The Chevrolet Equinox has been a popular choice in the compact SUV market, particularly for families seeking a blend of practicality and safety. For those considering a 2021 Chevy Equinox, understanding its safety performance is paramount. This article delves into the safety ratings of the 2021 Chevy Equinox, providing a comprehensive analysis based on rigorous crash tests and safety evaluations. We’ll explore how the Equinox performed in various scenarios, from frontal collisions to side impacts, and what these ratings mean for driver and passenger safety.
Decoding the 2021 Chevy Equinox Crash Test Performance
The safety assessments for the Chevrolet Equinox provide crucial insights for potential buyers. It’s important to note that the model underwent a redesign in 2018, resulting in a smaller and lighter vehicle, classified as a small SUV. The ratings discussed here primarily apply to models within the 2018-2024 range, with specific notes for the 2021 Chevy Equinox where applicable.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver’s Side
In the driver-side small overlap front test, the Chevrolet Equinox demonstrated a “Good” rating, the highest possible. This test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier, a challenging scenario for many vehicles.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
This “Good” rating across all evaluation criteria indicates robust protection for the driver in this type of accident. Measurements taken during the test, such as occupant compartment intrusion and driver injury measures, further support this positive assessment. For example, head injury criterion (HIC-15) was a low 86, and chest compression was minimal at 22mm, indicating a low risk of significant injuries.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger Side
The passenger-side small overlap front test is equally important for assessing overall vehicle safety. Here, the 2021 Chevy Equinox also achieved an “Acceptable” overall rating. While still a good score, it’s a slight step down from “Good,” primarily due to structural performance.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Chest | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Passenger injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | A |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Hip/Thigh | G |
| Driver injury measures – Lower Leg/Foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
While passenger injury measures remained “Good” for head, neck, chest, and hip/thigh, the “Acceptable” rating for structure and safety cage, and passenger lower leg/foot injury indicates some areas for potential improvement compared to the driver’s side performance. Intrusion measurements were higher on the passenger side, particularly in the lower hinge pillar (11cm vs 6cm on driver side) and upper hinge pillar (11cm vs 5cm on driver side).
Despite the “Acceptable” structural rating, the images from the crash test show that the airbags deployed effectively, and the dummy’s position suggests occupant survival space was reasonably maintained. However, the intrusion of the dashboard and door hinge pillar did contribute to a moderate risk of injury to the right lower leg, as noted in the original report.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original vs. Updated
The moderate overlap front test evaluates vehicle safety in a more common frontal collision scenario. The 2021 Chevy Equinox was subjected to both the original and updated versions of this test.
Original Moderate Overlap Test:
In the original moderate overlap front test, the 2021 Chevy Equinox achieved a “Good” rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, left | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
This result mirrors the driver-side small overlap test, indicating strong frontal crash protection for the driver in this type of collision according to the original testing protocol.
Updated Moderate Overlap Test:
However, the updated moderate overlap front test introduced a rear passenger dummy to assess rear occupant protection, a critical factor for family vehicles like the 2021 Chevy Equinox. In this more stringent test, the 2021 Chevy Equinox received an overall rating of “Poor”.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | P |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Chest | G |
| Driver injury measures – Thigh/Hip | G |
| Driver injury measures – Leg/Foot | A |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | P |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Chest | P |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Thigh | G |
| Rear passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
While the structure and safety cage, and driver injury measures remained largely “Good” or “Acceptable,” the rear passenger injury measures for head/neck and chest were rated “Poor.” This downgrade significantly impacts the overall rating and raises concerns about rear passenger safety in moderate frontal collisions for the 2021 Chevy Equinox.
The images accompanying the updated test highlight that while the airbags deployed and the rear passenger dummy’s head was a safe distance from the front seatback, injury values indicated a likely risk of head/neck and chest injuries for rear occupants. This is a critical point for families considering the 2021 Chevy Equinox, especially if they frequently have rear passengers.
Side Crash Test: Original vs. Updated
Side impact protection is another vital safety aspect. Similar to the moderate overlap front test, the side crash test also has original and updated versions.
Original Side Crash Test:
In the original side crash test, the 2021 Chevy Equinox performed admirably, earning a “Good” overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | G |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis/Leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
This “Good” rating across all categories for both driver and rear passenger injury measures demonstrates strong side impact protection under the original test conditions.
