2022 Chevy Equinox Praised by Kelley Blue Book for “Sporty Aesthetic and Very Handsome Design”

As Memorial Day is upon us once again here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse, we most can attest that we have had a stranger and “confining” spring season than usual! As things begin to open up and families are out and about picking what vehicle would work best for them, we always have taken stride in finding out what the experts at online portals such as Kelley Blue Book have to say about how models perform in the long run.

This past week they took a close-up look at the 2022 Chevy Equinox, and immediately reflected that its standard active safety systems and 3,500-lb towing capacity were huge positive traits. New for this year are revised front and rear fascia’s, the sporty and aggressive RS trim added to the lineup, and the addition of a button to disable engine start/stop system. The standard 170-horsepower 1.5-liter is rendered by the review team here as adequate for daily needs, and if you wish there is the choice to upgrade to the 2.0-liter Turbo-4, cranking out 257 horses.

 

This is the brand we love to represents' best-selling SUV and sees massive competition in the forms of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Ford Escape. It is known for its ample interior room, handsome design, and attractive price that does a fine job of undercutting competitors. Automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist are two of our favorite active safety features included on board, and higher trim levels offer adaptive cruise control. The control is based on information from powerful sensors that allow the vehicle to engage the brakes when it detects you are approaching another vehicle ahead, then gradually accelerate again when the flow of traffic is favorable.

The Kelley Blue Book staff suggests getting the AWD if you choose the 2.0-liter turbo, as this is where you avoid the sensation of the steering wheel enduring a tugging under hard acceleration. The ride is on the soft end of the spectrum for what any crossover would expect to have, and there is now a great solution for a past problem: it is now possible to defeat the idle start/stop system with the simple press of a button. Every new Equinox also includes a suite of active safety features such as forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and IntelliBeam automatic headlights.

Don’t forego your chance to check out the top-end Premier model as it now evokes upper-end style with French stitching, and RS models stand out on top with dark 19-inch wheels, a gloss black grille, and blacked-out badging with other elements. The Premier trim is where you get to enjoy the upper-end dash of the larger 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, and hands-free power liftgate on deck to properly get the job done! As seen here there may be a slight delay in delivery, but we will keep you posted right here on the blog as to dates defining official roll-out and release.

Motor 1.com Covers Silverado Trail Boss Pitted in High-Octane Drag Race Against the LTZ L71

You can choose to add excitement, grit, and grunt of a Chevy Silverado 1500 to your truck arsenal this spring here at the Mid Missouri Powerhouse in Linn Mo, and it is now available in a large assortment of configurations. Ranging from a very simple work truck to the luxury and prowess of the High Country model, you have many different choices on how you prefer to enjoy your premium hauling and towing machine. The staff at Motor1.com posted a great video from the folks at The Fast Lane Truck that pits two different versions of the same truck against each other in the form of a drag race.

 

The LT Trail Boss serves the purpose of off-roading, sporting features that prepare it for duty such as a lifted suspension. The LTZ polishes its boots with the luxury touches that make the passengers a bit more comfortable, and since both trucks are around the same price, the choice always comes down to the usual matter of your own personal preference. Both of the trucks in the pair come with a 5.3-liter V8 that cranks out 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. The Trail Boss is paired to the 10-speed automatic, and the LTZ brandishes an 8-speed auto.

The burning question that this video set out to answer was whether or not the truck that brandishes more gears has what it takes to win an all-out “showdown on the strip”! And as the two drag races finish in a frenzy of smoke and excitement, the LTZ was the quicker of the pair. During the first race, the Trail Boss driver is a bit slower right off the line, but the second time things equal out quite a bit. The truck that was constructed with extreme off-road duty in mind ends up just a hair behind its more luxurious rival when push comes to shove. The Fast Land Truck also went through the task of doing a proper fuel economy check, utilization mostly city streets.

As the staff of US News also reported in their car section, one great quality that the Silverado 1500 boasts is that it gets bragging rights for best-in-class towing capacity, as well as top notch fuel economy by means of this year's new turbo-diesel engine. Many of the world's most experienced drivers also hold it in such high regard for being one of the best handling and balanced rides to exist in a truck. New for 2020, maximum towing capacity saw an upgrade to 13,400 pounds, and you can choose from three large bed sizes that all utilize the best form and function in the space category for hauling.

One of the best features of the LTZ package for truck lovers right here in Missouri is the Snow Plow Prep Package: for the days when the white stuff is abundant it offers up heavy-duty front springs, skid plates, a 220-amp alternator, high-capacity air filter, and auxiliary transmission oil cooler. The Max Trailering Package for the LTZ is a great add-on for anyone who has a full day of hauling duty in front of them: here you see the added benefits of an automatic locking rear differential, an enhanced cooling radiator, heavy-duty rear springs, revised shock tuning, and a trailer brake controller.

