By Raj Thandhi @pinkchai and online at pinkchaistyle.com
Style Writer, Masalamommas
If there’s one thing I’m sure about it’s that I’ll never be a minivan driving Momma (no offense intended to those of you moms rocking mini vans). The problem is; there is never enough room in my little Chevy Optra for the amount of stuff that needs to be carried around every day.
Since I’ve been on a quest to find the most spacious non-minivan out there, I took up the chance to test drive a Chevy Equinox for a week. A few of the things I noticed instantly were; not only does it have a trunk that pops up at the push of a button, there is also a button to close it (very helpful when my hands are full of groceries), the console between the two front seats fits my iPad very comfortably (or a purse when I need to conceal it), and the little compartment in driver side door that holds a water bottle, cause the cup holder is always full of drive-thru coffee cups.
In fact that is what impressed me the most about the Equinox; all the hidden storage spaces and little luxuries.
Here’s a video of my neat finds in the Equinox:
As part of the review process, I also had the opportunity to speak with Chris Shinouskis who is in charge of designing the interior storage spaces and she referred to the Equinox as a “closet on wheels,” and I couldn’t agree more. Just like the perfect closet would have space to hang your long and short clothes, space for your stilettos and boots, and the perfect compartments for tiny accessories the Equinox has you covered.
The best part; the storage features translate equally well from the driver’s seat to the trunk. They’ve really thought about the best way to maximize each area of vehicle, and give every passenger personal space to store things. My son’s favourite feature was the little upper compartment in the door where he could store extra video games to easily swap out during long drives.
From a driving perspective the Equinox was great, especially as someone who usually drives a smaller car that is lower to the ground. We especially enjoyed the backup camera; it is nice to be able to see what you might be backing into! The only minor gripes I had were with the blind spot mirror -even after a week of driving the vehicle I didn’t quite get the hang of it, and the fan; it was a little noisy for me. But both are minor inconveniences for a Canadian made vehicle that drives well, has all the modern features you’d expect in a new car, and has more than enough storage space for all your stuff and the kids’ stuff.
Great post Raj! The Equinox is fashion AND mom friendly! I’m looking for a big car too and I’m with you on the whole minivan thing. There are moms that rock it but I don’t think it’s the right fit for me and my family. Good to see your professional and practical needs are being met