Chevrolet Equinox vs Volvo XC40: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Chevrolet Equinox burns about $700 of fuel annually against $700 for the Volvo XC40. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Volvo XC40 is the stronger commuter at 118 mpg city, while the Chevrolet Equinox pulls ahead on the interstate at 100 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Chevrolet Equinox is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 1.6, SIDI; FFV), the Volvo XC40 with 2 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI). Across 57 recorded Chevrolet Equinox configurations and 19 for the Volvo XC40, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Chevrolet Equinox is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, the Volvo XC40 with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Chevrolet Equinox emits 310 g/mile of CO2 versus 326 g/mile for the Volvo XC40. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.