2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs 2025 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid presented a sporty exterior with its black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim, though its interior was relatively basic. The Sport-L Hybrid offered an upgrade with leather-lined interiors, while the Sport Touring Hybrid topped the lineup with a more premium feel. Our test vehicle, a Sport Touring Hybrid, featured Canyon River Blue paint and a price tag of $41,175, including destination charges. Its conservative styling, with a technical face and tusks framing the lower air intake, gave it a unique look, though it carried too much visual weight over the front wheels. The rear quarter view was its best angle, with Volvo-adjacent taillights and a tidy design. Inside, the Sport Touring boasted leather seats with orange contrast stitching and numerous quality details, such as a soft-touch dashboard and metal mesh air vents, contributing to a sophisticated cabin feel.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox underwent a significant redesign, adopting a modern look with a flat roof, upright grille, and “shark fin” C-pillar, aligning it more with larger Chevrolet models. Each trim had distinct styling elements, with the base LT offering chrome or a Midnight Edition High Gloss Black treatment. The RS trim featured sportier elements like black mirrors and badges, while the new ACTIV trim showcased dark chrome and simpler grille inserts. The interior styling varied across trims, with the RS offering a darker theme with red highlights and the ACTIV featuring a lighter “Maple Sugar and Black” theme. The cabin felt premium with Evotex seats, and the new layout improved space and functionality, including a larger infotainment screen and a relocated shifter for a more open center console.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid featured a fourth-generation two-motor hybrid drive system, combining a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. This setup delivered 204 horsepower to either the front or all four wheels. The hybrid system operated transparently, though it produced a low-speed electric vehicle noise and engine droning on inclines. The CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid was expected to achieve 37 mpg in combined driving, but our test returned 32.4 mpg on a mountainous route. Despite this, the CR-V offered a quiet ride, compliant handling, and impressive grip, though the steering felt unusually heavy.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox retained its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 175 horsepower. Torque varied with powertrain, offering 184 lb-ft in FWD models and 203 lb-ft in AWD versions. The new transmission options included a CVT for FWD and an eight-speed automatic for AWD, the latter providing smoother and quieter shifts. The Equinox offered responsive acceleration at low speeds, though highway merging highlighted its engine limitations. The AWD model could tow up to 1,500 pounds and featured selectable drive modes, enhancing its versatility for different driving conditions.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid excelled in form and function, offering quality materials, intuitive controls, and comfortable seating. The 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat provided excellent support, while the rear seats offered generous legroom and comfort. The CR-V’s cargo space varied by trim, with the Sport Touring offering 34.7 cubic feet and a maximum of 76.5 cubic feet with seats folded. The wide-opening rear doors and roomy back seat made it ideal for families, though the glove compartment was smaller than expected.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox featured heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as standard on RS and ACTIV trims, with optional front seat ventilation and heated rear seats. The flat roof provided consistent headroom, and the moonroof added light to the rear seats. The cabin layout improved functionality, with a well-placed dead pedal and a flat floor for rear passengers. Cargo space was slightly reduced, offering 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubic feet with them folded, with additional hidden storage beneath the load floor.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid came with a 7-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with a 9-inch display available on higher trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with wireless charging, were reserved for Sport-L and Sport Touring trims. The Sport Touring also featured a 12-speaker Bose audio system and navigation. The voice recognition system was basic, and the walk-away automatic locking feature provided added security.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox boasted Google Built-In as standard, offering wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen was significantly larger than previous models, enhancing usability. The system allowed for seamless multitasking, though the voice control volume was challenging to adjust. Most tech features were standard, including a wi-fi hotspot and wireless charging for RS and ACTIV trims, though no upgraded sound system was available.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid included Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems, as standard. This encompassed features like forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features included a rear-seat reminder, blind-spot monitoring, and parking sensors on higher trims. The CR-V earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, though NHTSA ratings were pending.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered a Safety & Technology package with additional features like rear pedestrian alert and traffic-sign recognition. The standard Chevy Safety Assist suite included enhanced automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Teen Driver Technology was also standard, allowing parents to set speed and volume limits and receive a driving report card.