiting Patiently to See What Chevy Brings Us
Now that we’ve written our 2023 Chevy Equinox LT Christmas wish list and are sending it off to the great Chevy Clause, we’ll be waiting to see if he’ll put some of these features into the Equinox LT’s bag of goodies. Whether we’ve been naughty or nice this year probably doesn’t have a whole lot to do with what features will be included, but we’re going to get to bed early and hope that Chevy checks its features list twice and puts the best it can into the LT trim. Regardless of what Chevy releases for the 2023 Equinox LT, we’re sure we will see another innovative SUV model and crowd pleaser hitting Chevy lots in the near future.