Updated Side Crash Test:
However, the updated side crash test is more demanding, using a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better simulate real-world side impact scenarios, particularly involving larger vehicles like SUVs and trucks. In this updated test, the 2021 Chevy Equinox received a “Marginal” overall rating.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures – Head/Neck | G |
| Driver injury measures – Torso | M |
| Driver injury measures – Pelvis | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Head/Neck | A |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Torso | A |
| Rear passenger injury measures – Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | M |
While structural performance remained “Good” and driver head/neck and pelvis protection were also “Good,” the driver torso protection was rated “Marginal,” and rear passenger head/neck and torso protection were “Acceptable.” Critically, rear passenger head protection was also “Marginal” due to the dummy’s head contacting the C-pillar through the side curtain airbag, indicating inadequate head protection in this more severe side impact scenario.
The images from the updated side crash test illustrate the impact and airbag deployment. The “Marginal” rating, particularly for rear passenger head protection, is a point of concern for 2021 Chevy Equinox safety.
Roof Strength, Head Restraints & Seats, and Headlights
Beyond crash tests, other evaluations contribute to the overall safety picture of the 2021 Chevy Equinox.
Roof Strength: The 2021 Chevy Equinox (tested as 2018 model, rating applies to 2018-23 models) achieved a “Good” rating in roof strength, indicating its ability to withstand rollover crashes.
Head Restraints & Seats: The 2021 Chevy Equinox, equipped with power leather seats, also received a “Good” rating for head restraints & seats. This signifies effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.
Headlights: Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime driving safety. The 2021 Chevy Equinox headlight ratings vary depending on trim level and headlight type.
- LT trim (HID projector headlights): “Acceptable” rating.
- Premier trim (LED projector headlights): “Marginal” rating.
- L and LS trims (Halogen projector headlights): “Marginal” rating.
While the LT trim with HID headlights achieves an “Acceptable” rating, the “Marginal” ratings for other trims indicate that headlight performance could be improved for better visibility during nighttime driving.
Front Crash Prevention and Seat Belt Reminders
Active safety features also play a significant role in preventing accidents or mitigating their severity.
Front Crash Prevention (Vehicle-to-Vehicle): The 2021 Chevy Equinox (ratings apply to 2020-23 models) earned a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. The standard automatic emergency braking system successfully avoided a collision in the 12 mph test and significantly reduced impact speed in the 25 mph test, demonstrating effective performance in preventing or reducing the severity of frontal collisions with other vehicles.
Front Crash Prevention (Pedestrian – Day): The 2021 Chevy Equinox (ratings apply to 2019-24 models) received an “Advanced” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention (daytime). The standard front pedestrian braking system showed effectiveness in reducing impact speed or avoiding collisions in various pedestrian crossing scenarios.
Seat Belt Reminders: For seat belt reminders, the 2021 Chevy Equinox received a “Poor” rating. This indicates that the seat belt reminder system, particularly for the second row, is not as effective as it could be in prompting occupants to buckle up.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families with young children, the ease of use of child seat anchors is an important safety consideration. The 2021 Chevy Equinox received an “Acceptable” rating for child seat anchors (LATCH). It has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware and an additional position with a tether anchor. While generally acceptable, the rating indicates some room for improvement in LATCH system usability.
2021 Chevy Equinox Safety: Overall Assessment
The 2021 Chevy Equinox presents a mixed safety profile. It performs well in some crash tests, particularly the driver-side small overlap front and original moderate overlap front tests, and boasts “Superior” front crash prevention (vehicle-to-vehicle) and “Advanced” pedestrian front crash prevention systems. However, the “Poor” rating in the updated moderate overlap front test, primarily due to rear passenger safety concerns, and the “Marginal” rating in the updated side crash test, especially regarding rear passenger head protection, are significant drawbacks.
For prospective buyers considering a 2021 Chevy Equinox, it is crucial to weigh these safety ratings carefully, especially if regularly carrying rear passengers. While the vehicle offers good protection in certain crash scenarios and has advanced safety technologies, the weaknesses identified in the updated crash tests should be taken into consideration when making a purchase decision. Always prioritize safety features and compare ratings with other vehicles in the same class to make an informed choice that best suits your safety needs.
