Chevrolet’s compact SUV injects some color and style into a segment where the interiors are almost universally devoid of character.
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For six decades, Chevy has used the RS badge as a sort of pro sports jersey for cars. The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox RS AWD might look sportier than your average family crossover, but the same way a LeBron jersey won’t help your hoops game at the local Y, red stitching and 19-inch wheels can’t magically transform this small family utility vehicle into an athlete. In fact, the Equinox’s sluggish 175-hp four-cylinder engine and indifferent handling dynamics are about as far as you can get from driving fun. (You can read our full review of the mechanically identical 2025 model here ).
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Where the Equinox RS Has Game
What the Equinox RS does have, though, is a strong inside game. The RS trim splashes the Equinox’s cabin with color and style in a segment where the interiors are almost universally devoid of character. Just open the door and glance at the dash for proof that Chevy designers are having more fun than anyone toiling away on a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 . The circular climate vents, ringed with black-to-red ombré fade, remind us of the taillights of the rocket age, when the domestic auto industry was on top of the world.
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A few chrome accents add brightness to the cabin, as does the optional $1,495 dual-pane sunroof, which stretches over the rear seats. (Honda and Toyota still punch postage-stamp-sized holes in the roofs of their small SUVs .) Patterned seat inserts and red stitching (plus a stray thread of blue across the seats) dress up the acres of black. The dash, door panels, and center armrest are trimmed in a soft, vinyl-like material that would look like it came from a soft-sided lunch box if it didn’t have the Equinox’s textured diamond pattern. While it doesn’t appear particularly expensive, it’s a nice break from the typical grained urethane. We also like what we don’t see in the Equinox RS’ cabin. There’s almost no piano-black plastic, which is impossible to keep clean and free of scratches.
As in all mainstream small SUVs, there’s a small ocean patch’s worth of plastic in the Equinox, and some of it looks cheaper than Honda’s and Toyota’s worst materials. At least the most egregious stuff is installed below your hips where it’s less likely to be seen or felt. Overall, the color and texture elevate the Equinox RS, similar to how Ford gave its small Maverick pickup a cheerful—rather than cheap—vibe simply by breaking from the gray-and-black mold. Chevy’s execution doesn’t feel quite as inventive or original, but it’s enough to make the Equinox RS feel unique among its peers. The overall quality is about on par with the all-wheel-drive version’s $37,595 starting price.
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