Chevy's best-selling SUV made one real change for 2027, and it happens to be the change people complained about most. Here is what it means, what a leftover 2026 still does just as well, and which year you should actually buy.
What Changed
One mechanical change and a handful of small ones. If you drove a 2026 and liked it, you will recognize everything about a 2027.
The Lineup
The old LS base trim is gone as of 2026, so the lineup starts higher and better equipped than it used to. All-wheel drive is a $2,000 option on all three.
Heated seats, heated steering wheel, remote start, adaptive cruise, the 11.3-inch screen and the 11-inch driver display. All standard. This is not a stripped car. For most families this is the one, and the money you save covers all-wheel drive with room left over.
Blacked-out grille and badges, the biggest wheels in the lineup at 19 inches. Adds wireless charging, dual-zone climate and rain-sensing wipers. Opens the door to the 360-degree camera and panoramic sunroof. You are paying for looks and a few conveniences, not more power.
All-terrain tires from the factory and its own suspension tune. Evotex and sueded microfiber seats. Same price as RS. If your driveway is long or your road gets plowed last, this is the trim I point Buffalo customers toward.
Availability
This is the part of the year where both model years sit on the same lot at the same time. That is an opportunity if you know which one you want.
Buffalo Winter
All-wheel drive is a $2,000 option on every trim, LT included. Nothing comes with it standard. Get it. In Erie County it is worth the money on resale alone, and you will never think about it again after the first lake-effect week.
The ACTIV is the one worth a second look. It comes with all-terrain tires from the factory, which is a genuinely different tire than what the LT and RS ride on. If you have a steep driveway or a road the plows get to last, that matters more than the extra 19-inch wheels on the RS. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel are standard on all three trims, which is not something every competitor can say at this price. Remote start too, so the car is warm before you walk out.
Pricing
2027 LT starts at $30,995 front-drive, $32,995 with all-wheel drive. RS and ACTIV are both $35,895 front-drive and $37,895 all-wheel drive. Those numbers include the $1,995 destination charge, so they are the real starting point, not a teaser.
The 2026 was $200 less on LT and $300 less on RS and ACTIV. That is the sticker gap. The actual gap on a leftover 2026 is usually wider than that once you factor in what is available on it, and that changes week to week. I will not quote you a number here that is stale by the time you read it. Call or text and I will price both years side by side on the same payment.
My Honest Take
Not the trim. Not the color. Whether you are getting all-wheel drive. That is the whole decision, and almost nobody frames it that way for you.
Get the 2027. This is the year the front-drive Equinox got the good transmission. A leftover 2026 front-drive car still has the CVT, and no discount fixes how that drives over four or five years of ownership. Pay the extra $200 and be happier.
Look hard at a leftover 2026. The AWD car already had the 8-speed. Same engine, same interior, same tow rating. You are giving up a new paint color and about a mile per gallon of nothing. Take the discount instead.
Be straight with yourself about the hybrid question. Toyota and Honda will beat the Equinox on fuel, full stop. Chevy has no hybrid Equinox. What you get back is a lower price, more standard equipment for the money, and a car you can actually find without a wait.
Next Step
No gatekeepers, no call centers. Ordering next week or just starting to look, either way I'll give you straight answers.
Everything here covers the gas Equinox. The Equinox EV is a different vehicle on a different platform with different pricing, and the two get confused constantly. Ask me if you want that one instead. 2027 pricing, trim content, colors and EPA figures reflect Chevrolet's published information and order guide reporting as of August 2026, and include the $1,995 destination charge. Fuel economy sources differ by a mile per gallon on the city rating, so treat the combined figures as the reliable ones. Equipment availability changes during a model year, especially the trailering package, which came off the 2027 configurator without explanation. Confirm the build with me before you order. Not every trim, color or option is on the ground at any given time.