Used car safety, rank #145 of 188
Chevrolet Equinox 4WD Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Chevrolet Equinox 4WD, a small SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Chevrolet Equinox 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 41 per million registered vehicle years against a small SUVs average of 38, which is 8% above the class average. That places it #145 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 28.9/100.
What the Chevrolet Equinox death rate means
At 41 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD is 8% worse than the small SUVs average of 38. The 95% confidence interval is 27 to 54, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 35 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Chevrolet Equinox. Its 95% confidence interval is 23β46. It is no higher than the Chevrolet Equinox's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used SUVs
The safest small SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD at a death rate of 5.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD | 2021-23 | 5 (0 to 15) | 76.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Escape hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 6 (0 to 17) | 75.7 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson hybrid 4WD | 2022-23 | 7 (0 to 22) | 74.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota RAV4 hybrid 4WD | 2020-23 | 15 (7 to 23) | 63.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD | 2020-23 | 17 (4 to 29) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda CX-5 4WD | 2020-23 | 17 (8 to 27) | 60.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 4WD | 2022-23 | 20 (2 to 38) | 57.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Tucson 2WD | 2022-23 | 21 (0 to 45) | 56.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Equinox 4WD (this page) | 2020-23 | 41 (27 to 54) | 28.9 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small SUVs: 38 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Chevrolet Equinox
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Chevrolet Equinox we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Chevrolet Equinox | No award | 87.1 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 28.9 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
3 recall campaigns on the 2023 model year, covering child seat, air bags, seats.
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Child seat: vehicle latch anchor
Risk: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: In the event of a crash, a front passenger air bag that deploys with a child or infant in the front passenger seat can increase their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger presence system, free of charge.
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Seats
Risk: A seat with a missing or loose bolt may not properly restrain the occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the seat cushion frame, if necessary, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2023. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Chevrolet Equinox 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 41 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Chevrolet Equinox 4WD, 8% above the class average (38 for small SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 28.9 out of 100 and rank #145 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD driver death rate?
41 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 27 to 54. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Chevrolet Equinox died at a rate of 35 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD compare with other small SUVs?
The small SUVs class averages 38 driver deaths per million; the Chevrolet Equinox 4WD sits at 41. Among the 9 small SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in hybrid 4WD with a death rate of 5.