(August 14, 2017) DETROIT — Get ready to ghost your gas station. The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox offers an EPA-certified 39 mpg on the highway with the available 1.6L turbo-diesel engine. That number is expected to top the segment in highway fuel economy, with greater highway mileage than the 2017 Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Nissan Rogue hybrid.

A 577-mile cruising range also means the Equinox diesel can drive farther between fill-ups, such as Chicago to Memphis, Tenn., or Boston to Richmond, Va.

“Chevrolet continues to lead with technologies that offer customers more choice,” said Steve Majoros, marketing director for Cars and Crossovers. “Our three-engine turbo-charged Equinox lineup means we can provide drivers more options for the performance and efficiency they desire.”

The new turbo-diesel engine is part of Equinox’s trio of all-turbocharged propulsion systems. It is SAE-certified at 240 lb-ft of torque and incorporates a variable-geometry turbocharger that helps generate strong torque at low rpm and more horsepower at higher rpm. The engine also features stop/start technology to optimize efficiency in stop-and-go driving and it is compatible with B20 bio-diesel fuel.

“It is very fun to drive, with torque on demand at all speeds,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president of Global Propulsion Systems. “In fact, the engine delivers 90 percent of peak torque between 1,500 and 3,250 rpm. The strong torque provides the feeling of a larger engine, with exceptional smoothness and quietness.”

The 1.6L is a clean-sheet redesign developed entirely within General Motors, including the engine control system. Development was driven from GM’s diesel product center in Torino, Italy, and involved more than 24,000 hours of computational analysis, while simulated and real-world testing totaled more than 4.35 million miles of driving.

The all-new 2018 Equinox is a fresh and modern compact SUV featuring an expressive design, increased cargo space, the latest connectivity, expanded roster of available safety features and all-new range of turbocharged engines.

Purposeful technologies are designed to help keep passengers safe, comfortable and connected. Teen Driver is offered along with safety features such as Safety Alert Seat, Surround Vision, Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator and more.  

Pricing for the turbo-diesel engine starts at $31,435 (including destination) when it goes on sale this fall.