Holden Equinox 2019 Tow Test

Introduced in late 2017, the Equinox is Holden’s answer to the top-selling Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson and, in higher spec variants at least, gives its rivals a real run for their money in straight-line performance, features and towing capacity.

With a 2000kg braked tow rating (including a class-leading 200kg tow ball download maximum), the five-seat Holden SUV shapes up as a sharp mid-range tow vehicle, but what’s it like in the real world?

How’s it drive and tow?

One of the best things about the second-from-top-spec Holden LTZ Equinox tested here is the grunt and refinement from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and nine-speed automatic transmission.

Offering an impressive 188kW (at 5500rpm) and 353Nm (from 2500-4500rpm), it really gets up and goes around town when you put the foot down, although with peak torque from 2500rpm, there's no need to be a revhead to keep up with the traffic. The Holden Equinox also sticks determinedly to the bitumen with the aid of (optional) all-wheel-drive traction, even in wet and greasy conditions.

Combined with responsive steering (albeit a largish turning circle), the 4652mm long, 1695kg heavy Holden LTZ Equinox behaves more like a large, zippy hatchback than a high-riding, 'soft-road' SUV in traffic, although it doesn't quite match the CX-5 in cornering prowess.

With a 1.3 tonne camper trailer behind, it’s still pretty impressive, getting up to speed quickly and just requiring a few more revs to stay on the pace up mild inclines. It also feels quite stable towing at 100km/h with the engine ticking over around 2200 revs, with excessive tyre noise on coarse bitumen and a harsh ride at times, our biggest gripes.

The Holden's Australian-tuned suspension is certainly not as forgiving or compliant as the more relaxed Subaru Forester's or Honda CR-V's, in our experience. Although more settled with around 100kg on the tow ball, the LTZ Equinox with its low-profile 19in wheel/tyre package still had a tendency to crash over potholes and broken bitumen.

Like the best small capacity European turbo-petrol engines,  the Equinox's 2.-0-litre engine is quite smooth and refined (assisted  by in-cabin noise cancelling technology) and a good match for the slick-shifting nine-speed auto.

Despite a $4300 premium, we'd recommend ticking the all-wheel drive option box for the LTZ, to tame excessive wheelspin during fast take-offs and in the wet that can be an issue with front-drive versions fitted with the more powerful engine.

The Equinox also beats most of its mid-size SUV rivals with a superior two tonne tow rating, and tow ball rating of 200kg  when many of its rivals only offer insufficient 100-150kg ball ratings. Other handy towing-related features on the Equinox include trailer sway control and a high resolution rear camera display with adaptive guidelines, that makes hitching up a lot easier.

However, the easily accessible engine performance can put a dent on fuel consumption, with the Holden SUV averaging around 16 litres/100km during our tow test. That will not only quickly drain the 59 litre tank but add up in fuel costs on longer trips, considering the minimum requirement of 95 RON petrol. Around town the Equinox recorded closer to 11-12L/100km.

In-car comforts

Behind the wheel, the LTZ Equinox looks after the driver with Holden's excellent MyLink infotainment system incorporating eight inch touchscreen, Bose stereo, sat nav and smart phone mirroring. However, at 188cm tall I find the robust leather stitched seats a bit small and firm but shorter drivers should have less of an issue.

Out back, I like the power-tailgate access to the relatively roomy boot, and levers that automatically flip down the rear seats to create more storage space.

A space saver tyre isn’t ideal for out-of-town touring, but it does free up some extra space under the false floor for valuables.

The Equinox doesn't quite match the Subaru Forster or Honda CR-V for second row passenger room; but it's not bad and you could squeeze three teenagers across the back at a pinch, with decent headroom and adjustable backrests.

Other welcome convenience features include electric adjustment and heating and cooling functions for the front pews. I also like the small leather-covered steering wheel, although would prefer wheel-mounted ‘paddle' shifters to the small buttons on the gear lever that manually change gears.

Good in-cabin storage options include a big centre console bin and door pockets big enough for large drink bottles. There’s also plenty of device charging options, including front and rear USB/12V sockets and wireless phone charging, although the slot in the centre console won't accommodate extra-large smart phones.

Useful tech

Safety wise, the LTZ Equinox gets lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, along with self-dipping LED headlights for night driving. It misses out on adaptive cruise control but gets low (but not high speed) autonomous emergency braking, along with a self-parking feature.

I found some of the active safety technology, like lane correction and self-dipping LED headlights, tended to be over-sensitive in busy traffic, but overall the driver-assist tech proved more help than hindrance.

While not quite at Mazda or Hyundai levels, build quality and fit and finish of the Mexican-built Equinox appears up to scratch, although some thin dash plastic around one of the audio speakers started to vibrate when the Bose system was cranked up.

The doors also lack a solid ‘thud’ when closing, and one of the power-assisted side mirrors made a creaking noise when it was folded in. Otherwise, no other creaks or groans were detected during our two-week test.

Summing up

The Holden Equinox in LTZ AWD spec is an intriguing proposition: it's above average in straight-line acceleration, cornering and towing performance, and also ticks the boxes for in-car technology and driver-assisted safety. But it’s slightly less impressive when it comes to interior space and comfort, ride quality and (premium) fuel economy.

However, if you're after a sharply-priced family runabout that can easily tow the family camper in school holidays, it’s worth a test drive.

2019 Holden Equinox LTZ AWD 

Engine: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Power/Torque: 188kW/353Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price $44,290 drive-away plus options (prestige paint, tow pack)
Towing: 2000kg maximum, 200kg tow ball