Mystery Chevy compact SUV spied, might slot below Equinox
Chevrolet’s crossover SUV lineup could be expanding if these spy shots are any indication. What we’re looking at here is what appears to be a Chevy SUV that would theoretically slot in between the current compact Equinox and subcompact Trailblazer (admittedly, that’s a little bit bigger than normal for the segment). It looks like it would fit within the growing segment of “midcompact SUVs,” the name we’ve coined to identify the growing number of SUVs whose dimensions are clearly in between the subcompact and compact segments.
This car’s shape also puts it into the crossover coupe category with its heavily-sloped rear window and sleek shape. It’s tough to get a great read on the overall footprint of the vehicle, but it looks closer to an Equinox than a Trailblazer with its relatively long overhangs and a healthy wheelbase. There’s always the chance that this vehicle isn’t a U.S. market car, but if it is, we think there’s a small window for it to fit in between Chevy’s other crossovers, especially if an eventual next-gen Equinox grows larger than today’s model (as cars are wont to do).
As for the details, we can see a grille that looks similar to that of the current Blazer with its wavy honeycomb design and bowtie mounted in a cross piece. The headlights still look like units from an earlier prototype stage, indicating that this vehicle could still be a couple years out from production. Same goes for the taillights. Plus, the presence of a real grille and exhaust pipes hiding under the rear bumper tell us that this Chevy is definitely powered by a gasoline engine and therefore not the upcoming Equinox EV.
The Blazer elements suggest that this will be a sportily-styled SUV when the camouflage is pulled off, but how fun it would be to drive is still questionable. At the very least, it’s nice to see Chevrolet moving towards a more consistent design strategy for its SUVs. And given the recent trend of throwback names being given to new Chevy crossovers, might we suggest Nomad for this one? It already has the slanted rear end. We’ll hope to see more photos of this ‘tweener SUV as it gets closer to production, and perhaps those will unravel more of its secrets.
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