Lowell Sun Crew and the Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss Conquer Legendary Bear Springs Trail

Marc D. Grasso of the Lowell Sun newspaper got to spend some extreme quality time with the 2020 Chevy Silverado LT Trail Boss over the past week, and claimed right off the bat that with it one can pretty much “do anything while going anywhere doing it.” Customers right here at the Mid-MissouriPowerhouse have always had many reasons to love its 2-inch lift kit paired with blacked-out 18-inch wheel and Goodyear Wrangler tires and standard 4-wheel drive.

He wanted to pick an ideal location to test out the Trail Boss and see if it lived up to its expectations, and picked the upper Catskills of New York (Where Patrick Swayze flaunted his moves years ago in the “Dirty Dancing” movie), at Samuel's Camp. One very daunting and tough-to-access 50-acre hunting camp, it is full of rocky terrain that dwarfs many cars, and swampy ravines that threaten to see you stuck for hours. Situated just south of the Peekamoose Mountain, it boasts incline grades that just keep getting steeper, and it is imperative to have a vehicle with multiple abilities to reach the top.

Only the tried-and-true locals really know the area, and many have never made it up the hill due to its incredibly extreme level of challenge and need for a skilled driver to boot. The group was fully locked-and-loaded in 4WD, and in low range, and then begin to crawl up the side of the mountain. They even had to bring a chainsaw just in case, a necessity to avoid the worst-case scenario of getting completely blocked in on the way up. They were now bouncing over “rocks the size of small cows”, and a few times only had two wheels on the ground.

As far as making it to the top safe, Jeeps with the necessary modifications where the only vehicles often known to make it, so the power and agility on hand was a top priority. About 45 minutes into the journey they made it to Bear Springs, a natural spring with the best in naturally pure fresh water. The terrain then became very steep and narrow, and over logs, through streams, and sloped grades, the team deemed that this truck was absolutely the boss of the trail.

They pulled in successful at an elevation of 2,370 feet with bear tracks deer fur and just about every type of wildlife seen in the Northeast. They loved the smooth feel and shifts offered up from the 10-speed automatic transmission and ranked it better than what was found in the outgoing model. This is by no means terrain that you rove quickly over, and brandishes obstacles that can scratch essentials from your underside with one miscalculated move. The 7,000-pound towing capacity, as well as hill descent control and auto locking rear

differentials, were other qualities that made our proud Trail Boss conquer this trail, and let us be frank: this is the kind of terrain that comes with a stamped-on warning to “only be attempted by the experts”!

2020 Chevy Blazer vs. 2020 Chevy Equinox Head-to-Head Comparison via CarConnection.com

There are some very informed and decisive shoppers out there that make it look simple to choose a new crossover SUV. This size, that brand – and they are finished! While we have encountered many like that right here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse, we also understand that the selection process takes time for many, and listening to top authorities such as the staff of TheCarConnection.com can help when it comes down to the all-important comparison time. This week they ran a feature that pitted the 2020 Chevy Blazer up against the 2020 Chevy Equinox, two SUVs with some similarities but also with some unique character traits.

The 2020 Blazer sees the ushering in of a new turbo-4 cylinder in this second year on sale after its strong 2019 revival. The 2020 Equinox is a bit smaller on the outside and does not possess quite as much a sporty and aggressive stance. Where size usually matters most in a family crossover is in the especially important category of rear-seat and cargo space, and the two are neck-and-neck in that race. The Blazer has 30.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind its sliding second-row seat, and 64.2 cubic feet when the back bench is folded down. The Equinox is 30 and 63.9 cubic feet respectively, only a few boxes of groceries less in all.

The Blazer sees a much broader stance, and the second-row seats slide resulting in greater passenger and cargo space, but the Equinox has better quality front seats overall. However, there is no sliding second row and a bit narrower of a body that is best for three children across the back. The Premier trim level is what gives both the ritziest feel and the Equinox is the one of the pair that sees automatic emergency braking as standard.

This review states that within the realms of safety and space, the Equinox is probably the better choice. The Blazer sees some incredibly positive points for sheer style, and the 308-horsepower V6 when RS spec is chosen. An overall edgier shape and sporty interior makes the Equinox seem more family-oriented right off the bat and gives anyone on the hunt for some excitement in their daily drive a heightened reason to make the decision to purchase. The Equinox does outpace the Blazer in fuel economy, by a total of up to 5 mpg combined.

Both the Blazer and Equinox see touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and you can step up with leather, heated seats, big wheels, bigger horsepower stats, and more luxurious interiors. Concluding their thoughts between how the two cars differ and which one may be right for you it was noted that the Blazer’s wing like dash and jaunty body are standouts, but the Equinox may lean a bit heavier into practical and settled down territory. The staff on duty at Edmunds.com praised the Blazer for its “refined ride quality” and “amazingly agile handling”, and subsequently hailed the Equinox for great mileage, solid handling, and safety features that were cranked up a notch.