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2011 Equinox FWD vs. AWD

travkittytravkitty Member Posts: 1
edited September 2014 in Chevrolet
I'm on the verge of buying a 2011 Equinox. I live in Illinois, close to St. Louis. I'm debating whether I should forsake some gas mileage & add on cost by getting an AWD or saving some money & gaining mileage with a FWD. Thoughts? Is AWD worth it?
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    runoxrunox Member Posts: 156
    I would highly recommend going for the AWD. The AWD senses slippage then kicks in, otherwise you are running 100% on the fronts and about 10% on the rears.

    See all that snow around you, that's when you really need it. You won't lose that much in gas mileage.
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    ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I don't have a nox, but with my 01 Pontiac with similiar AWD system combined with a good set of winter tires its a very competent winter machine that will get going and track very well in most cases (glare ice being exception). I think you would have very few 'white-knuckle' experiances with it as far as driving is concerned.
    The only things I have noticed are when stopped at stop sign and turning, if the front wheels lose grip and rears get engaged there is a slight tendancy to push vehicle straight ahead (fronts sliding sideways), also it is easy to be a little to confident and go to fast for conditions as far as braking/stopping distance are concerned (AWD isn't going to decrease stopping distance).
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    oscar007oscar007 Member Posts: 2
    I did research before buying our 2011 V6 awd . The awd for the snow is nice to have howver you lose (from what I researched) 2 to 4 mpgs with v6 and more with the 4 due to it being more weight to carry. I also went with the V6 since i have seen very little complains about the V6 and have seen many on the 4. We have 4,000 miles on our Nox and are averaging 21 mpg city/hwy driving (speed limits 55 to 65) and got almost 22 on a 3,000+ mile road trip with 2 adults and 3 kids and loaded with luggage. I have heard others with the v6 say they have gotten as much as 25/26 mpgs but We have not come near that even when just the wife drove it to n from work the last tank.
    We have had 0 problems with our Nox thus far as to note to anything to complain about nothing has broken..
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    runoxrunox Member Posts: 156
    In comparison, with the 4AWD I routinely get 28-29 mpg highway, 25 city with no perceived loss of power.

    The winter gas is killing the numbers, 22 city and 25 highway.
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    1saxman1saxman Member Posts: 1
    What kind of rear drive assist system does the Equinox use? Is it a variation of the Versatrak system such as on the VUE?
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    ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I believe it is, not sure how it may have changed but same general idea,,,,,,front wheels start to slip and more power to rear
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    bfamilybfamily Member Posts: 15
    The AWD system is uses a power transfer unit bolted, to the transmission, and an axle both made for GM by GETRAG in North Carolina. There's a clutch module between the prop shaft and the axle that engages the rear drive when sensing slip. The Vue used this same setup starting in the 2007MY.
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