I was one of the fortunate few who were able to purchase the new Chevy Equinox a couple weeks ago.  This is the first brand new vehicle I have ever purchased and so far I am really liking it. 

We purchased the 4-cylinder base model which starts at right around $23,000.  Fuel efficiency is why we opted for the smaller engine and so far I have not regretted it.  We have been averaging 27 mpg.  That includes any commuting to work on the interstate and the numerous trips to the grocery store etc. There is an Eco button in front of the shifter you can push to get better fuel economy.  This makes the transmission upshift sooner and downshift later.  I can definitly tell a difference when that button is pressed, because it doesn't quite feel like the shifting is as smooth as it should be.  But as long as it is working properly and I'm saving gas money, I can live with it.

One feature I really like but probably won't use much is the manual shifting option.  Instead of having the choice of shifting to 2nd or 1st gear after Drive, you can shift to M.  When you put it in M, the gear you are in will show up on your console.  Then, you can use the + and - signs on the side of the shifter to move through the gears.  Tried it out once to see what kind of acceleration I could get out of that little 4 banger, and I was impressed!  I'm not sure how much you could use this before it would cause any excess wear on the transmission, but can be handy if you need to zip out of a tight spot or get out on the road without being run over!

The handling is very smooth.  The steering wheel almost feels weightless compared to the last couple of cars I have owned.  I haven't taken any curves at excessive speeds, but so far so good. 

The interior is very nice.  It has a very modern look to it.  Clean edges and nice contrasting colors make it pleasant to the eye.  The interior lighting is the right color and everything is easy to see.  My wife does not like the head rest because it comes forward at the top.  This has proven problematic for pulling her hair back or wearing any large hair cliips.  The stereo has a real good sound and you can even adjust it to get some good bass. 

I don't work for Car and Driver so I am not a professional when it comes to reviewing automobiles, but I think this is a very nice vehicle and hope that it stands the test of time.